초록 ▼

Integrated circuits, the key components in thousands of electronic and computer products, include interconnected networks of electrical components. The components are typically wired, or interconnected, together with aluminum wires. In recent years, researchers have begun using copper instead of alu

Integrated circuits, the key components in thousands of electronic and computer products, include interconnected networks of electrical components. The components are typically wired, or interconnected, together with aluminum wires. In recent years, researchers have begun using copper instead of aluminum to form integrated-circuit wiring, because copper offers lower electrical resistance and better reliability at smaller dimensions. However, use of copper typically requires forming a diffusion barrier to prevent contamination of other parts of an integrated circuit and forming a seed layer to facilitate copper plating steps. Unfortunately, typical diffusion barrier materials add appreciable resistance to the copper wiring, and thus negate some of the advantages of using copper. Moreover, conventional methods of forming the diffusion barriers and seed layers require use of separate wafer-processing chambers, giving rise to transport delays and the introduction of defect-causing particles. Accordingly, the inventors devised unique wafer-processing chambers and methods of forming barrier and seed layers. One embodiment of the wafer-processing chamber includes equipment for physical vapor deposition and equipment for chemical vapor deposition to facilitate formation of diffusion barriers and seed layers within one chamber. One of the unique methods entails forming a composition of tungsten, silicon, and nitrogen (WSixNy) and then depositing a copper-, silver-, or gold-based seed layer on the composition, all within a single wafer-processing chamber to promote fabrication efficiency and reduce defects.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of making a diffusion barrier and a seed layer in an integrated-circuit assembly, comprising:forming a diffusion barrier on a surface of an integrated-circuit assembly in a first wafer-processing chamber using chemical-vapor deposition; and forming a seed layer on at least a portion of t

1. A method of making a diffusion barrier and a seed layer in an integrated-circuit assembly, comprising:forming a diffusion barrier on a surface of an integrated-circuit assembly in a first wafer-processing chamber using chemical-vapor deposition; and forming a seed layer on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier in the first wafer-processing chamber using physical-vapor deposition.