`
`FILE HISTORY
`US 6,538,324
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`6,538,324
`PATENT:
`INVENTORS: Tagami, Masayoshi
`Hayashi, Yoshihiro
`
`TITLE:
`
`Multi-layered wiring layer and method of
`fabricating the same
`
`APPLICATION
`NO:
`FILED:
`ISSUED:
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`US2000596415A
`
`19 JUN 2000
`25 MAR 2003
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`COMPILED:
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`22 MAY 2015
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`TSMC Exhibit 1002
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`Page 1 of 333
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`The information disclosed herein may be restricted. _Unauthorized disclosure may be prohibited tzy the United States Code Title 35. Sections 122, 181 and 368.
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`6,538,324
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`MULTI-LAYERED WIRING LAYER AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME
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`Transaction History
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`1
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`Transaction Description
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`6/19/2000 Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) Filed
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`6/ 19/2000 Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) Filed
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`Request for Foreign Priority (Prior-ity Papers May
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`7/10/2000 IFW Scan & PACR Auto Security Review
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`8/16/2000 Application Dispatched from owe
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`8/16/2000 Correspondence Address Change
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`9/13/2000 Case Docketed to Examiner in GAU
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`Case Docketed to Examiner in GAU
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`6/4/2001 Restrictionl Election Requirement
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`6/5/2001 Mail Restriction Requirement
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`7/9/2001 Response to Election / Restriction Filed
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`7/14/2001 Date Forwarded to Examiner
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`9/24/2001 Non-Final Rejection
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`9/25/2001 Mail Non-Final Rejection
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`1/28/2002 Response after Non-Final Action
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`2/2/2002 Date Forwarded to Examiner
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`4/3/2002 Final Rejection
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`4/4/2002 Mail Final Rejection (PTOL - 326)
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`6/11/2002 Amendment after Final Rejection
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`6/25/2002 Date Forwarded to Examiner
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`8/9/2002 Request for Continued Examination (RCE)
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`8/9/2002 Request for Extension of Time - Granted
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`8/9/2002 Workflow - Request for RCE - Begin
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`8/20/2002 Disposal for a RCE / CPA/ R129
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`9/9/2002 Notice of Allowance Data Verification Completed
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`9/9/2002 Case Docketed to Examiner in GAU
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`9/10/2002 Mail Notice of Allowance
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`12/16/2002
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`USO065383-24B1
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`(12) United States Patent
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`Tagami et al.
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`(1o).Patent No.:
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`(45) Date of Patent:
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`US 6,538,324 B1
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`Mar. 25, 2003
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`(54) MULTI-LAYERED WIRING LAYER AND
`METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME
`
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`(75)
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`Inventors: Masayoshi Tagami, Tokyo (JP);
`
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`Yoshihiro Hayashi, Tokyo (JP)
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`(73) Assignee: NEC Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
`
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`( * ) Notice:
`
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`
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`
`
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`
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`
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`(21) Appl. No.: 09/596,415
`
`
`
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`(22)
`
`
`Filed:
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`Jun. 19,2000
`
`
`
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`‘ Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`(JP)
`............. ..; ......................... ..11-214110
`Jun. 24, 1999
`
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`Int. Cl.7 ........................ .. H01L 23/48; HOIL 23/52
`(51)
`
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`(52) U.S. Cl.
`...................................... .. 257/751; 257/762
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`(58)
`Field‘ of Search ..................... ..; ....... .. 257/751, 752,
`257/753, 758, 762, 773; 438/626, 627,
`
`
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`
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`628, 643, 644, 645
`
`
`
`
`(56)
`
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`5,668,411 A "
`....
`9/1997 Hong et al.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5,858,873 A *
`1/1999 Vitkavage et al.
`
`
`
`
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`8—139092
`5/1996
`8-274098
`10/1996
`9—64044
`3/1997
`9—29369O
`"‘ 11/1997
`9/1998
`10-256256
`
`......... .. 257/751
`
`........ .. 438/626
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`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`
`Semiconductor World Nobuyoshi Awaya, Feb. 1998, pp.
`
`
`
`
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`
`91-96.
`
`'
`
`Kee—Won Kwon et al., “Characteristics of Ta As An Under-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`layer for Cu Interconnects”, Advanced Metallization and
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Interconnect Systems for ULSIApplications in 1997, 1998,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`pp. 711-716.
`-
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`M. T: Wang, et al., “Barrier Properties of Very Thin Ta and
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`
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`
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`TaN Layers Against Copper Diffusion”, Journal Electro-
`chemical Society, Jul. 1998, pp. 2538-2545.
`
`
`
`
`
`D. Denning, et al.,An Inlaid CVD Cu Based Integration for
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Sub O.25,um Technology, 1998 Symposium on VLSI Tech-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`nology Digest of Technical Papers, 1998, pp. 22-23,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`_
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`
`
`
`Primary Examiner—Tom Thomas
`
`
`Assistant Examt'ner—Hung Kim Vu
`
`
`
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Scul1y, Scott, Murphy &
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Presser
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`There is provided a barrier film preventing dilfusion of
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`copper from a copper wiring layer formed on a semicon-
`
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`ductor substrate. The barrier film has a multi-layered struc-
`
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`ture of first and second films wherein the first
`film is
`
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`composed of crystalline metal containing nitrogen therein,
`
`
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`and the second film is composed of amorphous metal nitride.
`
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`The barrier film is constituted of common metal atomic
`
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`species. The barrier film prevents copper diffusion from a
`
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`copper wiring layer into a semiconductor device, and has
`
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`sufficient adhesion characteristic to both a copper film and
`
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`an interlayer insulating film.
`
`
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`
`
`10 Claims, 20 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`A
`
`N
`
`‘K
`
`L
`
`Jr
`
`by A
`
`V
`
`‘
`
`44
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`Page 15 of 333
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`U.S. Patent I
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`Mar. 25,2003
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`‘Sheet 1 of 20
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`US 6,538,324 B1
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`"'61. 5
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`Y.“A
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`Page 16 of 333
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 25,2003
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`Sheet2of20
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`US 6,538,324 B1
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`US 6,538,324 B1
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`2
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`1
`MULTI-LAYERED WIRING LAYER AND
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`METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`The invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit
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`including a copper wiring layer, and more particularly to a
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`2. Description of the Related Art
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`As a semiconductor device has been designed to be
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`smaller and smaller in size, wiring delay exerts greater
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`influence on a silicon ULSI device. As a result, though a
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`wiring layer has been composed of aluminum, itis necessary
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`to compose a wiring layer of copper in place of aluminum.
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`Resistivity of copper is equal to about 70% of resistivity
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`state composed of an oxide film, at a surface thereof, unlike
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`aluminum, copper is more corrosive than aluminum.
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`it is absolutely necessary for a semiconductor
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`device having a. copper wiring layer to have a ditfus_ion-
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`barrier
`film for preventing diffusion of copper into an
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`interlayer insulating film formed between copper wiring
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`layers. In addition, since such a diffusion-barrier film has to
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`have high adhesion characteristic to both an interlayer
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`insulating film and a copper wiring layer in order to keep
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`reliability in wiring.
`V
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`Thus, there have been made many’ suggestionsabout a
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`structure of a barrier metal layer and a method of fabricating .
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`the same, in order to prevent copper diffusion form a copper
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`wiring layer.
`1
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`For instance, a structure of a barrier metal
`layer is
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`suggested in the following articles: V
`’
`-’
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`(a):Semiconducto_r World, Nobuyoshi Awaya, February _
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`1.998, pp.'91—96 (hereinafter, referred to as Prior‘Art 1);
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`(b) Advanced Metallization and Interconnect Systems for
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`ULSI Applications in 1997, Kee-Won Kwon et‘al.,
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`1998, pp. 711-716 (hereinafter,'referred to Prior Art 2);
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`(c) Journal Electlrochemical Society‘, M. T. Wang et al.,
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`July 1998, pp. 2538-2545 (hereinafter, referred to as
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`_
`Prior Art 3); and
`i
`‘
`‘
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`(d)_ 1998- Symposium on VLSI ',Technology,Digest of
`, Technical Papers, D. Denning et al., 1998, pp. 22-23.
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`In addition, a structure of a barrier metal layer _and a
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`method of fabricating the same both for preventing copper
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`‘dilfusion is suggested also in Japanese Unexamined Patent
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`Publications S-139092, 8-274098, 9-64044 and 10-2-56256,
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`and Japanese Patent Application No. 10-330938. Herein,
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`Japanese Patent Application No. 10-330938 is not published
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`yet, and hence does not constitute prior art ,to the present
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`invention. However, it is explained in the specification only
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`for better understanding of the present invention. The appli-
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`cant does not‘ admit that Japanese Patent Application No‘.
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`10630938 constitutes prior artto the present invention.
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`It is quite diflicult toydry-etch copper, and hence, a copper
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`wiring layer is formed generally by chemical mechanical
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`polishing (CMP).
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`Specifically, a copper wiring layer is formed as follows.
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`An insulating film is formed on'an underlying copper
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`wiring layer. Then,
`the insulating film is formed- with a
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`recess‘ and a through-hole ‘reaching the underlying copper
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`wiring layer. Then, a thin diffusion-barrier film is formed on
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`surfaces of the reeessand the through-hole therewith such
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`that the recess and the through-hole is completely covered at
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`surfaces thereof with the diffusion-barrier film in order to
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`prevent copper diffusion from uncovered region.
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`Thereafter, a copper film is deposited filling the recess and
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`the ‘through-hole therewith by CVD or sputtering. Then, the
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`copper film and the diflfusion-barrier film are removed in
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`‘selected regions by CMP. Thus, a copper wiring layer is
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`completed.
`As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the diifusion-
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`barrier film is required to have high coverage as well as
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`capability of preventing” copper diffusion and adhesion to
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`copper.
`The diifusion-barrier film is composed, for instance, of
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`refractive metal such as tungsten (W),
`tantalum (Ta) or
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`titanium (Ti), or nitride of such refractive metal such as
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`tungsten‘ nitride (WN), titanium nitride (Ti'N) or tantalum
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`nitride (TaN).
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`‘ Asexplained in Prior Art 2, for instance, a tantalum (Ta)
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`barrier film has high adhesion with acopper film formed on
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`the tantalum barrier film by sputtering, ensuring improve-
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`mentrin crystallinity of the copper film. However, since
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`—copper
`is diffused into_the tantalum film,
`it would be‘
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`necessary for the tantalum barrier film formed below the
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`copper film, to have a thickness of 50 nm or greater.
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`Prior Art 4 reports that if a copper film is formed on a
`tantalum film by CVD, fluorine (F) segregates at an interface
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`between the copper film and TaN, resulting in degradation in
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`A
`adhesion therebetween.
`'
`_
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`Prior Art 3 reports’ that a "crystalline TaN' barrier film
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`oriented in directions of (200) and (111) can prevent copper
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`dilfusionmore highly than a crystalline Ta barrier film.
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`As an solution to enhance a characteristic of preventing
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`copper diffusion and adhesion to copper, a multi-layered
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`structure of a metal film and a metal nitride film has been
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`suggested.‘ _
`For instance, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Appli-
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`cation No. 1,0-330938 has suggested a method of fabricating
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`a multi-layered barrier film including. _a titanium film and -
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`formedgbysputtering.
`.
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`As illustrated in FIG. 1, in accordance with the suggested
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`method, only an argon gas is_ introduced into a sputter
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`chamber to thereby form" astitanium film 1. Then, a nitrogen
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`thin
`gas is introduced into the-sputter chamber, and a
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`titanium nitride film ,2 is formed on the titanium film 1
`lauxiliarily making use of reaction between titanium and
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`nitrogen..Thus,
`there is formed a multi-layered barrier
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`‘structure '3 comprised ofthe titanium film 1 and the thin
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`titanium nitride film 2.
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`In the method, a metal oxide film formed on an «underlying
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`wiring film is removed by argon plasma prior tocarrying out
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`sputtering."
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`the conventional barrier film for preventing
`However,
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`copper diffusion is accompanied with the following prob-
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`lems.
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`The first problem is that it is quite difficult to make a
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`diifusion-barrier film l_1'ave'both a characteristic of prevent-
`ing copper dilfusion and a suflicient adhesive force with
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`copper. .
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`' As illustrated in FIG. 2, it is now assumed to form a metal
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`film 5 having a crystallized pillar structure, on a semicon-
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`ductor substrate 4. In the metal film 5, alot of grains each
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`comprised of individual crystals, and grain boundaries 7
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`‘ each defining an interface between‘ the grains 6 exist
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`throughout the metal film 5, that is, from an upper surface to
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`Page 36 of 333
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`US 6,538,324 B1 '
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` 4
`The third problem relates to coverage of a film formed by
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`' sputtering.
`In general, when a_ metal film or a metal nitride film is
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`formed by sputtering, a metal target is sputtered by argon
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`plasma generated by virtue of rotational magnetic field and"
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`application of DC bias,'and resultingly, a metal film or a
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`metal nitride film "is deposited on a -substrate located in
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`facing relation to.the metal target.
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`In sputtering, a pressure at which a metal target is sput-
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`tered is low, specifically, equal to 1 Pa or smaller. Since
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`metal particles sputtered by argon plasma are radiated ran-
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`.-domly to a surface of a‘ substrate, for instance,
`if the
`substrate is formed at a surface thereof with a deep recess or
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`hole, it would almost impossible to deposit a. metal film such
`that such a recess or hole is completely covered with the
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`metal film..
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`' In addition, since a sputtering pressure is low, argon
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`plasma could have a low plasma density, and hence, there
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`cannot be expected re-sputtering elfect in which a metal film
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`deposited onto a surface of a substrate is sput