Methods for making copper and other metal interconnections in integrated circuits

A method of filling a hole or trench in an integrated-circuit assembly with metal, the method comprising:

• forming a hole or trench in a layer of the integrated-circuit assembly;
• forming a first diffusion barrier inside the hole or trench through magnetron sputtering of a first diffusion-barring material;
• forming a second diffusion barrier outside the hole or trench through jet-vapor deposition of a second diffusion-barring material;
• and
• at least partially filling the hole or trench with metal.

A method of filling a hole or trench in an integrated-circuit assembly with copper, the method comprising:

• forming a hole or trench in an insulative layer of the integrated-circuit assembly, the hole or trench having a perimeter;
• forming a first copper-diffusion barrier inside the hole or trench through magnetron sputtering of a high-copper-wetting diffusion-barring material;
• forming a second copper-diffusion barrier on the insulative layer through jet-vapor deposition of a low-copper-wetting diffusion-barring material, at an acute deposition angle, the second copper-diffusion barrier having an edge substantially flush with at least a portion of the perimeter of the hole or trench;
• at least partially filling the hole or trench with copper;
• and
• annealing the copper-filled hole or trench.

A method of making a metal structure for an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

• forming a hole or trench in an insulative layer, the hole or trench having a perimeter;
• forming a first diffusion barrier inside the hole or trench through magnetron sputtering of a first diffusion-barring material;
• forming a second diffusion barrier on the insulative layer through jet-vapor deposition of a second diffusion-barring material at an acute deposition angle, the second diffusion barrier having an edge substantially flush with at least a portion of the perimeter of the hole or trench;
• depositing metal on the first and second diffusion barriers;
• and
• annealing the deposited metal and the first and second diffusion barriers.

A method of electrically connecting first and second integrated devices in an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

• forming a first layer including first and second conductive vias electrically coupled to the respective first and second integrated devices;
• forming an insulative layer on the second layer;
• forming a trench in the insulative layer that extends at least from the first conductive via to the second conductive via, the trench having a perimeter;
• forming a first diffusion barrier inside through magnetron sputtering of a first diffusion-barring material;
• forming a second diffusion barrier on the insulative layer and flush with the perimeter of the trench through jet-vapor deposition of a second diffusion-barring material, at an acute deposition angle;
• depositing metal on the first and second diffusion barriers;
• and
• annealing the deposited metal and the first and second diffusion barriers.

A method of filling a hole or trench in an insulative layer with metal, the method comprising:

• forming a first diffusion barrier inside the hole or trench through magnetron sputtering of a first diffusion-barring material;
• forming a second diffusion barrier outside the hole or trench;
• and
• at least partially filling the hole or trench with a metal.

An integrated-circuit assembly comprising:

• an insulative layer having a trench or hole, the trench or hole having an edge;
• a first diffusion barrier inside the trench or hole;
• and
• a second diffusion barrier on the trench and having an edge substantially flush with a least a portion of the edge of the trench or hole, the second diffusion barrier comprising a zinc oxide material.