US5844318A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Aluminum film for semiconductive devices
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1997-02-18
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Granted: 1998-12-01
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Expires: 2017-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor contact structure formed by a method that deposits an aluminum film limiting the growth of voids and notches in the aluminum film and forms an aluminum film with a reduced amount of voids and notches. The first step of the method is to form an underlying layer upon which is deposited an aluminum film having a first thickness. The surface of the aluminum film is then exposed to a passivation species which coats the aluminum grains and precipitates at the grain boundaries so as to prevent grain movement. The exposure of the aluminum film to the passivation species reduces void formation and coalescence of the voids. An aluminum layer having a second thickness is then deposited over the initially deposited aluminum layer. In a second embodiment of the invention, the passivation species is deposited with MOCVD and to form an electromigration-resistant alloy. A third embodiment involves multiple depositions of aluminum, with exposure to a passivation species conducted after each deposition. Each deposition is also conducted at a successively lower temperature than the prior deposition.
Inventors
- 👤 Gurtej S. Sandhu
- 👤 Ravi Iyer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 07:29
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/425; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; H10W20/036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An inter-level interconnect structure on a substrate assembly comprising: a substrate assembly; and a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said substrate assembly each having a substantially uniform thickness and an upper surface, each said upper surface having a plurality of aluminum grains that are substantially immobile such that substantially no grain boundary movement occurs, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a cylindrical cross-section and said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said substrate assembly have concentric cylindrical cross-sections, said concentric cylindrical cross-sections forming an inter-level interconnect structure providing electrical communication to a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
An inter-level interconnect structure on a substrate assembly comprising: a substrate assembly; and a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said substrate assembly each having a substantially uniform thickness and an upper surface, each said upper surface having a plurality of aluminum grains that are substantially immobile such that substantially no grain boundary movement occurs, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a cylindrical cross-section and said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said substrate assembly have concentric cylindrical cross-sections, said concentric cylindrical cross-sections forming an inter-level interconnect structure providing electrical communication to a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of adjacent aluminum layers are situated upon a refractory metal nitride layer that is in contact with and situated upon said substrate assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a substantially uniform thickness of less than one micron.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has therein substantially no voids larger than about the thickness thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 1, wherein an interface is situated between each adjacent aluminum layer of said plurality of adjacent layers, and wherein substantially no voids are in contact with the interface between each adjacent layer of said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
An aluminum film structure on a substrate assembly comprising: a substrate assembly; a refractory metal nitride layer upon said substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said refractory metal nitride layer each having a substantially uniform thickness of less than one micron and an upper surface, said upper surface having a plurality of aluminum grains that are substantially immobile such that substantially no grain boundary movement occurs, and each having therein substantially no voids larger than about one micron, wherein an interface is situated between each adjacent aluminum layer of said plurality of adjacent layers, and wherein substantially no voids are in contact with the interface between each adjacent layer of said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
An aluminum film structure on a substrate assembly comprising: a substrate assembly; a refractory metal nitride layer upon said substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said refractory metal nitride layer each having a substantially uniform thickness of less than one micron and an upper surface, said upper surface having a plurality of aluminum grains that are substantially immobile such that substantially no grain boundary movement occurs, and each having therein substantially no voids larger than about one micron, wherein an interface is situated between each adjacent aluminum layer of said plurality of adjacent layers, and wherein substantially no voids are in contact with the interface between each adjacent layer of said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The aluminum film structure as defined in claim 6, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a cylindrical cross-section and said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated have concentric cylindrical cross-sections, said concentric cylindrical cross-sections forming an inter-level interconnect structure providing electrical communication to a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
An inter-level interconnect structure comprising: a substrate assembly; a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders providing electrical communication to the buried semiconductor device, each of the plurality of concentric cylinders having a submicron sized and substantially uniform radius, and wherein substantially no voids exist that are greater than about the respective diameter of any of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders, and wherein substantially no voids exist between adjacent concentric cylinders that are greater thin about the respective diameter of any of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
An inter-level interconnect structure comprising: a substrate assembly; a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders providing electrical communication to the buried semiconductor device, each of the plurality of concentric cylinders having a submicron sized and substantially uniform radius, and wherein substantially no voids exist that are greater than about the respective diameter of any of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders, and wherein substantially no voids exist between adjacent concentric cylinders that are greater thin about the respective diameter of any of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders contain substantially no voids of a diameter greater than a size corresponding to the diameter of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders divided by the amount of concentric cylinders in the plurality of concentric cylinders.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly is an active area within a silicon layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly is an active area within a silicon layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The inter-level interconnect structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly is an active area within a silicon layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electrical connection structure comprising: a substrate assembly; and a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers each having the same thickness and having a cylindrical cross-section, wherein the cylindrical cross-section are concentric; a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly in electrical communication with said concentric cylindrical cross-sections.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
An electrical connection structure comprising: a substrate assembly; and a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers each having the same thickness and having a cylindrical cross-section, wherein the cylindrical cross-section are concentric; a buried semiconductor device on the substrate assembly in electrical communication with said concentric cylindrical cross-sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connection structure as defined in claim 13, wherein each said aluminum layer has an upper surface having a plurality of aluminum grains that are substantially immobile such that substantially no grain boundary movement occurs.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connection structure as defined in claim 13, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has therein no voids larger than about the thickness thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connection structure as defined in claim 13, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a uniform thickness of less than one micron.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
91 words
An aluminum film structure comprising: a substrate assembly; a refractory metal nitride layer upon said substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said refractory metal nitride layer each having a substantially uniform thickness of less than one micron, and each having therein substantially no voids larger than about one micron, wherein an interface is situated between each adjacent aluminum layer of said plurality of adjacent layers, and wherein substantially no voids are in contact with the interface between each adjacent layer of said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
91 words
An aluminum film structure comprising: a substrate assembly; a refractory metal nitride layer upon said substrate assembly; a plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated upon said refractory metal nitride layer each having a substantially uniform thickness of less than one micron, and each having therein substantially no voids larger than about one micron, wherein an interface is situated between each adjacent aluminum layer of said plurality of adjacent layers, and wherein substantially no voids are in contact with the interface between each adjacent layer of said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The aluminum film structure as defined in claim 17, wherein each adjacent aluminum layer has a cylindrical cross-section and said plurality of adjacent aluminum layers situated have concentric cylindrical cross-sections.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
69 words
A contact structure comprising: a silicon layer; an active area within the silicon layer; a plurality of adjacent concentric aluminum cylinders in electrical communication with the active area, each said cylinder having a submicron sized and uniform radius, and wherein the plurality of adjacent concentric aluminum cylinders have therein a plurality of voids, wherein each said void is less that any a respective diameter of any of the cylinders.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
69 words
A contact structure comprising: a silicon layer; an active area within the silicon layer; a plurality of adjacent concentric aluminum cylinders in electrical communication with the active area, each said cylinder having a submicron sized and uniform radius, and wherein the plurality of adjacent concentric aluminum cylinders have therein a plurality of voids, wherein each said void is less that any a respective diameter of any of the cylinders.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The contact structure as defined in claim 18, wherein any of said voids situated between adjacent concentric cylinders is not greater than the respective diameter of any of the plurality of adjacent concentric cylinders.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical connection structure as defined in claim 18, wherein each adjacent aluminum cylinder has a uniform thickness of less than one micron.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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