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US 8,575,041 B2Granted
Repair of damaged surface areas of sensitive low-K dielectrics of microstructure devices after plasma processing by in situ treatment
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsMatthias Schaller, Daniel Fischer, Thomas Oszinda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Damaged surface areas of low-k dielectric materials may be efficiently repaired by avoiding the saturation of dangling silicon bonds after a reactive plasma treatment on the basis of OH groups, as is typically applied in conventional process strategies. The saturation of the dangling bond may be accomplished by directly initiating a chemical reaction with appropriate organic species, thereby providing superior reaction conditions, which in turn results in a more efficient restoration of the dielectric characteristics.
Claims25
A method, comprising:
- forming a low-k dielectric material above a substrate of a microstructure device;
- exposing at least a portion of said low-k dielectric material to a reactive process atmosphere in a process chamber, said exposure resulting in the generation of dangling bonds at a surface area of said low-k dielectric material;
- performing a surface treatment in said process chamber without exposing said low-k dielectric material to ambient atmosphere so as to saturate most of said dangling bonds at said surface area with an organic species, wherein performing said surface treatment comprises using a species comprising a molecule of the type HC≡N;
- and
- forming a metal-containing material layer above said surface area.
2 more elements
A method of processing a low-k dielectric material in a microstructure device, the method comprising:
- forming a dielectric base material above a substrate so as to have a dielectric constant of approximately 3.0 or less, said dielectric base material having a surface including methyl groups;
- exposing at least a part of said dielectric base material to a reactive process atmosphere in a process environment depleted of OH molecules;
- and
- forming said low-k dielectric material by saturating dangling bonds of said dielectric base material with an organic group in said process environment depleted of OH molecules, wherein saturating dangling bonds of said dielectric base material comprises using a species comprising a molecule of the type HC≡N.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- forming a low-k dielectric material above a substrate of a semiconductor device, said low k-dielectric material comprising silicon, carbon and oxygen;
- performing a plasma-assisted etch process so as to form an opening in said low-k dielectric material;
- prior to exposing said semiconductor device to OH groups, treating exposed surface portions of said low-k dielectric material by using at least one of a silylation repair chemical, a silicon-containing organic species, a molecule of the type HC≡N, basic alkanes (C2H6), alkenes (C2H4), alkines (C2H2), alcohols (CHxOHy), aldehydes (CHxCOH), ketones (H2C═O), amines (CHx(NR2)y), wherein x, y are integer numbers greater than or equal to 1, and R is an organic group, wherein treating the exposed surface portions comprises activating a chemical reaction by providing at least one of radio frequency (RF) power and infrared radiation in said process chamber;
- and
- forming a metal region on the basis of said opening.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a low-k dielectric material above a substrate of a microstructure device;
- exposing at least a portion of said low-k dielectric material to a reactive process atmosphere in a process chamber, said exposure resulting in the generation of dangling bonds at a surface area of said low-k dielectric material;
- performing a surface treatment in said process chamber without exposing said low-k dielectric material to ambient atmosphere so as to saturate most of said dangling bonds at said surface area with an organic species, wherein performing said surface treatment in said process chamber comprises introducing hydrogen and carbon containing species into said process chamber and activating a chemical reaction by providing infrared radiation in said process chamber;
- and
- forming a metal-containing material layer above said surface area.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a low-k dielectric material above a substrate of a microstructure device;
- exposing at least a portion of said low-k dielectric material to a reactive process atmosphere in a process chamber, said exposure resulting in the generation of dangling bonds at a surface area of said low-k dielectric material;
- performing a surface treatment in said process chamber without exposing said low-k dielectric material to ambient atmosphere so as to saturate most of said dangling bonds at said surface area with an organic species, wherein performing said surface treatment in said process chamber comprises introducing hydrogen and carbon containing species into said process chamber and activating a chemical reaction by providing radio frequency (RF) power in said process chamber;
- and
- forming a metal-containing material layer above said surface area.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.