Patent US5744192A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5744192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of using water vapor to increase the conductivity of cooper desposited with cu(hfac)TMVS
Assignee: Sharp Corp
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Filing: 1996-11-08
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Granted: 1998-04-28
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Expires: 2016-11-08
Abstract
Abstract A method of blending water vapor with volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS (copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane) is provided which improves the deposition rate of Cu, without degrading the resistivity of the Cu deposited upon an integrated circuit surface. The method of the present invention uses a relatively small amount of water vapor, approximately 0.3 to 3% of the total pressure of the system in which chemical vapor deposition (CVD) Cu is applied. The method specifies the flow rates of the liquid precursor, carrier gas, and liquid water. The method also specifies the pressures of the vaporized precursor, vaporized precursor blend including carrier gas and water vapor. In addition, the temperatures of the vaporizers, chamber walls, and IC surfaces are disclosed. A Cu precursor blend is also provided comprising vaporized Cu(hfac)TMVS and water vapor. The ratio of water vapor pressure to vaporized precursor is approximately 0.5 to 5%. Further, an IC surface covered with Cu applied with a Cu precursor blend including vaporized Cu(hfac)TMVS and water vapor, with the above mentioned ratio of water vapor pressure to volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS pressure, is provided.
Inventors
- 👤 Tue Nguyen
- 👤 Yoshihide Senzaki
- 👤 Masato Kobayashi
- 👤 Lawrence J. Charneski
- 👤 Sheng Teng Hsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:54
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/448; C23C16/4481; C23C16/06; C23C16/18; H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/42; H10P14/43
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for applying chemical vapor deposition (CVD) copper (Cu) on selected copper-receiving surfaces in an integrated circuit (IC), the copper-receiving surfaces being located inside a chamber having chamber walls and a total chamber pressure which includes a volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS (copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane) precursor pressure and a water vapor pressure, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the chamber is the ratio of the water vapor pressure to the total chamber pressure, the method comprising the steps of: a) supplying volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor to the chamber; b) supplying the water vapor to the chamber, and controlling the supply of water vapor so that the water vapor partial pressure is in the range of 0.3 to 3%; c) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor; d) simultaneously exposing each selected cooper-receiving surface to the water vapor; e) depositing Cu on each cooper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through d), whereby the addition of water vapor to the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the amount described in step b), increases the electrical conductivity across the Cu deposited in step e).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for applying chemical vapor deposition (CVD) copper (Cu) on selected copper-receiving surfaces in an integrated circuit (IC), the copper-receiving surfaces being located inside a chamber having chamber walls and a total chamber pressure which includes a volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS (copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane) precursor pressure and a water vapor pressure, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the chamber is the ratio of the water vapor pressure to the total chamber pressure, the method comprising the steps of: a) supplying volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor to the chamber; b) supplying the water vapor to the chamber, and controlling the supply of water vapor so that the water vapor partial pressure is in the range of 0.3 to 3%; c) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor; d) simultaneously exposing each selected cooper-receiving surface to the water vapor; e) depositing Cu on each cooper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through d), whereby the addition of water vapor to the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the amount described in step b), increases the electrical conductivity across the Cu deposited in step e).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor is a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend including less than approximately 5% TMVS, as measured by weight ratio, to increase the stability and shelf life of the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein step e) includes heating each copper-receiving surface to a temperature in the range between 160° C. and 250° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the chamber walls have a temperature within the range between 40° C. and 80° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS is provided and in which step a) includes volatilizing the liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS at a temperature in the range between 40° C. and 80° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein liquid water is provided and in which step b) includes volatilizing the liquid water at a temperature in the range between 40° C. and 80° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-receiving surface is conductive and selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ti, W, Al, TiN, TiON, TiSiN, TaN, TiW, TiWN, Mo, WN, TaSiN, and WSiN.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the copper-receiving surface is non-conductive and selected from the group consisting of BN, Si 3 N 4 , SiBN, TEOS oxide, SiN, fluorinated silicon oxide, and silicon oxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the total chamber pressure is in the range between 500 and 2000 mT.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 1 in which the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor is a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend including less than approximately 0.4% Hhfac, as measured by weight ratio, to increase the deposition rate of the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 1 in which step b) includes controlling the water vapor supply so that the water vapor partial pressure is approximately 0.5%.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
334 words
A method for applying CVD Cu on selected copper-receiving surface in an IC, the copper-receiving surfaces being mounted on a wafer chuck inside a walled chamber having a total chamber pressure which includes second and third pressures, wherein precursor and water vaporizers are included to vaporize liquids into gases and a showerhead having a predetermined spacing from the copper-receiving surface to introduce gases to the copper-receiving surface mounted on the wafer chuck, the method comprising the steps of: a) flowing liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a first temperature and a first flow rate into the precursor vaporizer; b) vaporizing the liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the precursor vaporizer, the precursor vaporizer having a second temperature; c) supplying a volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a first pressure from the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor vaporized in step b); d) flowing an inert gas having a second flow rate and mixing the inert gas with the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, the combination of the first pressure and the inert gas having a second pressure substantially equal to the total chamber pressure, whereby the inert gas acts as a carrier gas, aiding in the flow of volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor into the chamber; e) flowing liquid water having a third flow rate to the water vaporizer; f) vaporizing the water in the water vaporizer, the water vaporizer having a third temperature; g) supplying water vapor having a third pressure to the chamber from the water vaporized in step f); h) controlling the water vapor supply so that the ratio of the third pressure to the total chamber pressure is in the range of 0.3 to 3%; i) heating the wafer chuck, upon which the copper-receiving surface is mounted, so that each copper-receiving surface has a fourth temperature; j) heating the chamber walls so that they have a fifth temperature; and k) depositing Cu on each copper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through j), whereby the addition of water vapor to the Cu(hfac)TMVS Cu precursor increases the conductivity of the Cu deposited in step k).
Claim 14
Independent Claim
334 words
A method for applying CVD Cu on selected copper-receiving surface in an IC, the copper-receiving surfaces being mounted on a wafer chuck inside a walled chamber having a total chamber pressure which includes second and third pressures, wherein precursor and water vaporizers are included to vaporize liquids into gases and a showerhead having a predetermined spacing from the copper-receiving surface to introduce gases to the copper-receiving surface mounted on the wafer chuck, the method comprising the steps of: a) flowing liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a first temperature and a first flow rate into the precursor vaporizer; b) vaporizing the liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the precursor vaporizer, the precursor vaporizer having a second temperature; c) supplying a volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a first pressure from the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor vaporized in step b); d) flowing an inert gas having a second flow rate and mixing the inert gas with the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, the combination of the first pressure and the inert gas having a second pressure substantially equal to the total chamber pressure, whereby the inert gas acts as a carrier gas, aiding in the flow of volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor into the chamber; e) flowing liquid water having a third flow rate to the water vaporizer; f) vaporizing the water in the water vaporizer, the water vaporizer having a third temperature; g) supplying water vapor having a third pressure to the chamber from the water vaporized in step f); h) controlling the water vapor supply so that the ratio of the third pressure to the total chamber pressure is in the range of 0.3 to 3%; i) heating the wafer chuck, upon which the copper-receiving surface is mounted, so that each copper-receiving surface has a fourth temperature; j) heating the chamber walls so that they have a fifth temperature; and k) depositing Cu on each copper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through j), whereby the addition of water vapor to the Cu(hfac)TMVS Cu precursor increases the conductivity of the Cu deposited in step k).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as in claim 12 in which the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor in step a) is a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend including less than approximately 5% TMVS, as measured by weight ratio, to improve the stability and shelf life of the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein step a) includes the first flow rate being in the range between 0.8 and 20 sccm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 14 in which step c) includes the first pressure being in the range between 250 and 1600 mT.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 15 in which step d) includes the second flow rate being in the range between 50 and 2000 sccm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 16 in which step d) includes the second pressure being in the range between 500 and 2000 mT.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 17 in which step e) includes the third flow rate being in the range between 1 and 10 sccm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 18 in which step h) includes controlling the water vapor supply so that the third pressure in the range between 2.5 and 60 mT.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 19 in which step a) includes the first temperature being in the range between 15° and 40° C.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 20 in which steps b), f), and j) respectively include the second, third, and fifth temperatures being in the range between 40° and 80° C.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 21 in which step i) includes the fourth temperature being in the range between 160° and 250° C.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 22 in which the spacing between the showerhead and the copper-receiving surface is in the range between 10 and 20 mm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 12 in which the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor is a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend including less than approximately 0.4% Hhfac, as measured by weight ratio, to increase the deposition rate of the Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor blend.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 12 in which step h) includes controlling the water vapor supply so that the ratio of the third pressure to total chamber pressure is approximately 0.5%.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for applying chemical vapor deposition (CVD) copper (Cu) on selected copper-receiving surfaces in an integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising the steps of: a) supplying a liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS (copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane) precursor; b) vaporizing the liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS to provide a pure volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor pressure; c) supplying water vapor having a water vapor pressure so that the water vapor pressure is in the range of 0.5 to 5% of the Cu(hfac)TMVS pressure; d) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor; e) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the water vapor; and f) depositing Cu on each copper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through e), whereby the addition of water vapor to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the pressure ratio described in step c), increases the electrical conductivity.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for applying chemical vapor deposition (CVD) copper (Cu) on selected copper-receiving surfaces in an integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising the steps of: a) supplying a liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS (copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane) precursor; b) vaporizing the liquid Cu(hfac)TMVS to provide a pure volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor having a Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor pressure; c) supplying water vapor having a water vapor pressure so that the water vapor pressure is in the range of 0.5 to 5% of the Cu(hfac)TMVS pressure; d) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor; e) exposing each selected copper-receiving surface to the water vapor; and f) depositing Cu on each copper-receiving surface in response to steps a) through e), whereby the addition of water vapor to the volatile Cu(hfac)TMVS precursor, in the pressure ratio described in step c), increases the electrical conductivity.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-27 | 2001-10-27 | 2002-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-27 | 2005-10-27 | 2006-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-27 | 2009-10-27 | 2010-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |