Integrated process for copper via filling using a magnetron and target producing highly energetic ions

A high-energy sputtering method comprising:

• placing a magnetron in back of a copper target included in one side of a chamber;
• biasing said copper target with a first level of a DC power to excite a plasma to sputter said target;
• biasing a pedestal holding a substrate to a second level of a negative DC bias;
• maintaining a pressure in said chamber to a third level of a pressure;
• wherein said first and second levels are large enough and said third level small enough to cause a distribution of energies of copper ions in said plasma to have a peak energy in a range of 50 to 300 eV.

A magnetron sputter reactor, comprising:

• a plasma chamber arranged about a central axis and configured to accommodate a substrate to be sputter coated;
• a sputtering target disposed about said central axis and having an annular vault disposed on a first side of said target facing said substrate and extending around said central axis, said vault having an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall extending substantially in parallel to said central axis and a roof between said inner and outer sidewalls, a ratio of a depth of said vault to a width of said vault in a radial direction with respect said central axis being at least 1:2, said target being configured to receive electrical power to support a plasma within said plasma chamber;
• a first permanent magnet of a first magnetic polarity positioned in back of said inner sidewall;
• and
• a second permanent magnet of a second magnetic polarity opposite said first magnetic polarity positioned in back of said outer sidewall.

A magnetron plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a plasma chamber arranged about a central axis and configured to accommodate a substrate to be sputter coated;
• a target arranged around said central axis and having at least one annular vault disposed on a first side of said target and having a surface area facing said substrate, said vault having a width in a radial direction with respect to said central axis, said surface area having a substantially uniform composition in said annular vault and radially inward of said annular vault, said target being configured to receive electrical power to create a plasma within said plasma chamber;
• a first magnet of a first magnetic polarization positioned in back of one sidewall of said vault;
• and
• a second magnet of a second magnetic polarization opposite said first polarization disposed in back of another sidewall of said vault.