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During the formation of complex metallization systems, a conductive cap layer may be formed on a copper-containing metal region in order to enhance the electromigration behavior without negatively affecting the overall conductivity. At the same time, a thermo chemical treatment may be performed to p

During the formation of complex metallization systems, a conductive cap layer may be formed on a copper-containing metal region in order to enhance the electromigration behavior without negatively affecting the overall conductivity. At the same time, a thermo chemical treatment may be performed to provide superior surface conditions of the sensitive dielectric material and also to suppress carbon depletion, which may conventionally result in a significant variability of material characteristics of sensitive ULK materials.

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1. A method of forming a metallization layer of a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming a conductive cap layer on a surface of a metal region, said metal region being laterally embedded in a first dielectric material of said metallization layer;performing a thermo chemical cleaning tr

1. A method of forming a metallization layer of a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming a conductive cap layer on a surface of a metal region, said metal region being laterally embedded in a first dielectric material of said metallization layer;performing a thermo chemical cleaning treatment on an exposed surface of said first dielectric material after formation of said conductive cap layer; andforming a second dielectric material on said exposed surface of said first dielectric material and said conductive cap layer. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said thermo chemical cleaning treatment is performed by using oxide-reducing gases. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said oxide-reducing gases comprises at least one of an ammonia gas and a nitrogen gas. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said thermo chemical treatment is performed at a process temperature of approximately 250-500° C. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first dielectric material is a carbon-containing material having a dielectric constant of approximately 2.7 or less. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said thermo chemical cleaning treatment and depositing of said second dielectric material are performed as a process sequence without exposing said semiconductor device to ambient atmosphere. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a second thermo chemical treatment on the basis of a silicon-containing ambient after performing said thermo chemical treatment and prior to forming said second dielectric material. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said silicon-containing ambient is established on the basis of at least one of silane, tri-methyl silane, tetra-methyl silane and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said metal region comprises copper and a conductive barrier material. 10. A method, comprising: forming a conductive cap material on a copper-containing surface of a metal region of a metallization layer of a semiconductor device, said metal region being formed in a low-k dielectric material of said metallization layer;performing a first thermo chemical treatment on an exposed surface of said low-k dielectric material on the basis of a copper oxide reducing process gas after formation of the conductive cap material;performing a second thermo chemical treatment on said exposed surface on the basis of a silicon-containing process ambient after performing said first thermo chemical treatment; andforming a dielectric material layer on said conductive cap layer and said exposed surface of said low-k dielectric material. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said silicon-containing process ambient is established on the basis of at least one of silane, tri-methyl silane, tetra-methyl silane and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said reducing process gas comprises at least one of an ammonia gas and a nitrogen gas. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first and second thermo chemical treatments are performed at a process temperature of approximately 250-500° C. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein said second thermo chemical treatment and forming of said dielectric material layer are performed as a continuous process sequence without exposing said semiconductor device to ambient atmosphere. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first thermo chemical treatment, said second thermo chemical treatment and forming of said dielectric material layer are performed as a continuous process sequence without exposing said semiconductor device to ambient atmosphere. 16. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a trench in said low-k dielectric material and filling said trench with a copper-containing material so as to form said metal region, wherein at least one further thermo chemical treatment is performed prior to filling said trench. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein performing at least one further thermo chemical treatment comprises performing a second thermo chemical treatment on the basis of a silicon-containing process ambient. 18. A method of forming a metallization layer of a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an opening in a low-k dielectric layer;filling said opening with a copper-containing material so as to form a metal region;forming a conductive cap layer on a surface of said metal region;performing a cleaning process on the basis of a copper reducing gas ambient in the absence of a plasma after formation of the conductive cap layer; andperforming a surface modification process on the basis of a silicon-containing process ambient in the absence of a plasma in said silicon-containing process ambient. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming a dielectric material layer on said low-k dielectric material and said conductive cap layer. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein said low-k dielectric material comprises carbon.