Method of depositing a tantalum nitride/tantalum diffusion barrier layer system

A method of depositing a tantalum nitride/alpha-tantalum-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tantalum nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using standard sputtering techniques;
• (b) producing a TaN seed layer over said tantalum nitride layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is capable of inducing the formation of alpha-tantalum when tantalum is deposited over said TaN seed layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a tantalum nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of tantalum sputter deposited over said tantalum nitride surface during said bombardment of said tantalum nitride film surface by said high energy species, so that a seed layer of TaN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a tantalum nitride/alpha-tantalum-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tantalum nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using reactive ion deposition sputtering techniques;
• (b) producing a TaN seed layer over said tantalum nitride layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is capable of inducing the formation of alpha-tantalum when tantalum is deposited over said TaN seed layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a tantalum nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of tantalum sputter deposited over said tantalum nitride surface during said bombardment of said tantalum nitride film surface by said high energy species, so that a seed layer of TaN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a tantalum/alpha-tantalum-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tantalum over a semiconductor substrate surface using chemical vapor deposition;
• (b) producing a TaN seed layer over said tantalum layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is capable of inducing the formation of alpha-tantalum when tantalum is deposited over said TaN seed layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a tantalum film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of nitrogen present in a plasma used to bombard said tantalum film surface, so that a seed layer of TaN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a tantalum/alpha-tantalum-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tantalum over a semiconductor substrate surface using standard sputtering techniques;
• (b) producing a TaN seed layer over said tantalum layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is capable of inducing the formation of alpha-tantalum when tantalum is deposited over said TaN seed layer, wherein said TaN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a tantalum nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of nitrogen present in a plasma used to bombard said tantalum film surface, so that a seed layer of TaN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a titanium nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of titanium nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion deposition sputtering;
• (b) producing a TiN seed layer over said titanium nitride layer, wherein said TiN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a titanium nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of titanium sputter deposited over said titanium nitride surface during said bombardment of said titanium nitride film surface by said high energy species, so that a seed layer of TiN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a tungsten nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tungsten nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion deposition sputtering;
• (b) producing a WN seed layer over said tungsten nitride layer, wherein said WN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a tungsten nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of tungsten sputter deposited over said tungsten nitride surface during said bombardment of said tungsten nitride film surface by said high energy species, so that a seed layer of WN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a molybdenum nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of molybdenum nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion deposition sputtering;
• (b) producing a MoN seed layer over said molybdenum nitride layer, wherein said MoN seed layer is produced by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding a molybdenum nitride film surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of molybdenum sputter deposited over said molybdenum nitride surface during said bombardment of said molybdenum nitride film surface by said high energy species, so that a seed layer of MoN is formed which contains between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen.

A method of depositing a tantalum nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tantalum nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion sputtering deposition;
• (b) converting from 50% by volume to 100% by volume of said tantalum nitride layer to a composition wherein the nitrogen content ranges between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding said tantalum nitride layer surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of tantalum sputter deposited over said tantalum nitride surface during said conversion of said tantalum nitride layer.

A method of depositing a titanium nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of titanium nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion sputtering deposition;
• (b) converting from 50% by volume to 100% by volume of said titanium nitride layer to a composition wherein the nitrogen content ranges between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding said titanium nitride layer surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of titanium sputter deposited over said titanium nitride surface during said conversion of said titanium nitride layer.

A method of depositing a tungsten nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of tungsten nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion sputtering deposition;
• (b) converting from 50% by volume to 100% by volume of said tungsten nitride layer to a composition wherein the nitrogen content ranges between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding said tungsten nitride layer surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of tungsten sputter deposited over said tungsten nitride surface during said conversion of said tungsten nitride layer.

A method of depositing a molybdenum nitride-comprising barrier layer over a semiconductor substrate surface, comprising the steps of:

• (a) depositing a layer of molybdenum nitride over a semiconductor substrate surface using a method selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, standard sputtering, and reactive ion sputtering deposition;
• (b) converting from 50% by volume to 100% by volume of said molybdenum nitride layer to a composition wherein the nitrogen content ranges between about 5 atomic % and about 33 atomic % nitrogen by:
• controlling an energy level of high energy species bombarding said molybdenum nitride layer surface;
• and
• controlling an amount of molybdenum sputter deposited over said molybdenum nitride surface during said conversion of said molybdenum nitride layer.