Buffer layer for dielectric protection in physical vapor deposition metal liner applications

A non-transitory computer readable medium, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a method to be performed, the method comprising:

• depositing a metal buffer layer on a substrate of a certain size and within a feature disposed in a dielectric layer of the substrate using a first physical vapor deposition (PVD) process while applying less than or equal to 0.08 watts/cm2 of RF bias power density to the substrate at a chamber pressure less than or equal to 3 mTorr;
• depositing a metal liner layer atop the metal buffer layer, wherein the metal liner layer is deposited using a second PVD process at a chamber pressure of less than or equal to 3 mTorr while applying greater than 0.08 watts/cm2 of RF bias power density to the substrate, wherein the feature includes a bottom and sidewalls, and wherein the metal liner layer is deposited atop the metal buffer layer along the bottom of the feature;
• and
• depositing a conductive layer atop the metal liner layer to fill the feature, wherein the conductive layer is deposited via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, and wherein the conductive layer is a metal layer, wherein the metal buffer layer and the metal liner layer are composed of same materials.

A system for processing a substrate of a certain size, the system comprising:

• a first PVD chamber configured to deposit a metal buffer layer on the substrate and within a feature disposed in a dielectric layer of the substrate, wherein the first PVD chamber is configured to deposit the metal buffer layer using a first physical vapor deposition (PVD) process while applying less than or equal to 0.08 watts/cm2 of RF bias power density to the substrate at a chamber pressure less than or equal to 3 mTorr;
• a second PVD chamber configured to deposit a metal liner layer atop the metal buffer layer, wherein the second PVD chamber is configured to deposit the metal liner layer using a second PVD process at a chamber pressure of less than or equal to 3 m Torr while applying greater than 0.08 watts/cm2 of RF bias power density to the substrate, wherein the feature includes a bottom and sidewalls, and wherein the metal liner layer is deposited atop the metal buffer layer along the bottom of the feature;
• and
• a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber configured to depositing a conductive layer atop the metal liner layer to fill the feature, wherein the conductive layer is a metal layer, wherein the metal buffer layer and the metal liner layer are composed of same materials.