Method of improving pad metal adhesion
US6350667B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 1, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 1, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/20753
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a new and improved method for fabricating aluminum metal pad structures wherein a thin adhesion layer of aluminum is placed in between the underlying copper metal and the top tantalum nitride pad barrier layer providing improved adhesion to the pad metal stack structure. In summary, present invention teaches a method comprising of forming a copper underlayer, forming the key aluminum adhesion layer, forming the tantalum nitride barrier layer, and finally forming the aluminum pad. The problem of adhesion of metal pad to underlying layers, dielectrics, and polymers in is not unique to the manufacture of multi-layer electronic circuit chips and modules, but is encountered in other technologies involved in other types of electronic elements, e.g., the formation of capacitors or even other technologies entirely unrelated to the fabrication of electrical devices. However, since the problems of loss of adhesion are of substantial economic importance at present in the fabrication of multi-layer chips and modules, the present invention is directed to silicon chip technology and IC modules, but can be easily applied to other technologies using these metal pad materia…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.