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US 11,694,899 B2Granted
Interconnect structures and methods and apparatuses for forming the same
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChun-Hsu Yang, Chun-Sheng Chen, Nai-Hao Yang, Kuan-Chia Chen, Huei-Wen Hsieh, Yu-Cheng Hsiao, Che-Wei Tien
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Abstract
Interconnect structures and methods and apparatuses for forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes supplying a process gas to a process chamber; igniting the process gas into a plasma in the process chamber; reducing a pressure of the process chamber to less than 0.3 mTorr; and after reducing the pressure of the process chamber, depositing a conductive layer on a substrate in the process chamber.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- depositing a barrier layer in an opening extending through a dielectric layer;
- depositing a liner layer over the barrier layer;
- and
- forming a conductive feature filling the opening in a process chamber, wherein forming the conductive feature comprises:
- generating a plasma from a process gas utilizing a first DC power to ignite the plasma;
- pumping the plasma and the process gas from the process chamber at a flowrate from 500 L/sec to about 2,500 L/sec;
- while pumping the plasma and process gas from the process chamber, ceasing to provide the process gas to the process chamber, and increasing the first DC power to a second DC power to maintain the plasma, the second DC power being between 3 and 8 times the first DC power;
- depositing a conductive layer over the liner layer;
- and
- reflowing the conductive layer.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- depositing a dielectric layer on a substrate;
- forming a recess extending through the dielectric layer;
- depositing a barrier layer in the recess;
- depositing a liner layer on the barrier layer;
- and
- depositing a conductive layer on the barrier layer and filling the recess in a process chamber, wherein depositing the conductive layer comprises:
- supplying a process gas to the process chamber;
- igniting the process gas into a plasma in the process chamber, the plasma dislodging deposition materials from a deposition target material to create source particles;
- ceasing supplying the process gas and reducing a pressure of the process chamber to less than 0.3 mTorr, wherein reducing the pressure of the process chamber causes a relative concentration of source particles in the process chamber to increase;
- and
- after reducing the pressure of the process chamber, depositing the source particles to form the conductive layer on the liner layer in the process chamber.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a conductive feature in a first dielectric layer on a substrate;
- depositing an etch stop layer on the first dielectric layer and the conductive feature;
- depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer;
- depositing a dielectric cap layer on the second dielectric layer;
- etching an opening through the dielectric cap layer, the second dielectric layer, and the etch stop layer to expose the conductive feature;
- and
- depositing a conductive layer in the opening, wherein depositing the conductive layer comprises:
- igniting a plasma from a process gas in a process chamber at a first pressure greater than 10 mTorr, wherein the plasma is ignited while supplying a first DC power to a deposition target of less than 5 kW;
- pumping the process chamber to a second pressure less than 0.3 mTorr, wherein the process chamber is pumped while supplying a second DC power to the deposition target of greater than 15 kW;
- and
- depositing the conductive layer in the opening;
- and
- heating the conductive layer to reflow the conductive layer.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.