Methods and apparatus for making integrated-circuit wiring from copper, silver, gold, and other metals

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber using chemical-vapor deposition;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber using physical-vapor deposition.

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber,
• wherein forming the diffusion barrier in the wafer-processing chamber comprises forming a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5.

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber,
• wherein forming the diffusion barrier in the wafer-processing chamber comprises:
• forming a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5;
• and
• nitriding the graded composition of WSix.

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber,
• wherein forming the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber comprises:
• introducing tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the wafer processing chamber for a predetermined amount of time;
• introducing silane gas into the chamber a first predetermined time after introducing the tungsten hexaflouride gas;
• and
• terminating introduction of the silane gas a second predetermined time before terminating introduction of the tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the first wafer-processing chamber.

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based conductive structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber,
• wherein forming the conductive structure comprises:
• ionized sputtering or DC magnetron sputtering of a copper-based material onto at least a portion of the diffusion barrier;
• and
• electroplating copper-based material onto the sputtered copper-based material.

A method of making copper, silver, or gold interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, with the diffusion barrier comprising a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber.

A method of making copper-, silver-, or gold-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the diffusion barrier includes:
• forming a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5;
• and
• nitriding the graded composition of WSix;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber.

A method of making copper-, silver-, or gold-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the diffusion barrier includes:
• introducing tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the wafer processing chamber for a predetermined amount of time;
• introducing silane gas into the chamber a first predetermined time after introducing the tungsten hexaflouride gas;
• terminating introduction of the silane gas a second predetermined time before terminating introduction of the tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the chamber;
• and
• introducing nitrogen and argon gases and an ECR plasma in the first processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber.

A method of making copper-, silver-, or gold-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the diffusion barrier includes:
• introducing tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the wafer processing chamber for a predetermined amount of time;
• introducing silane gas into the chamber a first predetermined time after introducing the tungsten hexaflouride gas;
• terminating introduction of the silane gas a second predetermined time before terminating introduction of the tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the chamber;
• and
• introducing nitrogen and argon gases and an ECR plasma in the first processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the conductive structure comprises:
• ionized sputtering or DC magnetron sputtering of a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based material onto at least a portion of the diffusion barrier;
• and
• electroplating copper-based material onto the sputtered copper-based material.

A method of making copper-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the diffusion barrier includes:
• introducing tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the wafer processing chamber for a predetermined amount of time;
• introducing silane gas into the chamber a first predetermined time after introducing the tungsten hexaflouride gas;
• terminating introduction of the silane gas a second predetermined time before terminating introduction of the tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the chamber;
• and
• introducing nitrogen and argon gases and an ECR plasma in the first processing chamber;
• and
• forming a copper-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the conductive structure comprises:
• ionized sputtering or DC magnetron sputtering of a copper-based, silver-based, or gold-based material onto at least a portion of the diffusion barrier;
• and
• electroplating copper-based material onto the sputtered copper-based material.

A method of making silver- or gold-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the diffusion barrier includes:
• introducing tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the wafer processing chamber for a predetermined amount of time;
• introducing silane gas into the chamber a first predetermined time after introducing the tungsten hexaflouride gas;
• terminating introduction of the silane gas a second predetermined time before terminating introduction of the tungsten hexaflouride and hydrogen gases into the chamber;
• and
• introducing nitrogen and argon gases and an ECR plasma in the first processing chamber;
• and
• forming a silver-based or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber, wherein forming the silver-based or gold-based structure comprises:
• ionized sputtering or DC magnetron sputtering of a silver-based or a gold-based material onto at least a portion of the diffusion barrier;
• and
• electroplating a silver-based or a gold-based material onto the sputtered copper-based material.

A method of making copper-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, with the diffusion barrier comprising a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5;
• and
• forming a copper-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber.

A method of making silver-based or gold-based interconnects for an integrated circuit, comprising:

• forming an insulative layer including one or more holes or trenches;
• forming a diffusion barrier in one or more of the holes or trenches in a first wafer-processing chamber, with the diffusion barrier comprising a graded composition of WSix, where x varies from 2.0 to 2.5;
• and
• forming a silver-based or gold-based structure on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber.