Reducing wire erosion during damascene processing
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJeffrey P. Gambino, Anthony K. Stamper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A damascene process incorporating a GCIB step is provided. The GCIB step can replace one or more CMP steps in the traditional damascene process. The GCIB step allows for selectable removal of unwanted material and thus, reduces unwanted erosion of certain nearby structures during damascene process. A GCIB step may also be incorporated in the damascene process as a final polish step to clean up surfaces that have been planarized using a CMP step.
Claims9
A method of reducing erosion in a damascene process, comprising the steps of:
- arranging a barrier material in a trench in a substrate and on a surface of the substrate adjacent to the trench;
- arranging a conductor on the barrier material in the trench and over the surface of the substrate adjacent to the trench;
- selectively removing a first portion of the conductor using a first gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) process that is selective to the conductor;
- and
- removing a second portion of the conductor and a portion of the barrier material using a second GCIB process.
A method of a damascene process, comprising the steps of:
- forming a trench in dielectric material disposed on a substrate;
- arranging a barrier material in the trench and on a surface of the dielectric material;
- arranging a conductor on the barrier material:
- selectively removing a first portion of the conductor using a first GCIB process that is selective to the conductor such that an exposed surface portion of the barrier material is coplanar with a top surface of the conductor;
- and
- removing a second portion of the conductor and a portion of the barrier material using a second GCJB process.
A method of forming an interconnect, comprising:
- forming a dielectric on a substrate;
- forming a trench in the dielectric;
- arranging a barrier material on the dielectric in the trench and on an upper surface of the dielectric adjacent the trench;
- arranging a conductor on the barrier material in the trench and over the upper surface of the dielectric adjacent the trench;
- selectively removing a first portion of the conductor using a first GCIB process that is selective to the conductor;
- and
- removing a second portion of the conductor and a portion of the barrier material using a second GCIB process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.