Metal oxide precleaning prior to metal filling

Abstract

Improved process flows and methods are provided for processing a semiconductor substrate have exposed dielectric and metal-containing surfaces. More specifically, improved process flows and methods are provided for pre-cleaning the metal-containing surfaces prior to depositing a metal material onto the metal-containing surfaces. Hot vapor-phase etching is used to remove a native oxide film from the metal-containing surfaces. Prior to hot vapor-phase etching, the semiconductor substrate is exposed to a first silicon-containing gas to deposit an inhibitor film onto the exposed dielectric and metal-containing surfaces. The inhibitor film protects the dielectric surfaces while the native oxide film is being removed via the hot vapor-phase etching. In some embodiments, the semiconductor substrate is exposed to a second silicon-containing gas, after hot vapor-phase etching, to remove residues of the hot vapor-phase etching process from the pre-cleaned metal-containing surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.