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US5899740A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Methods of fabricating copper interconnects for integrated circuits

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-09-04
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Granted: 1999-05-04
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Expires: 2017-09-04
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Abstract

Abstract Interconnects for integrated circuit substrates are formed by forming a diffusion-barrier film on an integrated circuit substrate and amorphizing the diffusion-barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion-barrier film. A copper film is then formed on the amorphous diffusion-barrier film. Amorphizing may be performed by implanting ions into the diffusion-barrier film. The diffusion-barrier film can include Mo, W, Ti, Wn, TiW, TiN and the ions may be boron, nitrogen and silicon ions. Interconnect structures according to the invention include an amorphous conductive diffusion-barrier film on an integrated circuit substrate and a copper film on the amorphous conductive diffusion-barrier film. The amorphous conductive diffusion-barrier film preferably contains ions therein. The amorphous conductive diffusion-barrier film and the ions may be selected from materials as described above.

Inventors

  • 👤 Chul-soon Kwon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 09:01
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/011; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/047; H10W20/051; H10W20/033; H10W20/038; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/425

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 65 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a diffusion barrier film on an integrated circuit substrate; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 65 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a diffusion barrier film on an integrated circuit substrate; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of forming a diffusion barrier film from at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Ti, WN, TiW and TiN.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of chemical vapor depositing a diffusion barrier film on an integrated circuit substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming a copper film is followed by the steps of: forming a second diffusion barrier film on the copper film, opposite the amorphous diffusion barrier film; and amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein the step of amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film step comprises the step of implanting ions into the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of forming a diffusion barrier film on an interlevel dielectric layer on an integrated circuit substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 104 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a dielectric layer on an integrated circuit substrate, the dielectric layer including a contact hole that exposes a portion of the integrated circuit substrate; forming a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the integrated circuit substrate and on the exposed portion of the integrated circuit substrate; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 104 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a dielectric layer on an integrated circuit substrate, the dielectric layer including a contact hole that exposes a portion of the integrated circuit substrate; forming a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the integrated circuit substrate and on the exposed portion of the integrated circuit substrate; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of forming a diffusion barrier film from at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Ti, WN, TiW and TiN.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of chemical vapor depositing a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the integrated circuit substrate and on the exposed portion of the integrated circuit substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 51 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming a copper film is followed by the steps of: forming a second diffusion barrier film on the copper film, opposite the amorphous diffusion barrier film; and amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the step of amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film step comprises the step of implanting ions into the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 101 words
A method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of: forming a second dielectric layer on the second amorphous diffusion barrier film, opposite the copper film, the second dielectric layer including a second contact hole that exposes a portion of the second amorphous diffusion barrier film; forming a third diffusion barrier film on the second dielectric layer opposite the underlying conductor and on the exposed portion of the second amorphous diffusion barrier film; amorphizing the third diffusion barrier film to create a third amorphous diffusion barrier film; and forming a second copper film on the third amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein the amorphizing step comprises the step of implanting ions into the third diffusion barrier film to create a third amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 54 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein the step of forming a second copper film is followed by the steps of: forming a fourth diffusion barrier film on the second copper film, opposite the third amorphous diffusion barrier film; and amorphizing the fourth diffusion barrier film to create a fourth amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein the step of amorphizing the fourth diffusion barrier film step comprises the step of implanting ions into the fourth diffusion barrier film to create a fourth amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a dielectric layer on an integrated circuit substrate, the dielectric layer including a contact hole that exposes an underlying conductor; forming a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the underlying conductor and on the exposed portion of the underlying conductor; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of fabricating an interconnect for an integrated circuit comprising the steps of: forming a dielectric layer on an integrated circuit substrate, the dielectric layer including a contact hole that exposes an underlying conductor; forming a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the underlying conductor and on the exposed portion of the underlying conductor; amorphizing the diffusion barrier film to create an amorphous diffusion barrier film by implanting ions selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen and silicon into the diffusion barrier film; and forming a copper film on the amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of forming a diffusion barrier film from at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Ti, WN, TiW and TiN.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 43 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the step of forming a diffusion barrier film comprises the step of chemical vapor depositing a diffusion barrier film on the dielectric layer opposite the underlying conductor and on the exposed portion of the underlying conductor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 51 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the step of forming a copper film is followed by the steps of: forming a second diffusion barrier film on the copper film, opposite the amorphous diffusion barrier film; and amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 19 wherein the step of amorphizing the second diffusion barrier film step comprises the step of implanting ions into the second diffusion barrier film to create a second amorphous diffusion barrier film.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein the underlying conductor is an underlying copper conductor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4965656A Cited
US4990997A Cited
US5104848A Cited
US5391517A Cited
US5668411A Cited
US5753945A Cited
US5804249A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-05-03 2002-11-02 2003-05-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-05-03 2006-11-02 2007-05-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-05-03 2010-11-02 2011-05-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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