Integrated PVD tungsten liner and seamless CVD tungsten fill

A method for processing a semiconductor device structure, comprising:

• exposing at least one feature formed in a substrate to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to deposit a tungsten liner layer over the at least one feature, wherein the PVD process is performed in a first processing region of a first processing chamber and the at least one feature is defined by sidewall surfaces and a bottom surface extending between the sidewall surfaces;
• transferring the substrate from the first processing region of the first processing chamber to a second processing region of a second processing chamber without breaking vacuum;
• exposing the tungsten liner layer to a first tungsten-containing precursor and a reducing agent to form a boron-tungsten nucleation layer over the tungsten liner layer in the second processing region;
• exposing the boron-tungsten nucleation layer to nitrogen-containing radicals in the second processing region to passivate exposed portions of the boron-tungsten nucleation layer;
• and
• exposing the at least one feature to a second tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a tungsten fill layer over the boron-tungsten nucleation layer within the at least one feature in the second processing region,
• wherein exposing the boron-tungsten nucleation layer to the nitrogen-containing radicals forms a nitrogen passivation layer on the boron-tungsten nucleation layer along the sidewall surfaces of the at least one feature prior to initiating deposition of the tungsten fill layer, and
• wherein exposing the boron-tungsten nucleation layer to the nitrogen-containing radicals is performed at a first pressure, and deposition of the tungsten fill layer is initiated at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure.

A method for processing a semiconductor device structure, comprising:

• exposing a top opening of a feature formed in a substrate to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to deposit a tungsten liner layer within the feature, wherein the PVD process is performed in a first processing region of a first processing chamber and the tungsten liner layer forms an overhang portion, wherein the tungsten liner layer forms the overhang portion extending inward from the top opening of the feature, which partially obstructs the top opening of the feature;
• transferring the substrate from the first processing region of the first processing chamber to a second processing region of a second processing chamber without breaking vacuum;
• exposing the overhang portion at the top opening of the feature to nitrogen-containing radicals in the second processing region to inhibit subsequent growth of tungsten along the overhang portion;
• and
• exposing the feature to a tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten liner layer within the feature in the second processing region,
• wherein exposing the overhang portion to the nitrogen-containing radicals is performed at a first pressure, and deposition of the tungsten fill layer is initiated at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure, and
• wherein exposing the overhang portion to the nitrogen-containing radicals is performed prior to initiating deposition of the tungsten fill layer.