US5843837A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of contact hole burying
Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
•
Filing: 1996-09-25
•
Granted: 1998-12-01
•
Expires: 2016-09-25
Abstract
Abstract A contact hole burying method is provided including the steps of: coating an oxide layer on a substrate and removing the oxide layer except for a portion thereof to form a contact hole extending through the oxide layer in electrical contact with the oxide layer; sequentially forming a metal barrier layer and wet layer on the oxide layer and inside the contact hole to form an electrical connection to the substrate; forming a conductive metal layer on the wet layer; removing impurity ions and oxide material, which remain in the conductive metal layer which decrease mobility of metal atoms on a surface of said conductive layer due to absorption and oxidation, by a cleaning-etching process using a plasma; and reflowing the conductive metal layer at a relatively low temperature in a reactive furnace where the cleaning-etching process is performed to completely fill the contact hole.
Inventors
- 👤 Jong-Tae Baek
- 👤 Youn-Tae Kim
- 👤 Hyung-Joun Yoo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:19
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/056; H10W20/059; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/906
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for completely filling a contact hole comprising the steps of: coating an oxide layer on a substrate and removing said oxide layer except for a portion thereof to form said contact hole extending through said oxide layer in electrical contact with said substrate; sequentially forming a metal barrier layer and a wet layer on said oxide layer and inside said contact hole to form an electrical connection with said substrate; forming a conductive metal layer on said wet layer; removing impurity ions and oxide material, which remain in said conductive metal layer and decrease mobility of metal atoms on a surface of said conductive metal layer due to absorption and oxidation, by a cleaning-etching process using a plasma in a reflow reaction furnace; and reflowing said conductive metal layer at a relatively low temperature between 300° to 500° C. in said reflow reaction furnace where the cleaning-etching process is performed in the plasma state where said surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched to completely fill said contact hole, wherein the surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched by maintaining said reflow reactive furnace having a plasma module at several torrs of pressure and generating a plasma.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
A method for completely filling a contact hole comprising the steps of: coating an oxide layer on a substrate and removing said oxide layer except for a portion thereof to form said contact hole extending through said oxide layer in electrical contact with said substrate; sequentially forming a metal barrier layer and a wet layer on said oxide layer and inside said contact hole to form an electrical connection with said substrate; forming a conductive metal layer on said wet layer; removing impurity ions and oxide material, which remain in said conductive metal layer and decrease mobility of metal atoms on a surface of said conductive metal layer due to absorption and oxidation, by a cleaning-etching process using a plasma in a reflow reaction furnace; and reflowing said conductive metal layer at a relatively low temperature between 300° to 500° C. in said reflow reaction furnace where the cleaning-etching process is performed in the plasma state where said surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched to completely fill said contact hole, wherein the surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched by maintaining said reflow reactive furnace having a plasma module at several torrs of pressure and generating a plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate is one of a first conductivity type semiconductor material or a wire, said substrate having a diffusion area which is doped heavily with a second conductivity type of impurity ions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal barrier layer is formed using one of TiN, TiW, TiSi 2 and WSi 2 having a thickness of 500 to 1500 Å, using a sputtering method.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wet layer is formed using one of Al, Cu, W, Ti, Ta and Mo having a thickness of 200 to 700 Å, using a sputtering method.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive metal layer is formed using one of Al, Cu, W, Ti, Ta and Mo having a thickness of 1500 to 3000 Å using a CVD method.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein inert gas including Ar or He is used for a reactive gas in said cleaning-etching process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mixture of said inert gas including Ar or He, and an oxide material removing gas such as C1 2 , SiCl 4 , BCl 3 and CHF 3 , is said reactive gas in said cleaning-etching step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched having a thickness of 30 to 100 Å.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the surface of said conductive metal layer is cleaned and etched having a thickness of 30 to 100 Å.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of TCP, ICP, RIE, MERIE, ECR, Helicon and MORI is used for a plasma source generating said plasma.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4997518A
Cited
US5478780A
Cited
US5164330A
Cited
US5124780A
Cited
US5521121A
Cited
US5554563A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-30 | 2002-06-01 | 2002-12-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-30 | 2006-06-01 | 2006-12-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-30 | 2010-06-01 | 2010-12-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |