Protective self-aligned buffer layers for damascene...

Details Protective self-aligned buffer layers for damascene... Protective self-aligned buffer layers for damascene...

2007-02-20

2010-06-01

Pham, Thanhha (Department: 2894)

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process

Coating with electrically or thermally conductive material

To form ohmic contact to semiconductive material

C438S628000, C438S687000, C257SE21575

Reexamination Certificate

active

07727880

ABSTRACT:
Protective self aligned buffer (PSAB) layers are layers of material that are selectively formed at the surface of metal layers in a partially fabricated semiconductor device. In a Damascene interconnect, PSAB layer typically resides at an interface between the metal layer and a dielectric diffusion barrier layer. PSAB layers promote improved adhesion between a metal layer and an adjacent dielectric diffusion barrier layer. Further, PSAB layers can protect metal surfaces from inadvertent oxidation during fabrication process. A PSAB layer may be formed entirely within the top portion of a metal layer, by, for example, chemically converting metal surface to a thin layer of metal silicide. Thickness of PSAB layers, and, consequently resistance of interconnects can be controlled by partially passivating metal surface prior to formation of PSAB layer. Such passivation can be accomplished by controllably treating metal surface with a nitrogen-containing compound to convert metal to metal nitride.

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