# US 11,908,697 B2 · Interconnect structure having a carbon-containing barrier layer

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- Number: US 11,908,697 B2
- Document ID: US11908697B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/064,341
- Filed: 2022-12-12
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2014-02-07
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Rueijer Lin; Ya-Lien Lee; Chun-Chieh Lin; Hung-Wen Su
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908697B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/43: Chemical deposition, e.g. chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10W 20/033: {in openings in dielectrics}
- H10W 20/036: {the barrier, adhesion or liner layers being within a main fill metal}
- H10W 20/425: {Barrier, adhesion or liner layers}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An interconnect structure and a method of forming an interconnect structure are disclosed. The interconnect structure includes a conductive plug over a substrate; a conductive feature over the conductive plug, wherein the conductive feature has a first sidewall, a second sidewall facing the first sidewall, and a bottom surface; and a carbon-containing barrier layer having a first portion along the first sidewall of the conductive feature, a second portion along the second sidewall of the conductive feature, and a third portion along the bottom surface of the conductive feature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming an interconnect structure, the method comprising:
forming a first conductive feature in a first dielectric layer, wherein the first conductive feature comprises a first void;
forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer;
forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer;
forming a trench in the second dielectric layer and the third dielectric layer, wherein the trench extends into the first dielectric layer, wherein the trench exposes the first void in the first conductive feature;
forming a carbon-containing barrier layer along surfaces of the trench, wherein the carbon-containing barrier layer lines the first void in the first conductive feature, wherein the carbon-containing barrier layer lines the first void to form a second void; and
forming a conductive layer over the carbon-containing barrier layer in the trench.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the first conductive feature is recessed below the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing barrier layer extends continuously from within the second void to an upper sidewall of the third dielectric layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive feature comprises a barrier liner and a plug material over the barrier liner.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein forming the trench comprises recessing the barrier liner and the plug material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon-containing barrier layer has a carbon concentration of at least about 0.1 atomic percent (at %).

### Claim 7

A method of forming an interconnect structure, the method comprising:
depositing a lower dielectric layer over a substrate;
forming a first recess in the lower dielectric layer;
forming a first conductive feature in the first recess, the first conductive feature having a first void;
depositing an upper dielectric layer over the lower dielectric layer and the first conductive feature;
forming a second recess in the upper dielectric layer, wherein the second recess exposes the first conductive feature, the second recess extending into the lower dielectric layer, wherein forming the second recess comprises removing a portion of the first conductive feature to expose the first void;
forming a carbon-containing layer along sidewalls of the second recess and the sidewalls of the first void; and
forming a second conductive layer over the carbon-containing layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein forming the carbon-containing layer comprises using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein forming the carbon-containing layer comprises using a carbon-containing precursor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, where in the carbon-containing precursor comprises (tert-amylimido)tris(dimethylamido)tantalum(“TAIMATA”), (tert-butylimido)tris(ethylmethylamido)tantalum(“TBTEMT”), tris(diethylamino)(tert-butylimido)tantalum (“TBTDMT”), pentakis(dimethylamino)tantalum (“PDMAT”), tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (“TDMAT”), bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)Ruthenium (“Ru(EtCp)2”), cyclopentadienyl-propylcyclopentadienylruthenium (“RuCp(i-PrCp)”), bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium (“Ru(MeCp)2”), tris(acetylacetonate)ruthenium (“Ru(acac)3”), triruthenium dodecacarbonyl (“Ru3(CO)12”), cobalt dicarbonyl cyclopentadiene (“CpCo(CO)2”), or dicobalt hexacarbonyl tert-butylacetylene (“CCTBA”).

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the carbon-containing layer comprises a metal or a metal nitride.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the metal or metal nitride comprises one or more metal elements selected from Ta, Ti, Mn, Ru, Co, Cr, Al, Zr, Hf, Sn, Mo, or Pd.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the carbon-containing layer has a carbon concentration from about 0.1 at % to about 5 at %.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the carbon-containing layer has a carbon concentration from 0.2 at % to 1 at %.

### Claim 15

A method of forming an interconnect structure, the method comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer;
forming a first recess in the first dielectric layer;
forming a first conductive feature in the first recess, an upper surface of the first conductive feature being level with an upper surface of the first dielectric layer, the first conductive feature having a first void;
forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer;
after forming the second dielectric layer, forming a second recess through the second dielectric layer and into the first dielectric layer, wherein forming the second recess removes at least a portion of the first conductive feature to expose the first void;
forming a carbon-containing TaN layer along sidewalls of the second recess and sidewalls of the first void; and
forming a second conductive layer over the carbon-containing TaN layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a ratio of a sidewall thickness of the carbon-containing TaN layer to a bottom thickness of the carbon-containing TaN layer is 0.95.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a cap layer over the second conductive layer, wherein the cap layer has a composition of MxOyNz, where M is a metal, O is oxygen, and N is nitrogen.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of Al, Mn, Co, Ti, Ta, W, Ni, Sn, Mg, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the carbon-containing TaN layer completely separates the second conductive layer from the second dielectric layer and the first conductive feature.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first conductive feature comprises a tungsten plug.