US5286676A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Methods of making integrated circuit barrier structures
Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Ltd
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Filing: 1992-06-15
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Granted: 1994-02-15
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Expires: 2012-06-15
Abstract
Abstract A barrier metal integrated circuit structure, including relatively thin, highly nitrided layers of TiW (i.e., TiW:N) straddling a central conductor layer, and in turn each being straddled by adjacent layers of relatively thick substantially un-nitrided TiW material, and a method for its fabrication including deposition of layers of TiW and TiW:N, the latter in a N 2 dominated atmosphere by backs puttering and/or under backbias conditions effective for establishing at least a saturated level of nitrogen into the TiW:N, resulting in an effective barrier to migration of conductor materials from the conductor layer.
Inventors
- 👤 James B. Kruger
- 👤 S. Jeffrey Rosner
- 👤 Iton Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:30
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/038; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/425; H10W20/45; H10W20/48; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S257/00; Y10S257/915
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a first transitional metal layer onto a substrate; backsputtering said first layer in an atmosphere having a nitrogen plasma, thereby forming a second nitrided transitional metal layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen; applying a third electrically conductive metal layer onto said second nitrided transitional metal layer; and depositing a transitional metal onto the surface of said third layer while simultaneously carrying out techniques for backsputtering in an atmosphere having a nitrogen plasma, thereby forming a fourth nitrided transitional metal layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a first transitional metal layer onto a substrate; backsputtering said first layer in an atmosphere having a nitrogen plasma, thereby forming a second nitrided transitional metal layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen; applying a third electrically conductive metal layer onto said second nitrided transitional metal layer; and depositing a transitional metal onto the surface of said third layer while simultaneously carrying out techniques for backsputtering in an atmosphere having a nitrogen plasma, thereby forming a fourth nitrided transitional metal layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second and fourth nitrided transitional metal layers are formed to have a thickness on the order of 30 Å.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein forming each of said second and fourth nitrided transitional metal layers includes electrically biasing said substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the quantity of nitrogen in said atmosphere having a nitrogen plasma is in the range of 20%-100% by volume.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a transitional metal first layer onto a substrate; fabricating on a surface of said first layer a nitrided transitional metal second layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to a transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating the nitrogen in said nitrogen atmosphere; and applying an electrically conductive metal third layer onto said nitrided transitional metal second layer; and fabricating on a surface of said third layer a nitrided transitional metal fourth layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a transitional metal first layer onto a substrate; fabricating on a surface of said first layer a nitrided transitional metal second layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to a transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating the nitrogen in said nitrogen atmosphere; and applying an electrically conductive metal third layer onto said nitrided transitional metal second layer; and fabricating on a surface of said third layer a nitrided transitional metal fourth layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 wherein fabricating each of said second and fourth layers includes terminating said fabricating when a nitrided transitional metal layer having a thickness on the order of 30 Å is formed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the quantity of nitrogen in said nitrogen atmosphere is in the range of 20%-100% by volume.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a transitional metal first layer onto a substrate; fabricating on a surface of said first layer a nitrided transitional metal second layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to a transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating the nitrogen in said nitrogen atmosphere; and applying an electrically conductive metal third layer onto said nitrided transitional metal second layer; and fabricating on a surface of said third layer a nitrided transitional metal fourth layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to said transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating said nitrogen.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of making integrated circuit barrier structures comprising the steps of: applying a transitional metal first layer onto a substrate; fabricating on a surface of said first layer a nitrided transitional metal second layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to a transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating the nitrogen in said nitrogen atmosphere; and applying an electrically conductive metal third layer onto said nitrided transitional metal second layer; and fabricating on a surface of said third layer a nitrided transitional metal fourth layer having more than the stoichiometric minimum of nitrogen comprising the substeps of: electrically biasing said substrate in a nitrogen atmosphere, applying electrical power to said transitional metal target at substantially the same time as said electrically biasing said substrate, and activating said nitrogen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 wherein fabricating each of said second and fourth layers includes forming a nitrided layer having a thickness on the order of 30 Å.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8 wherein fabricating each of said second and fourth layers includes supplying a nitrogen atmosphere in the range of 20%-100% nitrogen by volume.
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