Method for minimizing copper diffusion by doping an inorganic dielectric layer with a reducing agent
AssigneeChartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
InventorsSimon Chooi, Yi Xu, Yakub Aliyu, Mei-Sheng Zhou, John Leonard Sudijono, Subhash Gupta, Sudipto Ranendra Roy, Paul Ho
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Abstract
A method for reducing copper diffusion into an inorganic dielectric layer adjacent to a copper structure by doping the inorganic dielectric layer with a reducing agent (e.g. phosphorous, sulfur, or both) during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting doped inorganic dielectric layer can reduce copper diffusion without a barrier layer reducing fabrication cost and cycle time, as well as reducing RC delay.
Claims19
A method for reducing copper diffusion into an inorganic dielectric layer by forming the dielectric layer using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process wherein the inorganic dielectric layer is doped with a reducing agent.
A method for forming an inorganic dielectric layer with reduced susceptibility to copper diffusion without a barrier layers comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a semiconductor structure;
- b) forming an inorganic dielectric layer on said semiconductor structure;
- wherein said inorganic dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide doped with a reducing agent;
- c) forming an opening in said inorganic dielectric layer;
- and
- d) depositing a copper layer over said inorganic dielectric layer and in said opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.