Patent · US Active

Methods of forming metal interconnect structures on semiconductor substrates using oxygen-removing plasmas and interconnect structures formed thereby

US7737029B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
26References
18Claims
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Key dates

Filing dateMar 18, 2008
Grant dateJun 15, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 16, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods of forming devices include forming a first electrically insulating layer having a metal interconnection therein, on a substrate and then forming a first electrically insulating barrier layer on an upper surface of the metal interconnection and on the first electrically insulating layer. The first electrically insulating barrier layer is exposed to a plasma that penetrates the first electrically insulating barrier and removes oxygen from an upper surface of the metal interconnection. The barrier layer may have a thickness in a range from about 5 Å to about 50 Å and the plasma may be a hydrogen-containing plasma that converts oxygen on the upper surface of the metal interconnection to water.

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