Thermal annealing/hydrogen containing plasma method for forming structurally stable low contact resistance damascene conductor structure

A damascene method for forming a patterned conductor layer within a semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• forming over the semiconductor substrate a blanket first dielectric layer;
• patterning the blanket first dielectric layer to form a patterned first dielectric layer which defines an aperture;
• etching the aperture with a plasma employing an etchant gas composition comprising a hydrogen containing etchant gas without molecular nitrogen to form a laterally enlarged aperture;
• and
• forming into the laterally enlarged aperture a patterned conductor layer while employing a damascene method.

A damascene method for forming a patterned conductor layer within a microelectronic fabrication comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming over the substrate a blanket dielectric layer;
• patterning the blanket dielectric layer to form a patterned dielectric layer which defines an aperture;
• and
• forming into the aperture a patterned conductor layer while employing a damascene method, wherein the patterned dielectric layer is thermally annealed at a temperature of from about 300 to about 450 degrees centigrade prior to forming into the aperture the patterned conductor layer.