Method for improving adhesion to copper
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsVincent J. Mcgahay, Thomas H. Ivers, Joyce Liu, Henry A. Nye III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Poorly adherent layers such as silicon nitride and silicon dioxide exhibit improved adhesion to copper member by providing an intervening germanium-containing layer. The germanium-containing layer is copper germanide, germanium oxide, germanium nitride or combinations thereof. The germanium-containing layer enhances the adhesion such that the poorly adherent layer is less susceptible to delamination from the copper member.
Claims31
A semiconductor structure comprising a copper member located within a semiconductor device;
- a germanium-containing layer of at least one member selected from the group consisting of copper germanide, germanium oxide, germanium nitride and combinations thereof, located on at least one surface of the copper member;
- and a layer of a material poorly adherent to copper located on the germanium-containing layer.
A process for fabricating a semiconductor structure which comprises the steps of providing a germanium-containing layer of at least one member selected from the group consisting of copper germanide, germanium oxide, germanium nitride and combinations thereof onto at least one surface of a copper member;
- and providing a layer of a material that does not adhere well to copper on the germanium-containing layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.