Patent · US Expired

Method for forming corrosion inhibited conductor layer

US6682659B1 · kind B1 · utility

36Cited by
14References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 1999
Grant dateJan 27, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 8, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/321
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for passivating a target layer. There is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a target layer, where the target layer is susceptible to corrosion incident to contact with a corrosive material employed for further processing of the substrate. There is then treated, while employing a first plasma method employing a first plasma gas composition comprising an oxidizing gas, the target layer to form an oxidized target layer having an inhibited susceptibility to corrosion incident to contact with the corrosive material employed for further processing of the substrate. Finally, there is then processed further, while employing the corrosive material, the substrate. The method is useful when forming bond pads within microelectronic fabrications. When directed towards forming patterned conductor layers, such as bond pads, the method optionally employs an inert plasma treatment of a patterned conductor layer followed by an aqueous ethanolamine treatment of the patterned conductor layer prior to a first plasma treatment of the patterned conductor layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.