US6057223A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Passivated copper conductive layers for microelectronic applications
Assignee: Research Foundation of the State University of New York
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Filing: 1998-02-10
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Granted: 2000-05-02
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Expires: 2018-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A copper conductor is formed which is included as a component in microelectronic devices. The conductor is formed by forming a metal layer on the surface of a microelectronic substrate, forming a copper layer on the metal layer, and annealing the metal and copper layers. The annealing step diffuses at least some of the metal layer through the copper layer to the surface thereof where the diffused metal forms a protective metal oxide at the surface of the copper layer. As a result, the metal oxide layer passivates the copper layer.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Lanford
- 👤 Wei Wang
- 👤 Peijun Ding
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:40
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/58; C23C14/5806; C23C14/02; C23C14/024; C23C14/06; C23C14/14; C23C14/16; C23C14/5846; C23C14/5853; H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/064; H10W20/071; H10W20/074; H10W20/077; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/425; H10W20/44; H10W20/4403; H10W20/4421; H10W20/4424; H10W20/081; H10W20/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises silicon dioxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein said copper conductor has a resistivity of less than 3 micro-ohm·centimeter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein said metal oxide layer has a thickness sufficient to passivate said copper layer to prevent oxidation thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein said copper layer is thicker than said metal layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein said metal layer comprises a metal which diffuses through copper at less than 400° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer comprising magnesium on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer comprising magnesium on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein said substrate comprises silicon dioxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein said copper layer comprises a conductive copper-magnesium alloy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein said copper conductor has a resistivity of less than 3 micro-ohm·centimeter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein said metal oxide layer has a thickness sufficient to passivate said copper layer to prevent oxidation thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 11, wherein said metal oxide layer on said copper layer is 3 to 7 nanometers thick.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 7, wherein said copper layer is thicker than said metal layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer comprising aluminum on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a face; and a copper conductor comprising: a metal layer comprising aluminum on said face of said substrate; a copper layer on said metal layer, opposite said face; and a layer of an oxide of said metal on said copper layer opposite said metal layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 14, wherein said substrate comprises silicon dioxide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 14, wherein said copper layer comprises less than one weight percent of aluminum.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 14, wherein said copper conductor has a resistivity of less than 3 micro-ohm·centimeter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 14, wherein said metal oxide layer has a thickness sufficient to passivate said copper layer to prevent oxidation thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 18, wherein said metal oxide layer on said copper layer is 3 to 7 nanometers thick.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The microelectronic device according to claim 14, wherein said copper layer is thicker than said metal layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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