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US4920403A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Selective tungsten interconnection for yield enhancement

Assignee: Raytheon Co
•
Filing: 1989-04-17
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Granted: 1990-04-24
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Expires: 2009-04-17
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Abstract

Abstract Methods of fabricating metal interconnection lines in an integrated circuit. In general, one method comprises the steps of depositing a layer of metal on an inter-dielectric oxide layer. The layer of metal is patterned and etched to form metal interconnection lines over the oxide layer. Tungsten is selectively deposited onto the etched layer to completely form the metal interconnection lines. Additionally, in a second method, a layer of tungsten may be deposited prior to the layer of metal. This forms a metal line that is completely encapsulated in tungsten. In addition, selective tungsten employed to repair broken metal lines in a fabricated integrated circuit. The selective tungsten is deposited using a chemical vapor deposition process and is deposited onto masked and etched second level (or higher) metal lines formed in the integrated circuit. The method of selectively depositing tungsten comprises the steps of exposing the metal interconnection lines to a mixture of SiH 4 at a rate between 3-10 standard cubic centimeters per minute, WF 6 at a rate between 3-25 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and H 2 at a rate between 25-100 standard cubic centimeters per minute. Then the exposed metal interconnection lines are processed at a pressure between 50-200 m Torr, a temperature between 250-350 degrees Celsius, and a deposition rate between 2000-10000 Angstroms per minute to form the fully interconnected metal lines. The present method improves the yields of multi-level metal integrated circuits and maximizes the potential gate usage therein. The conformal deposition of selective tungsten enhances the yields of integrated circuits and tungsten capping on aluminum metal lines, for example provides for a better electromigration resistance interconnection.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yu C. Chow
  • 👤 Kuan Y. Liao
  • 👤 Maw-Rong Chin
  • 👤 Charles S. Rhoades

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 21:06
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/062; H10W20/064

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an inter-dielectric oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; testing the metal interconnection lines to determine the presence of broken lines; selectively depositing a refractory metal onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an inter-dielectric oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; testing the metal interconnection lines to determine the presence of broken lines; selectively depositing a refractory metal onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively depositing the refractory metal comprises the step of: selectively depositing tungsten by means of a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 90 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selectively depositing tungsten comprises the steps of: exposing the patterned metal interconnection lines to a mixture of SiH 4 at a rate between 3-10 standard cubic centimeters per minute, WF 6 at a rate between 3-25 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and H 2 at a rate between 25-100 standard cubic centimeters per minute; and processing the exposed metal interconnection lines a pressure between 50-200 mTorr, a temperature between 250-350 degrees Celsius, and a deposition rate between 2000-10000 Angstroms per minute.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 58 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: forming patterned metal interconnection lines over an oxide layer; testing the metal interconnection lines to determine the presence of broken lines; selectively depositing tungsten onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 58 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: forming patterned metal interconnection lines over an oxide layer; testing the metal interconnection lines to determine the presence of broken lines; selectively depositing tungsten onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of selectively depositing tungsten comprises the step of: selectively depositing tungsten by means of a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 90 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of selectively depositing tungsten comprises the steps of: exposing the patterned metal interconnection lines to a mixture of SiH 4 at a rate between 3-10 standard cubic centimeters per minute, WF 6 at a rate between 3-25 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and H 2 at a rate between 25-100 standard cubic centimeters per minute; and processing the exposed metal interconnection lines a pressure between 50-200 mTorr, a temperature between 250-350 degrees Celsius, and a deposition rate between 2000-10000 Angstroms per minute.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 65 words
In an integrated circuit having at least two layers of metal interconnection lines separated by an oxide layer, a method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines in the second layer, said method comprising the steps of: forming patterned a second layer of metal interconnection lines over an oxide layer; selectively depositing a refractory metal onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 65 words
In an integrated circuit having at least two layers of metal interconnection lines separated by an oxide layer, a method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines in the second layer, said method comprising the steps of: forming patterned a second layer of metal interconnection lines over an oxide layer; selectively depositing a refractory metal onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of selectively depositing the refractory metal comprises the step of: selectively depositing tungsten by means of a chemical vapor deposition process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 90 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the step of selectively depositing tungsten comprises the steps of: exposing the patterned metal interconnection lines to a mixture of SiH 4 at a rate between 3-10 standard cubic centimeters per minute, WF 6 at a rate between 3-25 standard cubic centimeters per minute, and H 2 at a rate between 25-100 standard cubic centimeters per minute; and processing the exposed metal interconnection lines a pressure between 50-200 mTorr, a temperature between 250-350 degrees Celsius, and a deposition rate between 2000-10000 Angstroms per minute.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 50 words
In an integrated circuit having at least two layers of metal interconnection lines separated by an oxide layer and comprising: a layer of metal interconnection formed lines over an oxide layer; and a tungsten layer selectively deposited onto the layer of metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 50 words
In an integrated circuit having at least two layers of metal interconnection lines separated by an oxide layer and comprising: a layer of metal interconnection formed lines over an oxide layer; and a tungsten layer selectively deposited onto the layer of metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 73 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an inter-dielectric oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; selectively depositing tungsten onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 73 words
A method of repairing broken metal interconnection lines formed over an inter-dielectric oxide layer in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; selectively depositing tungsten onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 11 which further comprises the step of: depositing a layer of tungsten on the inter-dielectric oxide layer prior to depositing the layer of metal thereon.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 68 words
A method of fabricating metal interconnection lines in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over an inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; depositing a refractory metal layer onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 68 words
A method of fabricating metal interconnection lines in an integrated circuit, said method comprising the steps of: depositing a layer of metal over an inter-dielectric oxide layer; patterning the deposited layer of metal using a mask; etching the patterned metal layer to form patterned metal interconnection lines over the inter-dielectric oxide layer; depositing a refractory metal layer onto the metal interconnection lines to form fully interconnected metal lines.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 11 which further comprises the step of: depositing a refractory metal layer on the inter-dielectric oxide layer prior to depositing the layer of metal thereon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of depositing a refractory metal comprises the step of: selectively depositing tungsten onto the etched layer to form metal interconnection lines.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 14 which further comprises the step of: depositing a layer of tungsten on the inter-dielectric oxide layer prior to depositing the layer of metal thereon.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4517225A Cited
US4648175A Cited
US4666737A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-04-23 1993-10-23 1994-04-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-04-23 1997-10-23 1998-04-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-04-23 2001-10-23 2002-04-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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