US5998870A — Wiring structure of semiconductor device and meth…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 81 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on said semiconductor substrate and which includes an aperture formed therein; and a diffusion barrier film which has a smooth and eroded surface and no grain boundary at a surface thereof so as to uniformly nucleate a metal layer, said diffusion barrier film being formed through a plasma irradiation on both sidewalls of said aperture; wherein said metal layer is formed on said diffusion barrier film.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 81 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on said semiconductor substrate and which includes an aperture formed therein; and a diffusion barrier film which has a smooth and eroded surface and no grain boundary at a surface thereof so as to uniformly nucleate a metal layer, said diffusion barrier film being formed through a plasma irradiation on both sidewalls of said aperture; wherein said metal layer is formed on said diffusion barrier film.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said diffusion barrier film is made up of a refractory metal or refractory metal compound.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said refractory metal is Ti and said refractory metal compound is TiN.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said aperture is a contact hole for exposing an impurity diffusion region of said semiconductor substrate or a via hole for exposing a lower conductive layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 85 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on said semiconductor substrate and including an aperture formed therein; and a diffusion barrier film which has a smooth and eroded surface and no grain boundary at a surface thereof so as to uniformly nucleate a metal layer, said diffusion barrier film being formed through a plasma irradiation on both sidewalls of said aperture; wherein said metal layer is buried in said aperture where said diffusion barrier film is formed.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 85 words

A wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer formed on said semiconductor substrate and including an aperture formed therein; and a diffusion barrier film which has a smooth and eroded surface and no grain boundary at a surface thereof so as to uniformly nucleate a metal layer, said diffusion barrier film being formed through a plasma irradiation on both sidewalls of said aperture; wherein said metal layer is buried in said aperture where said diffusion barrier film is formed.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 138 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (a) forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an aperture on said insulating layer; (c) forming a diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (d) etching by irradiating a surface of said diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth and erode the surface of said diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture so that said smoothed and eroded surface of said diffusion barrier film has no grain boundaries; and (e) forming a metal layer on said plasma-irradiated diffusion barrier film and increasing the filling characteristics of said metal layer by providing a plasma treatment to said diffusion barrier film.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 138 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (a) forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an aperture on said insulating layer; (c) forming a diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (d) etching by irradiating a surface of said diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth and erode the surface of said diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture so that said smoothed and eroded surface of said diffusion barrier film has no grain boundaries; and (e) forming a metal layer on said plasma-irradiated diffusion barrier film and increasing the filling characteristics of said metal layer by providing a plasma treatment to said diffusion barrier film.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said etching step is performed using one selected from the group consisting of an ECR plasma device using an inert gas, an RF plasma device and a magnetron-enhanced plasma device.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein said etching step includes increasing a smoothing effect by adding hydrogen to said inert gas.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said metal layer forming step is performed by a CVD method.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 6 further comprising the step of: heat treating said diffusion barrier film before performing said metal layer forming step.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising the step of heat treating said metal layer so as to bury said aperture after performing said metal layer step.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 11, further comprising the step of forming a second metal layer after said step of burying said aperture.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 46 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said metal layer forming step includes: firstly depositing a metal material at a first temperature, and secondly depositing said metal material at a second temperature different than said first temperature.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (a) forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an aperture on said insulating layer; (c) forming a first diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture, and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (d) etching by irradiating a surface of said first diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth the surface of said first diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (e) forming a second diffusion barrier film on said etched first diffusion barrier film; (f) forming a metal layer all over the substrate where said second diffusion barrier film is formed; and (g) burying said aperture by performing a heat treatment on said metal layer.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: (a) forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming an aperture on said insulating layer; (c) forming a first diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture, and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (d) etching by irradiating a surface of said first diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth the surface of said first diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; (e) forming a second diffusion barrier film on said etched first diffusion barrier film; (f) forming a metal layer all over the substrate where said second diffusion barrier film is formed; and (g) burying said aperture by performing a heat treatment on said metal layer.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein said steps of forming said metal layer and burying said aperture are performed without breaking a vacuum after said step of forming said second diffusion barrier film.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 15, further comprising the step of forming a second metal layer after said step (f).

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 15, further comprising a step of heat treating said first and second diffusion barrier films before said metal layer forming step.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method for forming a wiring structure of a semiconductor device according to claim 15, further comprising a step of heat treating said etched first diffusion barrier film before said second diffusion barrier film forming step.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 124 words

A method for forming a wire of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming an aperture on said insulating layer; forming a first diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture, and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; etching by irradiating a surface of the first diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth the surface of the first diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; forming a second diffusion barrier film on said etched first diffusion barrier film; and performing a high temperature sputtering all over the substrate where said second diffusion barrier film is formed so as to bury said aperture.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 124 words

A method for forming a wire of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming an aperture on said insulating layer; forming a first diffusion barrier film on said insulating layer, on the substrate exposed by said aperture, and on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; etching by irradiating a surface of the first diffusion barrier film with plasma, so as to smooth the surface of the first diffusion barrier film formed on the inner sidewalls of said aperture; forming a second diffusion barrier film on said etched first diffusion barrier film; and performing a high temperature sputtering all over the substrate where said second diffusion barrier film is formed so as to bury said aperture.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein said diffusion barrier film forming step includes depositing one of a Ti or a TiN layer according to a collimation technique.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method according to claim 21, wherein said diffusion barrier film forming step is performed using a collimator with a size of 5/8 inches and an aspect ratio of 1.5:1.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 10, wherein said heat treating step is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere, and a temperature of 450° C.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 18, wherein said heat treating step is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere, and a temperature of 450° C.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 19, wherein said heat treating step is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere, and a temperature of 450° C.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of reducing an overhang phenomenon at the top of said aperture after said metal layer forming step by one of sputtering or collimation, under a condition where working pressure is below 2 mTorr.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method according to claim 12, wherein said metal layer forming step is performed using a DC magnetron device under a condition where the temperature is less than 200° C. and a degree of vacuum is less than 5.0×10 -7 Torr.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method according to claim 12, wherein said metal layer forming step is performed using a DC magnetron device under a condition where the temperature is less than 25° C. and a degree of vacuum is less than 5.0×10 -8 Torr.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method according to claim 15, further comprising a step of reducing an overhang phenomenon at the top of said aperture after said first metal layer forming step by one of sputtering or collimation, under a condition where working pressure is below 2 mTorr.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said first metal layer forming step is performed using a DC magnetron device under a condition where the temperature is less than 200° C. and a degree of vacuum is less than 5.0×10 -7 Torr.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 15, wherein said first metal layer forming step is performed using a DC magnetron device under a condition where the temperature is less than 25° C. and a degree of vacuum is less than 5.0×10 -8 Torr.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method according to claim 6, wherein said etching step is performed using a ECR plasma device, said etching step further including determining a bias for said substrate to increase a smoothing effect and applying said bias to said substrate.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method for forming a wiring structure according to claim 6, wherein said plasma treatment is an Argon plasma treatment.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-12-06	2003-06-07	2003-12-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-12-06	2007-06-07	2007-12-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-12-06	2011-06-07	2011-12-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wiring structure of semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

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