US6413383B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for igniting a plasma in a sputter reactor
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 2000-10-10
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Granted: 2002-07-02
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Expires: 2020-10-10
Abstract
Abstract A DC magnetron sputter reactor for sputtering copper, its method of use, particularly the ignition sequence, and shields and other parts promoting self-ionized plasma (SIP) sputtering, preferably at pressures below 5 milliTorr, preferably below 1 milliTorr. The SIP copper layer can act as a seed and nucleation layer for hole filling with conventional sputtering (PVD) or with electrochemical plating (ECP). Preferably, the plasma is ignited in a cool process in which low power is applied to the target in the presence of a higher pressure of argon working gas. After ignition, the pressure is reduced, and target power is ramped up to a relatively high operational level to sputter deposit the film.
Inventors
- 👤 Tony P. Chiang
- 👤 Yu D. Cong
- 👤 Peijun Ding
- 👤 Jianming Fu
- 👤 Howard H. Tang
- 👤 Anish Tolia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/032; H10W20/033; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/04; C23C14/046; C23C14/22; C23C14/34; C23C14/3435; C23C14/345; C23C14/3457; C23C14/35; C23C14/354; C23C14/358; C23C14/56; C23C14/564; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32082; H01J37/321; H01J37/34; H01J37/3402; H01J37/3405; H01J37/3408; H01J37/3411; H01J37/3441; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/42; H10P14/44; H10W20/041; H10W20/042; H10W20/043; H10W20/045; H10W20/052; H10W20/0523; H10W20/054; H10W20/056; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/32; H01J2237/33; H01J2237/332; H01J2237/3322; H01J2237/3327; H10W20/0425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of igniting a plasma in a plasma sputter reactor including a vacuum chamber and an electrically biasable sputter target in said chamber, said method comprising the sequential steps of: admitting a working gas into said chamber; igniting said working gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said igniting step, reducing said chamber to a second pressure less than said first pressure while said power is held at said first level; after said igniting step, in response thereto and once the chamber has been reduced to said second pressure, increasing said power applied to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and completing sputter depositing of a film on a substrate in said chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of igniting a plasma in a plasma sputter reactor including a vacuum chamber and an electrically biasable sputter target in said chamber, said method comprising the sequential steps of: admitting a working gas into said chamber; igniting said working gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said igniting step, reducing said chamber to a second pressure less than said first pressure while said power is held at said first level; after said igniting step, in response thereto and once the chamber has been reduced to said second pressure, increasing said power applied to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and completing sputter depositing of a film on a substrate in said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said target comprises copper.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said first level of power is no more than 5 kW normalized to the area of a 200 mm-diameter wafer and said second level of power is greater than 10 kW and no more than 24 kW normalized to the area of said 200 mm-diameter wafer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said reducing step includes decreasing a supply of said working gas through a port having direct access into said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said decreasing said supply includes ceasing said supply.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said first pressure is greater than 5 milliTorr and said second pressure is less than 5 milliTorr.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein said second pressure is less than 1 milliTorr.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of exciting a plasma in a chamber including a target and a magnetron rotatable about a back of said target having an area of no more than 20% that of said target, said process comprising the steps of: flowing a gas comprising argon into said chamber; igniting said gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and continuously applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said gas has been ignited into a plasma, reducing pressure in said chamber to a second pressure lower than said first pressure; after a beginning of said reducing step, increasing said power to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and thereafter sputtering said target.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of exciting a plasma in a chamber including a target and a magnetron rotatable about a back of said target having an area of no more than 20% that of said target, said process comprising the steps of: flowing a gas comprising argon into said chamber; igniting said gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and continuously applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said gas has been ignited into a plasma, reducing pressure in said chamber to a second pressure lower than said first pressure; after a beginning of said reducing step, increasing said power to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and thereafter sputtering said target.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said first pressure is greater than 2 milliTorr and said second pressure is no more than 1 milliTorr.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising detecting ignition of said plasma and in response thereto initiating said reducing step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said second level is at least twice said first level.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein said first level is no more than 5 kW normalized to a 200 mm wafer and said second level is at least 10 kW normalized to said 200 mm wafer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said target is a copper target.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of igniting a plasma in a plasma sputter reactor including a vacuum chamber and an electrically biasable sputter target in said chamber, said method comprising the sequential steps of: admitting a working gas into said chamber; igniting said working gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said igniting step, reducing said chamber to a second pressure less than said first pressure; after said reducing step, increasing said power applied to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and completing sputter depositing of a film on a substrate in said chamber.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of igniting a plasma in a plasma sputter reactor including a vacuum chamber and an electrically biasable sputter target in said chamber, said method comprising the sequential steps of: admitting a working gas into said chamber; igniting said working gas into a plasma while maintaining said chamber at a first pressure and applying a finite first level of power to said target; after said igniting step, reducing said chamber to a second pressure less than said first pressure; after said reducing step, increasing said power applied to said target to a second level greater than said first level; and completing sputter depositing of a film on a substrate in said chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein said target is a copper target.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-01 | 2005-12-31 | 2006-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-01 | 2009-12-31 | 2010-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-01 | 2013-12-31 | 2014-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |