Metal anneal with oxidation prevention
AssigneeASM Intenational N.V.
InventorsPekka J. Soininen, Kai-Erik Elers, Ernst H. A. Granneman
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Abstract
The invention relates generally to the prevention of copper oxidation during copper anneal processes. In one aspect of the invention, copper oxidation is prevented by carrying out the anneal in the presence of one or more organic reducing agents.
Claims36
A process for annealing a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate in a reaction chamber comprising:
- heating the substrate to a temperature suitable for annealing the metal;
- and
- contacting the substrate with one or more organic reducing agents during at least part of the time the substrate is sufficiently heated to cause oxidation of the metal layer.
A process for annealing a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate in a reaction chamber, comprising:
- heating the substrate to a temperature suitable for annealing the metal;
- and
- contacting the substrate with one or more organic reducing agents during at least part of the time the substrate is sufficiently heated to cause oxidation of the metal layer,
- wherein the substrate is heated in a reactor comprising an upper part and a lower part, wherein the temperature of the upper part and lower part are constant and wherein the temperature of the upper part is about 250° C.
A process for producing an integrated circuit comprising depositing a layer of copper on a semiconductor substrate and annealing the copper layer in the presence of one or more organic reducing agents, whereby oxidation of the copper layer is prevented during the anneal.
A process for producing an integrated circuit comprising depositing a layer of copper on a substrate and annealing the copper layer in the presence of one or more organic reducing agents, whereby oxidation of the copper layer is prevented during the anneal, wherein the copper is annealed at a temperature between about 250° C. and about 350° C.
A process for annealing a copper layer during the production of an integrated circuit comprising:
- loading a semiconductor substrate comprising a copper layer into a reaction chamber;
- and
- contacting the copper layer with one or more organic reducing agents while heating the substrate to an annealing temperature between about 150° C. and about 450° C.
A process for annealing a copper layer during the production of an integrated circuit comprising:
- loading a substrate comprising a copper layer into a reaction chamber;
- and
- contacting the copper layer with one or more organic reducing agents while heating the substrate to an annealing temperature between about 250° C. and about 350° C.
A process for annealing a copper layer during the production of an integrated circuit comprising:
- loading a substrate comprising a copper layer into a reaction chamber;
- and
- contacting the copper layer with one or more organic reducing agents while heating the substrate to an annealing temperature between about 150° C. and about 450° C,
- wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature of less than about 65° C. during loading and unloading.
A process for annealing a metal layer on a semiconductor substrate comprising annealing the metal layer on the substrate in a reaction chamber and contacting the substrate with one or more flowing organic reducing agents while the substrate is present in the reaction chamber in which the metal layer is annealed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.