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US 11,640,222 B2Granted
Copper-alloy capping layers for metallization in touch-panel displays
AssigneeMaterion Newton Inc.
InventorsShuwei Sun, Francois-Charles Dary, Marc Abouaf, Patrick Hogan, Qi Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In various embodiments, electronic devices such as touch-panel displays incorporate interconnects featuring a conductor layer and, disposed above the conductor layer, a capping layer comprising an alloy of Cu and one or more refractory metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ta, Nb, Mo, W, Zr, Hf, Re, Os, Ru, Rh, Ti, V, Cr, and Ni.
Claims20
A method of forming an electronic device, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing over the substrate a conductor layer comprising at least one of Cu, Ag, Al, or Au;
- depositing over the conductor layer a capping layer (i) comprising an alloy of Cu and one or more refractory metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ta, Nb, Mo, W, Zr, Hf, Re, Os, Ru, Rh, Ti, V, Cr, and Ni, and (ii) comprising a plurality of crystalline grains separated by grain boundaries;
- forming a mask layer over the capping layer and the conductor layer;
- patterning the mask layer to reveal a portion of the capping layer;
- thereafter, applying an etchant to remove portions of the capping layer and the conductor layer not masked by the patterned mask layer, thereby forming a sidewall comprising (i) an exposed portion of the capping layer, (ii) an exposed portion of the conductor layer, and (iii) an interface between the exposed portion of the capping layer and the exposed portion of the conductor layer;
- and
- annealing the substrate at a temperature sufficient to form a particulate within at least one of the grain boundaries, the particulate comprising at least one of (i) an agglomeration of at least one of the refractory metal elements or (ii) a reaction product of silicon and at least one of the refractory metal elements.
5 more elements
An electronic device comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a conductive feature disposed over the substrate, the conductive feature comprising:
- disposed over the substrate, a conductor layer comprising at least one of Cu, Ag, Al, or Au, and
- disposed over the conductor layer, a capping layer (i) comprising an alloy of Cu and one or more refractory metal elements selected from the list consisting of Ta, Nb, Mo, W, Zr, Hf, Re, Os, Ru, Rh, Ti, V, Cr, and Ni, and (ii) comprising a plurality of crystalline grains separated by grain boundaries,
- wherein at least one of the grain boundaries comprises a particulate therein, the particulate comprising at least one of (i) an agglomeration of at least one of the refractory metal elements or (ii) a reaction product of silicon and at least one of the refractory metal elements.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.