Formation of a tantalum-nitride layer

US6951804B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Sean M. Seutter · Fremont, US
• Michael Yang · Fremont, US
• Ming Xi · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 2, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 4, 2005
• Expiry date: Apr 22, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L21/76862
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of forming a tantalum-nitride layer (204) for integrated circuit fabrication is disclosed. Alternating or co-reacting pulses of a tantalum containing precursor and a nitrogen containing precursor are provided to a chamber (100) to form layers (305, 307) of tantalum and nitrogen. The nitrogen precursor may be a plasma gas source. The resultant tantalum-nitride layer (204) may be used, for example, as a barrier layer. As barrier layers may be used with metal interconnect structures (206), at least one plasma anneal on the tantalum-nitride layer may be performed to reduce its resistivity and to improve film property.