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US 2004/0171203 A1Published application
Agglomeration control using early transition metal alloys
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorYonjun Jeff Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Structures and methods of fabricating portions of integrated circuit devices to reduce agglomeration tendencies of high surface-energy metals used in interconnects and contacts. Early transition metals having relatively low surface energies are chosen to form stable crystalline compounds rich in the high surface-energy metal. Agglomeration control layers containing such alloy compounds facilitate adhesion between the high surface-energy metal and an underlying layer of the integrated circuit device, such as a diffusion barrier layer. These agglomeration control layers may be nitrided to improve robustness at higher temperatures.
Claims54
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a diffusion barrier layer;
- a first metal layer on the diffusion barrier layer, wherein the first metal layer comprises a first metal component and a second metal component forming a crystalline compound with the first metal component, wherein the second metal component has a surface energy lower than a surface energy of the first metal component, and wherein the crystalline compound is rich in the first metal component;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises the first metal component.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a dielectric layer overlying a base layer;
- a layer of titanium nitride overlying the dielectric layer;
- a first metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the first metal layer comprises a crystalline alloy compound containing a first metal component and a second metal component, wherein the second metal component is selected from the group consisting of Group IIIA and Group IVA elements, and wherein an atomic ratio of the first metal component to the second metal component in the first metal layer is greater than one;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises the first metal component.
2 more elements
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a titanium nitride layer;
- a first metal layer on the titanium nitride layer, wherein the first metal layer comprises copper and a metal component forming a crystalline compound with the copper, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and wherein the crystalline compound has an atomic ratio of copper to the metal component in the first metal layer of greater than one;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises copper.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride adjoining a dielectric layer;
- a metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the metal layer comprises a copper-rich alloy selected from the group consisting of Cu4Sc, Cu6Y, Cu4Ti, Cu3Ti and Cu5Zr;
- and
- a copper layer on the metal layer.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a first metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the first metal layer comprises elemental copper, wherein the first metal layer further comprises a copper-rich crystalline alloy compound containing copper and a metal component selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and wherein at least 25 wt % of the first metal layer is elemental copper;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises copper.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a first metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the first metal layer comprises elemental copper, wherein the first metal layer further comprises a copper-rich crystalline alloy compound containing copper and a metal component selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and wherein an atomic ratio of copper to the metal component in the first metal layer is greater than ten;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises copper.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a titanium nitride layer;
- a first metal layer on the titanium nitride layer, wherein the first metal layer comprises silver and a metal component forming a crystalline compound with the silver, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum, and wherein the crystalline compound has an atomic ratio of silver to the metal component in the first metal layer of greater than one;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises silver.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride adjoining a dielectric layer;
- a metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the metal layer comprises a silver-rich alloy selected from the group consisting of Ag4Sc and Ag4Y;
- and
- a silver layer on the metal layer.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a first metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the first metal layer comprises elemental silver, wherein the first metal layer further comprises a silver-rich crystalline alloy compound containing silver and a metal component selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum, and wherein at least 25 wt % of the first metal layer is elemental silver;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises silver.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a first metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the first metal layer comprises elemental silver, wherein the first metal layer further comprises a silver-rich crystalline alloy compound containing silver and a metal component selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum, and wherein an atomic ratio of silver to the metal component in the first metal layer is greater than ten;
- and
- a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises silver.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a diffusion barrier layer;
- a nitrided metal layer on the diffusion barrier layer, wherein the nitrided metal layer comprises a first metal component, a second metal component capable of forming a crystalline compound with the first metal component, and nitrogen, wherein the second metal component has a surface energy lower than a surface energy of the first metal component, and wherein the nitrided metal layer is rich in the first metal component;
- and
- a second metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the second metal layer comprises the first metal component.
1 more element
An interconnect of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer comprises a nitride metal alloy compound containing a first metal component, a second metal component and nitrogen, wherein the second metal component is selected from the group consisting of Group IIIA and Group IVA elements, and wherein an atomic ratio of the first metal component to the second metal component in the nitrided metal layer is greater than one;
- and
- a metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises the first metal component.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a dielectric layer on a base layer;
- a titanium nitride layer overlying the dielectric layer;
- a nitrided metal layer on the titanium nitride layer, wherein the nitrided metal layer comprises copper, a metal component capable of forming a crystalline compound with the copper, and nitrogen, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and wherein an atomic ratio of copper to the metal component in the nitrided metal layer is greater than one;
- and
- a copper layer on the nitrided metal layer.
2 more elements
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer is of the form MTxNY, where M is a first metal component, T is a Group IIIA or Group IVA transition metal, N is nitrogen, x is an atomic fraction of T, y is an atomic fraction of N, and x andy are each less than one;
- and
- a metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises the first metal component.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer is of the form MTxNY, where M is a first metal component, T is a Group IIIA or Group IVA transition metal, N is nitrogen, x is an atomic fraction of T, y is an atomic fraction of N, x is less than approximately 0.1 and y is less than approximately 0.9;
- and
- a metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises the first metal component.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer is of the form CuTxNy, where Cu is copper, T is a Group IIIA or Group IVA transition metal, N is nitrogen, x is an atomic fraction of T, y is an atomic fraction of N, and x and y are each less than one;
- and
- a metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises copper.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a dielectric layer on a base layer;
- a titanium nitride layer overlying the dielectric layer;
- a nitrided metal layer on the titanium nitride layer, wherein the nitrided metal layer comprises silver, a metal component capable of forming a crystalline compound with the silver, and nitrogen, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum, and wherein an atomic ratio of silver to the metal component in the nitrided metal layer is greater than one;
- and
- a silver layer on the nitrided metal layer.
2 more elements
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a titanium nitride layer;
- a nitrided metal layer on the titanium nitride layer, wherein the nitrided metal layer comprises silver, a metal component capable of forming a crystalline compound with the silver, and nitrogen, wherein the metal component is selected from the group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanum, and wherein an atomic ratio of silver to the metal component in the nitrided metal layer is greater than one;
- and
- a silver layer on the nitrided metal layer.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer is of the form AgTxNywhere Ag is silver, T is a Group IIIA transition metal, N is nitrogen, x is an atomic fraction of T, y is an atomic fraction of N, and x and y are each less than one;
- and
- a metal layer on the nitrided metal layer, wherein the metal layer comprises silver.
1 more element
A portion of an integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a layer of titanium nitride;
- a nitrided metal layer on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the nitrided metal layer is of the form AgTxNy, where is silver, T is a Group IIIA transition metal, N is nitrogen, x is an atomic fraction of T, y is an atomic fraction of N, x is less than approximately 0.1 and y is less than approximately 0.9;
- and
- a silver layer on the nitrided metal layer.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.