Patent ID: 8110498
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: forming an opening in a dielectric layer of a metallization layer of a semiconductor device, the opening connecting to a copper-containing metal region located below said opening; exposing a surface of said copper-containing metal region exposed by said opening to a vapor phase ambient to passivate said surface, wherein said vapor phase ambient is established on the basis of a corrosion hindering agent that is a liquid under standard atmospheric conditions, said corrosion hindering agent comprising at least one of triazole, 4-amino benzo nitril, 2-amino pyrimidin, 2-thiazolin-2-thiol and 2,4,6 triamino-1,3,5-triazin; and after exposing said surface to said vapor phase ambient, depositing a barrier/adhesion layer on said surface exposed by said opening, wherein said barrier/adhesion layer is deposited without a wet chemical cleaning process performed after forming said opening and preceding the exposing of said copper-containing metal region to said vapor phase ambient.