Method for treating a deposited film for resistivity reduction
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsMohan K. Bhan, Ling Chen, Bo Zheng, Justin Jones, Seshadri Ganguli, Timothy Levine, Samuel Wilson, Mei Chang
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Abstract
A method for reducing the resistivity of a copper layer on a wafer. A moisture containing seed layer of copper is formed over a layer of material on a wafer. The copper seed layer is treated by either heat or ions from a plasma to anneal out moisture thereby reducing its resistivity and improving its adhesion to the underlying layer. A moisture free copper layer is then deposited on top of the “clean” or treated copper seed layer.
Claims16
A method of reducing the resistivity of copper deposited on a substrate in a substrate processing system comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing copper containing moisture upon said substrate;
- and
- (b) plasma treating the copper to reduce the resistivity of the copper, wherein the copper is “self-annealed” prior to being plasma treated.
A method for forming a layer of copper over a layer of material formed on a wafer, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing the wafer in a processing chamber;
- (b) chemical vapor depositing the copper with moisture on the layer of material;
- (c) transferring the wafer to a treatment chamber, wherein the copper is “self-annealed”;
- and
- (d) plasma treating the copper to reduce resistivity.
In a semiconductor wafer processing system containing a chamber for performing chemical vapor deposition and a computer for controlling said chemical vapor deposition within said chamber, a computer readable medium containing a program that, when executed by said computer, causes said semiconductor wafer processing system to perform the following steps:
- depositing a copper seed layer with moisture upon a substrate;
- supplying a treatment gas to said chamber, wherein the copper seed layer is “self-annealed” using said treatment gas;
- and
- plasma treating said copper seed layer using said treatment gas.
A method for treating a layer of copper underneath an existing layer of material on a semiconductor wafer, processed in a semiconductor wafer processing system having one or more chambers, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) etching a via through said existing layer of material to expose a portion of a surface of said layer of copper;
- and
- (b) plasma treating said surface of said layer of copper in the presence of hydrogen to reduce a copper oxide on said exposed portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.