Forming intermetal nitride phase in metal nitride layer
AssigneeLam Research Corporation
InventorsWilliam Todd NUNN, Kevin M. MCLAUGHLIN, Ananda K. BANERJI, Arpan Pravin MAHOROWALA
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Abstract
Examples are disclosed that relate to forming, in a cobalt nitride layer, an intermetal nitride phase that inhibits cobalt mobility in the cobalt nitride layer. One example provides a method for processing a substrate. The method comprises introducing a gas-phase metal-containing precursor into a processing chamber to expose a cobalt nitride layer on a substrate in the processing chamber to the gas-phase metal-containing precursor, thereby forming an intermetal nitride phase in at least a surface region of the cobalt nitride layer. The method further comprises depositing the dielectric etch stop layer onto the cobalt nitride layer.
Claims20
A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising:
- introducing a gas-phase metal-containing precursor into a processing chamber to expose a metal nitride layer on a substrate in the processing chamber to the gas-phase metal-containing precursor, thereby forming an intermetal nitride phase in at least a surface region of the metal nitride layer;
- and
- depositing a dielectric etch stop layer onto the metal nitride layer.
A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising:
- exposing a cobalt nitride layer on the substrate to aluminum, thereby forming a cobalt-aluminum nitride phase in at least a surface region of the cobalt nitride layer;
- and
- depositing a dielectric etch stop layer onto the cobalt-aluminum nitride phase of the cobalt nitride layer.
A substrate structure, comprising:
- a metal line comprising a conductor;
- a dielectric etch stop layer;
- and
- a cobalt nitride layer disposed between the metal line and the dielectric etch stop layer, at least a portion of the cobalt nitride layer adjacent to an interface with the dielectric etch stop layer comprising an intermetal nitride phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.