Operating a magnetron sputter reactor in two modes
US6787006B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 16, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 16, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2221/1089
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-step sputtering process in plasma sputter reactor having target and magnetron operable in two modes, for example, in a substrate sputter etch and a substrate sputter deposition. The target has an annular vault facing the wafer to be sputter coated. Various types of magnetic means positioned around the vault create a magnetic field supporting a plasma extending over a large volume of the vault. An integrated copper via filling process with the inventive reactor or other reactor includes a first step of highly ionized sputter deposition of copper, which can optionally be used to remove the barrier layer at the bottom of the via, a second step of more neutral, lower-energy sputter deposition of copper to complete the seed layer, and a third step of electroplating copper into the hole to complete the metallization. The first two steps can be also used with barrier metals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.