# US 10,121,697 B2 · Semiconductor constructions; and methods for providing electrically conductive material within openings

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- Number: US 10,121,697 B2
- Document ID: US10121697B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/930,524
- Filed: 2015-11-02
- Published: 2016-02-25
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2010-08-20
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Dale W. Collins; Joe Lindgren
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121697B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/033: {in openings in dielectrics}
- H10P 14/43: Chemical deposition, e.g. chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/44: Physical vapour deposition [PVD]
- H10W 20/048: {by using plasmas or gaseous environments, e.g. by nitriding}
- H10W 20/059: {by reflowing or applying pressure}
- H10W 20/425: {Barrier, adhesion or liner layers}
- H10P 14/432: {using selective deposition}
- H10W 20/01: {Manufacture or treatment}
- H10W 20/035: {combinations of barrier, adhesion or liner layers, e.g. multi-layered barrier layers}
- H10W 20/043: {for electroplating}
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Some embodiments include methods for depositing copper-containing material utilizing physical vapor deposition of the copper-containing material while keeping a temperature of the deposited copper-containing material at greater than 100° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a metal-containing composition, copper-containing material is physical vapor deposited over the metal-containing composition while a temperature of the copper-containing material is no greater than about 0° C., and the copper-containing material is then annealed while the copper-containing material is at a temperature in a range of from about 180° C. to about 250° C. Some embodiments include methods in which openings are lined with a composition containing metal and nitrogen, and the lined openings are at least partially filled with copper-containing material. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions having a metal nitride liner along sidewall peripheries of an opening, and having copper-containing material within the opening and directly against the metal nitride liner.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for depositing copper-containing material within a plurality of openings comprising:
providing a plurality of openings extending partially through a silicon oxide material;
forming a composition containing metal and nitrogen directly against the silicon oxide material along a base and opposing sidewalls within the openings to line the openings, wherein the metal comprises one or both of ruthenium and cobalt; and
physical vapor deposition of a copper-containing material consisting essentially of copper directly against the composition containing metal and nitrogen under conditions in which the deposited copper-containing material is deposited at a rate of from about 20 Å/sec to about 50 Å/sec and is maintained at a temperature of from about 180° C. to about 600° C. during deposition and surface diffusion of the copper-containing material, the deposition of the copper-containing material comprising at least two iterations of the following sequence:
sputter depositing the copper-containing material utilizing a plasma, with a temperature of the sputter-deposited material being at a specific temperature within a range of from about 180° C. to about 600° C.; and
maintaining the specific temperature of the sputter-deposited material, and while maintaining the specific temperature extinguishing the plasma and providing a duration of time to allow for the sputter-deposited material to surface diffuse into cavities to expel voids and recesses within the cavities without inducing agglomeration of the copper-containing material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the specific temperature is in a range of from about 300° C. to about 600° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the specific temperature is in a range of from about 500° C. to about 600° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein noble gas is utilized to sputter copper-containing material from a target during the physical vapor deposition.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the forming the composition containing metal and nitrogen comprises:
lining the openings with the metal comprising one or both of ruthenium and cobalt; and
subsequently nitriding the first metal by exposing the first metal to a source of nitrogen to form a metal nitride liner.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the metal consists of one or both of ruthenium and cobalt.

### Claim 7

A method for providing electrically conductive material within a plurality of openings, comprising:
lining openings within a construction with a metal-containing composition; and
a single iteration of the following:
physical vapor depositing copper-containing material within the opening directly against the metal-containing composition, the physical vapor depositing being conducted under conditions that deposit and maintain a first temperature of the deposited copper to be less than or equal to about 40° C. to form a copper-containing material coating having a first conformation; and
annealing the copper-containing material coating under conditions in which the copper-containing material is at a second temperature within a range of from about 180° C. to about 250° C. to reflow the copper-containing material of said coating and thereby form a second conformation of the copper-containing material, the single iteration entirely filling the openings.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the metal-containing composition consists of one or both of ruthenium and cobalt.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the metal-containing composition consists of nitrogen in combination with one or both of ruthenium and cobalt.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the first conformation of the copper-containing material leaves some voids within the openings, and the second conformation of the copper-containing material displaces the voids from the openings.