Semiconductor device having improved adhesion and reduced blistering between etch stop layer and dielectric layer

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• forming transistors on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a first interlevel dielectric layer over the transistors;
• forming metal interconnects within the first interlevel dielectric layer;
• using a carbon-containing gas to form a silicon carbon nitride layer over the metal interconnects and the first interlevel dielectric layer within a deposition chamber of a deposition tool;
• forming, in situ, an adhesion layer on the silicon carbon nitride layer, within the deposition tool, by discontinuing a flow of the carbon-containing gas within the deposition chamber;
• and
• forming a second interlevel dielectric layer over the adhesion layer.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• forming transistors on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a first interlevel dielectric layer over the transistors;
• forming metal interconnects within the first interlevel dielectric layer;
• forming a silicon carbon nitride layer over the metal interconnects and the first interlevel dielectric layer within a deposition chamber;
• placing the semiconductor device in a dielectric deposition chamber subsequent to forming the silicon carbon nitride layer;
• forming a silicon nitride layer on the silicon carbon nitride layer within the dielectric deposition chamber using an oxygen plasma to convert a portion of the silicon carbon nitride layer tosilicon nitride;
• and
• forming a second interlevel dielectric layer over the silicon nitride layer in the dielectric deposition chamber.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

• forming a first interlevel dielectric layer over transistors on a substrate;
• forming first interconnects within the first interlevel dielectric layer;
• forming a first silicon nitride layer over the first interlevel dielectric layer;
• forming a silicon carbon nitride layer over the first silicon nitride layer, the silicon carbon nitride layer having a low-k dielectric constant;
• forming a second silicon nitride layer over the silicon carbon nitride layer;
• forming a second interlevel dielectric layer over the second silicon nitride layer, the second interlevel dielectric layer having a low-k dielectric constant;
• and
• forming second interconnects within the second interlevel dielectric layer;
• wherein the second silicon nitride layer is formed as an adhesion layer in situ in a same chamber as used for forming the silicon carbon nitride layer or for forming the second interlevel dielectric layer;
• and the second silicon nitride layer is sufficiently thin so that a bulk dielectric constant of the silicon carbon nitride layer and the second silicon nitride layer is substantially the same as the dielectric constant of the silicon carbon nitride layer.