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EP0375255A2
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EP
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Method for reducing mobile ion contamination in semiconductor integrated circuits
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1989-12-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-12
Abstract
Abstract In a method of fabricating semiconductor integrated circuits, the effects of mobile ion contamination in a dielectric layer which has been subjected to a source of mobile ion contamination, e.g. reactive ion etching, is substantially eliminated by removing substantially only the topmost portion of the dielectric layer, e.g. 10--15nm of an 800nm layer, promptly after performing the step which produced the source of contamination.
Inventors
- 👤 Alain Simon Harrus
- 👤 Cris Weston Lawrence
- 👤 Graham William Hills
- 👤 Morgan Jones Thoma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 02:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/28; H10P50/282; H10P50/283
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device, including the step of selectively removing from a body those portions of a dielectric layer disposed over a silicon substrate to expose underlying portions of metal or other materials through the remaining portions of the dielectric layer, CHARACTERIZED BY performing the selective removal step in a manner which tends to expose the surface of the dielectric layer to a source of mobile ion contamination; non-selectively removing substantially only the topmost portions of the dielectric layer after the selective removal step. before depositing electrically conductive material onto the exposed underlying portions, thereby removing substantially all of the mobile ion contamination from the dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit device, including the step of selectively removing from a body those portions of a dielectric layer disposed over a silicon substrate to expose underlying portions of metal or other materials through the remaining portions of the dielectric layer, CHARACTERIZED BY performing the selective removal step in a manner which tends to expose the surface of the dielectric layer to a source of mobile ion contamination; non-selectively removing substantially only the topmost portions of the dielectric layer after the selective removal step. before depositing electrically conductive material onto the exposed underlying portions, thereby removing substantially all of the mobile ion contamination from the dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of removing the mobile ion contamination is performed using a wet chemical etch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the wet chemical etch step employs a solution containing water and hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the concentration of the solution is about 100 parts water to one part hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is of thickness greater than about 600nm and the topmost portion removed is less than about 100nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein the amount of the topmost portion removed is less than about 40nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the amount of the topmost portion removed is in the range between 10nm and 15nm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of removing the mobile ion contamination includes: providing a dry etch chamber that has not been exposed to significant amounts of sodium from photoresists; and, performing a dry etch process in said chamber to remove said topmost portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is a deposited second dielectric layer disposed over a first dielectric layer on which is disposed a first level of metal interconnection, FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT: the selective removal step includes reactive ion etching; and, the step of non-selectively removing the mobile ion contamination is performed using a wet chemical etch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the second dielectric layer is PETEOS.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the first level of metal interconnection is aluminum, FURTHER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT: the amount of the topmost portion removed is less than about 40nm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the amount of the topmost portion removed is in the range between 10nm and 15nm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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