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EP0851474A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Improvements in or relating to integrated circuits

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1997-12-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-12-12
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Abstract

Abstract An integrated circuit fabrication process in which residual flourine contamination on metal surfaces after ashing is removed by exposure to an NH 3 /O 2 plasma.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert M. Wallace
  • 👤 S. Charles Baber
  • 👤 Peijun Chen
  • 👤 Steven A. Henck

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 18:17
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P70/00; H10P70/20; H10P70/27; H10P70/23; H10P70/234; H10P70/273; H10P95/00; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/056; H10P50/00; H10P50/20; H10P50/26; H10P50/264; H10P50/266; H10P50/267

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 51 words
A deflouridation process, comprising the steps of: providing a layer of conductive material having flourides and/or oxyflourides on a surface thereof; and removing said flourides and said oxyflourides from the surface of said layer of conductive material, using a flourine-scavenging chemistry to thereby improve adhesion for subsequently deposited layers is achieved.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of Claim 1, further comprising the step of, after said step of removing, depositing an overlying conductor layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said step of removing comprises using an NH 3 plasma.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of Claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said step of removing comprises using NH 4 OH wet chemistry.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of Claim 1, wherein said step of providing said layer of conductive material comprises providing aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 52 words
A deflouridation process for fabricating integrated circuit structures, comprising the steps of: forming a layer of conductive material; performing an etching step which leaves residual flourine on a surface of said layer of conductive material; and removing said residual flourine with an amine chemistry to thereby improve adhesion for subsequently deposited layers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of Claim 6, further comprising the step, after said step of removing, depositing an overlying conductor layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein said step of removing comprises using a plasma-activated chemistry.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein said step of removing comprises using NH 4 OH wet chemistry.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein said step of removing comprises using as non-aqueous amine wet chemistry.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of any of Claims 6 to 10, further comprising: performing said step of removing at room temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of any of Claims 6 to 11, wherein said etching step comprises using an oxyflourine ashing technique for removing said photoresist.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 71 words
An integrated circuit fabrication process, comprising the steps of: forming at least one interlevel dielectric layer over an underlying structure; patterning and etching said dielectric layer to form holes in contact locations, wherein said step of etching leaves residual flourine on the surface of said dielectric layer and said underlying structures; and removing said residual flourine by reacting with a plasma-activated flourine-scavenging chemistry to thereby improve adhesion for subsequently deposited layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of Claim 13, further comprising the step, after said step of removing, of depositing an overlying conductor layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
The process of Claim 13 or Claim 14, wherein said step of removing comprises using an NH 3 plasma.

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