US6436808B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
NH3/N2-plasma treatment to prevent organic ILD degradation
Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices Inc
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Filing: 2000-12-07
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Granted: 2002-08-20
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Expires: 2020-12-07
Abstract
Abstract Degradation of organic low-k interlayer dielectrics during fabrication is substantially prevented or significantly reduced by treatment with a plasma containing a source of hydrogen and N 2 . Embodiments include treating a SiCOH, such as Black Diamond®, ILD with a NH 3 /N 2 plasma after deposition, after forming a damascene opening therein and/or after CMP but prior to capping layer deposition.
Inventors
- 👤 Minh Van Ngo
- 👤 Dawn Hopper
- 👤 Jeremy Martin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/093; H10W20/096; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an organic interlayer dielectric (ILD) having an exposed surface; forming a damascene opening in the ILD; filling the damascene opening with a metal; planarizing leaving an upper surface of the ILD exposed; and treating the exposed surface of the ILD with a plasma containing a source of hydrogen and nitrogen (N 2 ) to substantially prevent or substantially reduce degradation thereof that would otherwise occur during subsequent processing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an organic interlayer dielectric (ILD) having an exposed surface; forming a damascene opening in the ILD; filling the damascene opening with a metal; planarizing leaving an upper surface of the ILD exposed; and treating the exposed surface of the ILD with a plasma containing a source of hydrogen and nitrogen (N 2 ) to substantially prevent or substantially reduce degradation thereof that would otherwise occur during subsequent processing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 , comprising treating the exposed surface of the ILD with a plasma containing ammonia (NH 3 ) and N 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 , comprising filling the damascene opening with copper (Cu) or a Cu alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 2 , comprising treating the exposed surface of the ILD with the plasma to substantially prevent or substantially reduce an increase in the dielectric constant, shrinkage and/or a shift in the refractive index of the ILD during subsequent processing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
(Amended) The method according to claim 2 wherein the ILD contains carbon, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein the ILD is SiCOH and contains Si-H bonds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 6 comprising treating the exposed surface of the ILD with the plasma to substantially prevent or substantially reduce a reduction in the number of Si-H bonds during subsequent processing.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
89 words
The method according to claim. 2 , comprising treating the exposed surface of the ILD with the plasma at: a N 2 flow rate of about 3,000 to about 7,000 sccm; an NH 3 flow rate of about 50 to about 500 sccm; a pressure of about 3 to about 5 Torr; an RF power of about 250 to about 450 watts; a spacing of about 500 to about 800 mils; and a temperature of about 380° C. to about 420° C., for about 15 to about 35 seconds.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 2 , comprising treating the as-deposited ILD with the plasma before subsequent processing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 9 , comprising: forming the damascene opening in the ILD, after plasma treating the as-deposited organic ILD, exposing internal surfaces of the ILD within the opening; and treating the exposed internal surfaces of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 10 , comprising: filling the damascene opening with the metal after plasma treating the exposed internal surfaces of the ILD; and planarizing by chemical mechanical.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 1 , comprising depositing a capping layer after treating the exposed upper surface of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to ILD claim 4 , comprising plasma treating the exposed surface of the ILD to prevent the dielectric constant of the ILD from increasing more than 3%.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 4 , comprising plasma treating the exposed surface of the ILD to prevent the ILD from shrinking more than about 3%.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an organic layer having an exposed surface, wherein the organic layer is SiCOH and contains Si-H bonds; and treating the exposed surface with a plasma containing a source of hydrogen and nitrogen (N 2 ).
Claim 17
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an organic layer having an exposed surface, wherein the organic layer is SiCOH and contains Si-H bonds; and treating the exposed surface with a plasma containing a source of hydrogen and nitrogen (N 2 ).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 15 , comprising treating the exposed surface with a plasma containing ammonia (NH 3 ) and N 2 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 16 , comprising treating the organic layer with the plasma to substantially prevent or substantially reduce degradation thereof that would otherwise occur during subsequent processing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 16 , comprising: depositing the organic layer as an interlayer dielectric (ILD); forming a damascene opening in the ILD exposing internal surfaces of the ILD within the opening; and treating the exposed internal surfaces of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 16 , comprising: depositing the organic layer as an interlayer dielectric (ILD); forming a damascene opening in the ILD; filling the damascene opening with a metal; planarizing by chemical mechanical polishing leaving an outer surface of the ILD exposed; and treating the exposed outer surface of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 17 , comprising treating the exposed surface with the plasma to substantially prevent or substantially reduce an increase in the dielectric constant, shrinkage and/or a shift in the refractive index of the dielectric layer during subsequent processing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 15 comprising treating the exposed surface with the plasma to substantially prevent or substantially reduce a reduction in the number of Si-H bonds during subsequent processing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method according to claim 16 , comprising treating the exposed surface with the plasma at: a N 2 flow rate of about 3,000 to about 7,000 sccm; an NH 3 flow rate of about 50 to about 500 sccm; a pressure of about 3 to about 5 Torr; an RF power of about 250 to about 450 watts; a spacing of about 500 to about 800 mils; and a temperature of about 380° C. to about 420° C., for about 15 to about 35 seconds.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 16 , comprising: depositing the organic layer as an interlayer dielectric (ILD); and treating the as-deposited ILD with the plasma before subsequent processing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 23 , comprising: forming a damascene opening in the ILD, after treating the as-deposited ILD, exposing internal surfaces of the organic ILD within the opening; and treating the exposed internal surfaces of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method according to claim 24 , comprising: filling the damascene opening with a metal after plasma treating the exposed internal surfaces of the ILD; planarizing by chemical mechanical polishing leaving an upper surface of the ILD exposed; and treating the exposed upper surface of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 20 , comprising plasma treating to prevent the dielectric constant of the organic layer from increasing more than 3%.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 20 , comprising plasma treating to prevent the organic layer from shrinking more than about 3%.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 25 , comprising depositing a capping layer after treating the exposed outer surface of the ILD with the plasma.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 25 , comprising filling damascene opening with copper (Cu) or a Cu Alloy.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 19 , comprising filling the damascene opening with copper (Cu) or a Cu alloy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-02-18 | 2006-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-19 | 2010-02-18 | 2010-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-19 | 2014-02-18 | 2014-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |