Semiconductor device metallization systems and methods
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHsiang-Huan Lee, Shau-Lin Shue, Keith Kuang-Kuo Koai, Hai-Ching Chen, Tung-Ching Tseng, Wen-Cheng Yang, Chung-En Kao, Ming-Han Lee, Hsin-Yen Huang
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Abstract
Semiconductor device metallization systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a metallization system for semiconductor devices includes a mainframe, and a plurality of modules disposed proximate the mainframe. One of the plurality of modules comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module and one of the plurality of modules comprises an ultraviolet light (UV) cure module.
Claims20
A method of processing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- placing in a metallization system a workpiece having formed thereon a low-k dielectric layer, the metallization system including a mainframe and a plurality of modules disposed proximate the mainframe, wherein one of the plurality of modules comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module and one of the plurality of modules comprises an ultraviolet light (UV) cure module;
- at least partially curing the low-k dielectric layer in the UV cure module;
- depositing a layer on the low-k dielectric layer in the PVD module after at least partially curing the low-k dielectric layer;
- and
- curing the low-k dielectric layer in the UV cure module after depositing the layer.
A method of processing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- forming a low dielectric constant (K) material over a workpiece, the low-K material having a K value of less than about 3.9;
- etching the low-K material;
- placing the workpiece in a metallization system, the metallization system including a physical vapor deposition (PVD) module and an ultraviolet light (UV) cure module;
- curing the low-K material in the UV cure module, wherein curing the low-K material alters the K value of the low-K material, and wherein the method further comprises performing a K value recovery process in the UV cure module to recover the K value of the low-K material, after curing the low-K material, the K value recovery process occurring different process conditions than the curing process conditions;
- and
- pre-cleaning the low-K material.
A method of processing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- in a first tool, depositing a low-k material on a first workpiece and depositing the low-k material on a second workpiece;
- in a second tool, etching the low-k material on the first workpiece and etching the low-k material on the second workpiece;
- in a third tool, performing an ash and clean process on the first workpiece and on the second workpiece;
- and
- transferring the first workpiece and the second workpiece to a fourth tool having a plurality of modules, and
- applying a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to the first workpiece in a first module of the fourth tool, while simultaneously applying the PVD process to the second workpiece in a second module of the fourth tool, the first module and the second module being separate modules, and
- applying a ultraviolet light (UV) cure process to the first workpiece in a third module of the fourth tool, while simultaneously applying a UV cure process to the second workpiece in a fourth module of the fourth tool, the third and fourth modules being separate modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.