# US 11,908,735 B2 · Vias for cobalt-based interconnects and methods of fabrication thereof

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- Number: US 11,908,735 B2
- Document ID: US11908735B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/815,839
- Filed: 2022-07-28
- Published: 2022-11-24
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-31
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yu-Jen Chang; Min-Yann Hsieh; Hua Feng Chen; Kuo-Hua Pan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908735B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/035: {combinations of barrier, adhesion or liner layers, e.g. multi-layered barrier layers}
- H10W 20/043: {for electroplating}
- H10W 20/064: {by modifying the conductivity of conductive parts, e.g. by alloying}
- H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs
- H10W 20/425: {Barrier, adhesion or liner layers}
- H10W 20/4403: {based on metals, e.g. alloys, metal silicides (H10W20/4484 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/4437: {the principal metal being a transition metal}
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/059: {by reflowing or applying pressure}
- H10W 20/076: {in via holes or trenches}
- H10W 20/077: {on sidewalls or on top surfaces of conductors (H10W20/076 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/088: {involving partial etching of via holes}
- H10W 20/40: Interconnections external to wafers or substrates, e.g. back-end-of-line [BEOL] metallisations or vias connecting to gate electrodes
- H10W 20/47: comprising two or more dielectric layers having different properties, e.g. different dielectric constants
- H10W 20/48: Insulating materials thereof
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Interconnect structures and corresponding techniques for forming the interconnect structures are disclosed herein. An exemplary interconnect structure includes a conductive feature that includes cobalt and a via disposed over the conductive feature. The via includes a first via barrier layer disposed over the conductive feature, a second via barrier layer disposed over the first via barrier layer, and a via bulk layer disposed over the second via barrier layer. The first via barrier layer includes titanium, and the second via barrier layer includes titanium and nitrogen. The via bulk layer can include tungsten and/or cobalt. A capping layer may be disposed over the conductive feature, where the via extends through the capping layer to contact the conductive feature. In some implementations, the capping layer includes cobalt and silicon.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising:
a gate structure disposed over a substrate, wherein the gate structure is disposed between a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature;
a cobalt-containing contact disposed directly on the first source/drain feature, wherein the cobalt-containing contact includes a cobalt-containing bulk layer, the cobalt-containing contact has an upper portion above a top surface of the gate structure, the cobalt-containing contact has a lower portion below the top surface of the gate structure, and the upper portion is disposed in a first interlayer dielectric layer and a first contact etch stop layer;
a tungsten-containing via disposed directly on the cobalt-containing contact, wherein the tungsten-containing via is disposed in a second interlayer dielectric layer and a second contact etch stop layer, wherein the tungsten-containing via includes:
a tungsten-containing bulk layer disposed on the cobalt-containing contact, and
a titanium-and-nitrogen-containing barrier layer disposed along a bottom and a sidewall of the tungsten-containing bulk layer; and
a copper-containing trace disposed directly on the tungsten-containing via, wherein the copper-containing trace is disposed in a third interlayer dielectric layer and a third contact etch stop layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the titanium-and-nitrogen-containing barrier layer has a first titanium concentration proximate the tungsten-containing bulk layer that is less than a second titanium concentration proximate the cobalt-containing contact.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the first titanium concentration is at least 35% and the second titanium concentration is at least 90%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the titanium-and-nitrogen-containing barrier layer wraps the tungsten-containing bulk layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the copper-containing trace includes a copper-containing bulk layer disposed over a nitrogen-containing barrier layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first contact etch stop layer, the second contact etch stop layer, and the third contact etch stop layer each include nitrogen.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first contact etch stop layer is between the gate structure and the first interlayer dielectric layer and the first contact etch stop layer covers a portion of the top surface of the gate structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein:
the cobalt-containing contact is a first cobalt-containing contact, the upper portion is a first upper portion, the lower portion is a first lower portion, and the cobalt-containing bulk layer is a first cobalt-containing bulk layer;
the device further includes a second cobalt-containing contact disposed directly on the second source/drain feature, wherein the second cobalt-containing contact includes a second cobalt-containing bulk layer, the second cobalt-containing contact has a second upper portion above the top surface of the gate structure, the second cobalt-containing contact has a second lower portion below the top surface of the gate structure, and the second upper portion is disposed in the first interlayer dielectric layer and the first contact etch stop layer; and
the gate structure is disposed between the first lower portion of the first cobalt-containing contact and the second lower portion of the second cobalt-containing contact.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the gate structure is a first gate structure and the lower portion of the cobalt-containing contact and the first source/drain feature are disposed between the first gate structure and a second gate structure.

### Claim 10

A device comprising:
two gate structures disposed over a substrate, wherein one of the two gate structures is disposed between a first epitaxial source/drain feature and a second epitaxial source/drain feature;
a cobalt-containing contact disposed directly on the first epitaxial source/drain feature, wherein the cobalt-containing contact includes a first cobalt-containing bulk layer, the cobalt-containing contact is disposed in a first interlayer dielectric layer, and the cobalt-containing contact extends below top surfaces of the two gate structures, such that the cobalt-containing contact is sandwiched by the two gate structures;
a cobalt-containing via disposed directly on the cobalt-containing contact, wherein the cobalt-containing via is disposed in a second interlayer dielectric layer and the cobalt-containing via includes:
a second cobalt-containing bulk layer disposed on the cobalt-containing contact, and
a titanium-and-nitrogen-containing barrier layer disposed along a sidewall of the second cobalt-containing bulk layer; and
a copper-containing feature disposed directly on the cobalt-containing via, wherein the copper-containing feature is disposed in a third interlayer dielectric layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, further comprising a nitrogen-containing layer disposed between the first interlayer dielectric layer and the second interlayer dielectric layer, wherein the cobalt-containing via is disposed in the nitrogen-containing layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, further comprising a nitrogen-containing layer disposed between the second interlayer dielectric layer and the third interlayer dielectric layer, wherein the copper-containing feature is disposed in the nitrogen-containing layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein the copper-containing feature includes a copper-containing bulk layer and a nitrogen-containing barrier layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the nitrogen-containing barrier layer is a tantalum nitride layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, further comprising a fourth interlayer dielectric layer between the substrate and the first interlayer dielectric layer, wherein:
the cobalt-containing contact is further disposed in the fourth interlayer dielectric layer; and
the fourth interlayer dielectric layer is between the cobalt-containing contact and each of the two gate structures.

### Claim 16

A device comprising:
two gate structures disposed over a substrate, wherein one of the two gate structures is disposed between a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature;
a cobalt-containing contact disposed directly on the first source/drain feature, wherein the cobalt-containing contact includes a cobalt-containing bulk layer and the cobalt-containing contact is disposed in a first interlayer dielectric layer and a second interlayer dielectric layer;
a tungsten-containing via disposed directly on the cobalt-containing contact, wherein the tungsten-containing via is disposed in a third interlayer dielectric layer and the tungsten-containing via includes a tungsten-containing bulk layer;
a titanium-containing barrier layer that directly contacts the tungsten-containing bulk layer and the cobalt-containing contact; and
a copper-containing trace disposed directly on the tungsten-containing via, wherein the copper-containing trace is disposed in a fourth interlayer dielectric layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, wherein:
the first interlayer dielectric layer is between the two gate structures;
the cobalt-containing contact extends through the first interlayer dielectric layer, such that the cobalt-containing contact is sandwiched between the two gate structures; and
the device further includes a gate contact to the one of the two gate structures, wherein the gate contact is disposed in the second interlayer dielectric layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, wherein the gate contact includes tungsten.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, further comprising a nitrogen-containing dielectric layer that directly contacts the tungsten-containing via, the second interlayer dielectric layer, and the third interlayer dielectric layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The device of claim 16, further comprising an etch stop layer that directly contacts the cobalt-containing contact, the first interlayer dielectric layer, and a top of the one of the two gate structures.