Low temperature inorganic chemical vapor deposition of Ti–Si–N diffusion barrier liners for gigascale copper interconnect applications

Main Authors: Eisenbraun, Eric, Kaloyeros, Alain E, Arkles, Barry
Format: Article
Bahasa: eng
Terbitan: , 2000
Subjects:
Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/3969062
Daftar Isi:
  • A new low temperature inorganic thermal chemical vapor deposition process has been developed for the growth of titanium–silicon–nitride 􏰆Ti–Si–N􏰀 liners for diffusion barrier applications in ultralarge scale integration copper interconnect schemes. This process employs the thermal reaction of tetraiodotitanium ( TiI4) , tetraiodosilane ( SiI4) , and ammonia ( NH3) as, respectively, the individual Ti, Si, and N sources. Ti–Si–N films were successfully grown over a broad range of deposition conditions, including wafer temperature, process pressure, and TiI4, SiI4, and NH3 flows ranging, respectively, from 350 to 430 °C, 0.1–1 Torr, and 2.5–8.0, 2.5–12.5, and 100–250 sccm. Film stoichiometry was tightly tailored through independent control of the Ti, Si, and N source flows. Film properties were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and four-point resistivity probe. Resulting findings indicated that the texture and resistivity of the Ti–Si–N system were dependent on composition. In particular, films with a Ti33Si15N51 stoichiometry exhibited a nanocrystalline TiN phase within an amorphous SiN matrix, highly dense morphology, resistivity of 􏰂800 􏰅􏰄 cm for 25 nm thick films, and step coverage of 􏰂50% in 130 nm wide, 10:1 aspect ratio trenches. Oxygen and iodine contaminant levels were below, respectively, 3 and 1.4 at. % each. Preliminary copper diffusion-barrier studies indicated that barrier failure for 25 nm thick Ti34Si23N43 films did not occur until after annealing for 30 min at 700 °C.