Tungsten plug corrosion prevention method using gas sparged water
AssigneeNEC Electronics America, Inc.
InventorsJohn Jacobs, Elizabeth Dauch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method of making integrated circuits. In one embodiment the method includes forming tungsten plugs in a integrated circuit and forming electrically conductive interconnect lines after formation of the tungsten plugs, wherein at least one tungsten plug is electrically connected to at least one electrically conductive interconnect line. Separate from the formation of the tungsten plugs and electrically conductive interconnect lines, a gas is introduced into a liquid. At least one electrically conductive interconnect line is then contacted with the gas introduced liquid.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a tungsten plug in a dielectric layer;
- forming an electrically conductive interconnect line on the dielectric layer after formation of the tungsten plug, wherein the tungsten plug is electrically connected to the electrically conductive interconnect line;
- introducing a gas into a liquid;
- contacting the electrically conductive interconnect line with the gas introduced liquid after formation of the electrically conductive interconnect line.
An integrated circuit (IC) partially formed by:
- forming a tungsten plug in a dielectric layer;
- forming an electrically conductive interconnect line on the dielectric layer after formation of the tungsten plug, wherein the tungsten plug is electrically connected to the electrically conductive interconnect line;
- contacting the electrically conductive interconnect line with a liquid after a gas is introduced into the liquid, wherein the electrically conductive interconnect line is contacted with the gas introduced liquid after formation of the electrically conductive interconnect line.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first chamber for receiving a gas;
- a second chamber for receiving a liquid;
- a porous membrane separating the first and second chambers, wherein the porous membrane is configured to pass the gas from the first chamber into the second chamber so that the gas can dissolve into the liquid;
- a tube coupled between the second chamber and a nozzle, wherein the tube is configured to transmit the liquid with the gas dissolved therein;
- a substrate comprising:
- a tungsten plug formed in a dielectric layer, and;
- an electrically conductive interconnect line formed on the dielectric layer,
- wherein the tungsten plug is electrically connected to the electrically conductive interconnect line;
- wherein the substrate is positioned relative to the nozzle so that the liquid, with the gas dissolved therein, transmitted through the tube and nozzle emerges from the nozzle and contacts the electrically conductive interconnect line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.