US 7,084,060 B1 · Forming capping layer over metal wire structure using selective atomic layer deposition

Abstract

Methods of forming a capping layer over a metal wire structure of a semiconductor device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having exposed surfaces of the metal (e.g., copper) wire structure and a dielectric around the metal wire structure. The exposed surface of the metal wire structure is then activated by forming a seed layer thereon. The capping layer is then formed over the exposed surface of the metal wire structure by performing a selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a capping layer material onto the metal wire structure. As an alternative, the dielectric may be masked off to further assist the selectivity of the ALD. The invention also includes a semiconductor structure including the metal wire structure having an atomic layer deposition capping layer over an upper surface thereof.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of forming a capping layer over a metal wire structure of a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having exposed surfaces of the metal wire structure and a dielectric around the metal wire structure;
activating the exposed surface of the metal wire structure by forming a seed layer thereon by reacting the metal wire structure with at least one of the following:
a) ammonia, b) an ammonia/oxygen mixture and c) at least one of the following reactive organic compounds:
an amine, a thiol, a phosphine and an acetylene;
masking the exposed surface of the dielectric by exposing the dielectric to a reagent to form a self-assembled monolayer of hydrophobic, inert masking layer over the dielectric;
and
forming the capping layer over the metal wire structure by performing a selective atomic layer deposition of a capping layer material onto the metal wire structure.

4 more elements

A method of forming a capping layer over a copper structure of a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a partially fabricated semiconductor device having exposed surfaces of the copper structure and a dielectric around the copper structure;
masking the dielectric by exposing the partially fabricated semiconductor device to a reagent to form a self-assembled monolayer of hydrophobic, inert masking layer over the dielectric, the reagent including at least one of the following:
alkyl-trichloro-silane, alkyl-dichlorophoshine, alkyl-triethoxysilane, alkyl-phosphonate, dialkyl-chlorosilane, dialkyl-ethoxy silane, dialkyl-chlorophosphine, diakyl-phosphonate, trialkyl-chlorosilane, trialkyl-ethoxy silane, trialkyl-chlorophosphine, trialkyl-phosphonate, tert-butyl, adamantyl, n-butyl, isopropyl, neopentyl, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, phenyl, and alkyl-phenyl;
activating the exposed surface of the metal wire structure by reacting the metal wire structure with at least one of the following:
a) ammonia, b) an ammonia/oxygen mixture and c) at least one of the following reactive organic compounds:
an amine, a thiol, a phosphine and an acetylene, to create a seed layer;
and
forming the capping layer over the copper structure by performing a selective atomic layer deposition of a capping layer material onto the copper structure.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Forming capping layer over metal wire structure using selective atomic layer deposition

Life of this patent

Forming capping layer over metal wire structure using selective atomic layer deposition

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16