Patent Abstract:
A structure and methods of fabricating the structure. The structure comprising: a trench in a dielectric layer; an electrically conductive liner, an electrically conductive core conductor and an electrically conductive fill material filling voids between said liner and said core conductor.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuits; more specifically, it relates to hybrid wires for interconnecting devices into circuits, methods of fabricating hybrid wires and methods for repairing defects in wires during fabrication of integrated circuits. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Integrated circuits utilize wires in wiring levels to interconnect devices such as transistors into circuits. As the size of integrated circuits decreases, there is a related decrease in the dimensions of the wires. This can lead to an increase in wire defects. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to mitigate or eliminate the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A first aspect of the present invention is a structure, comprising: a trench in a dielectric layer; an electrically conductive first liner on a bottom of the trench and extending on adjacent lower regions of sidewalls of the trench, the first liner not extending to a top surface of the dielectric layer; an electrically conductive second liner on the first liner and extending on upper regions of the sidewalls of the trench adjacent to the lower regions of the sidewalls; and an electrically conductive core filling remaining space in the trench. 
         [0004]    A second aspect of the present invention is a method, comprising: (a) forming a trench in a dielectric layer; (b) forming an electrically conductive first liner on a bottom of the trench and extending on adjacent lower regions of sidewalls of the trench, the first liner not extending to a top surface of the dielectric layer; (c) forming an electrically conductive second liner on the first liner and extending on upper regions of the sidewalls of the trench adjacent to the lower regions of the sidewalls; and (d) filling remaining space in the trench with an electrically conductive core. 
         [0005]    A third aspect of the present invention is a method comprising: (a) forming a hardmask layer on the top surface of the dielectric layer, (b) forming an opening in the hardmask layer; (c) etching the trench into the into the dielectric layer through the opening, after the etching the hardmask layer overhanging a perimeter of the trench; (d) depositing an electrically conductive liner on the hardmask layer and on a bottom of the trench and sidewalls of the trench, the liner not formed on regions of the sidewalls adjacent to a top surface of the dielectric layer; (e) forming a seed layer on the liner, plating copper on the seed layer, and performing a chemical mechanical polish to remove the hardmask layer and to remove any liner, seed layer and plated copper not in the trench, the chemical mechanical polishing exposing voids between the plated copper in the trench the regions of the sidewalls having no liner; and (f) selectively filling the regions with an electrically conductive fill material. 
         [0006]    A fourth aspect of the present invention is a method comprising: (a) forming a hardmask layer on the top surface of the dielectric layer, (b) forming an opening in the hardmask layer; (c) etching the trench into the into the dielectric layer through the opening; (d) depositing an electrically conductive liner on the hardmask layer and on a bottom of the trench and sidewalls of the trench; (e) forming a seed layer on the liner, plating copper on the seed layer, and performing a chemical mechanical polish to remove the hardmask layer and to remove any liner, seed layer and plated copper not in the trench; (f) removing a perimeter region of the plated copper adjacent to a top surface of the plated copper and between the plated copper and the liner to form a perimeter trench in the plated copper; and (g) selectively filling the perimeter trench with an electrically conductive fill material. 
         [0007]    These and other aspects of the invention are described below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are cross-sections of exemplary damascene and dual-damascene wire respectively; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  is a top view and  FIG. 2B  is a cross-section view through line  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 2A  illustrating a first exemplary slit-void wire defect; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2C  is a cross-section view illustrating the root cause of slit-void defects; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a top view and  FIG. 3B  is a cross-section view through line  3 B- 3 B of  FIG. 3A  illustrating a second exemplary slit-void wire defect; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4A  is a top view and FIGS.  4 B/ 4 C/ 4 D are a cross-section views through respective lines  4 B- 4 B/ 4 C- 4 C/ 4 D- 4 D of  FIG. 4A  illustrating a method of repairing the wire defect of FIGS.  2 A/ 2 B and FIGS.  3 A/ 3 B according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A through 5H  are cross-sections illustrating fabrication of a hybrid wire according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a hybrid wire of  FIG. 5H , and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 7A through 7C  are cross-sections and  FIG. 7D  is a top view of an alternative method of fabricating a hybrid wire according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    A newly discovered wire defect has resulted in a defect called “slit-voids” in copper damascene wires. The root-cause mechanism is related to the undercut of the hardmask used to define the trenches in the inter-level dielectric (ILD) in which the wires are formed. 
         [0018]    A damascene wire is formed by a damascene process and a dual-damascene wire is formed by a dual-damascene process. There may be multiple damascene and/or dual-damascene wiring levels in an integrated circuit chip. 
         [0019]    A damascene process is one in which wire trenches or via openings are defined by a patterned hardmask layer and etched into an underlying ILD layer, an electrical conductor of sufficient thickness to fill the trenches is deposited, and a chemical-mechanical-polish (CMP) process is performed to remove excess conductor and the hardmask layer and to make the surface of the conductor co-planar with the surface of the dielectric layer to form damascene wires (or damascene vias). When only a trench and a wire (or a via opening and a via) is formed the process is called single-damascene. The pattern in the hardmask is photolithographically defined. 
         [0020]    A dual dual-damascene process is one in which wire trenches are defined by a patterned hardmask layer and etched partway into an underlying ILD layer followed by formation of vias inside the trenches through the remaining thickness of the ILD layer in cross-sectional view. All via openings are intersected by integral wire trenches above and by a wire trench below, but not all trenches need intersect a via opening. Thereafter the process is the same as for single-damascene wires. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are cross-sections of exemplary damascene and dual-damascene wire respectively. In  FIG. 1A , formed on a substrate  100  is an ILD layer  105 . Substrate  100  includes a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) layer on/and in which various dielectric and conductive layers have been built up to form devices such as transistors. Substrate  100  may also include other wiring levels having wires formed in respective ILD layers. A damascene wire  110  is formed in ILD layer  105 . Wire  110  includes an electrically conductive liner  115  and on the sidewalls and bottom of an electrical core conductor  120 . A top surface  125  of wire  110  is coplanar with a top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . 
         [0022]    In one example, liner  115  comprises a layer of tantalum nitride (TaN) on a layer of tantalum (Ta), with the Ta between the TaN and core conductor  120 . Core conductor  120  comprises a thin seed layer of evaporated or sputter deposited copper (Cu) on the liner and plated Cu filling the remaining space. 
         [0023]    In one example, ILD layer  105  comprises a porous or nonporous silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), fluorinated SiO 2  (FSG) or a low K (dielectric constant) material, examples of which include but are not limited to hydrogen silsesquioxane polymer (HSQ), methyl silsesquioxane polymer (MSQ), SiLK™ (polyphenylene oligomer) manufactured by Dow Chemical, Midland, Tex., Black Diamond™ (methyl doped silica or SiO x (CH 3 ) y  or SiC x O y H y  or SiOCH) manufactured by Applied Materials, Santa Clara, Calif., organosilicate glass (SiCOH), and porous SiCOH. A low K dielectric material has a relative permittivity of about 2.4 or less. In one example, ILD layer  105  is between about 300 nm and about 700 nm thick. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 1B , a dual-damascene wire  135  is formed in ILD layer  105 . Wire  135  includes wire portion  140 A and an integral via portion  140 B. Wire  135  includes electrically conductive liner  115  and on the sidewalls and bottom of electrical core conductor  120 . A top surface  145  of wire  135  is coplanar with top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . 
         [0025]    Hereinafter, single-damascene wires and processes will be used in illustrating and describing the various features and embodiments of the invention. However, the present invention is equally applicable to dual-damascene wires and the term damascene hereinafter should be interpreted to include both single-damascene and dual-damascene wires. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  is a top view and  FIG. 2B  is a cross-section view through line  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 2A  illustrating a first exemplary slit-void wire defect. In  FIGS. 2A and 2B  a damascene wire  150  is formed in ILD layer  105  and includes liner  115  and core conductor  120 . Slit-void defects  155  are formed along the perimeter of wire  150  at the distal ends  160  of wire  150 . A top surface  165  of wire  150  (where there are no slit-voids  155 ) is coplanar with top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . In  FIG. 2B , it can be seen that voids  155  are due to an absence of both liner  115  and core conductor  120 . Voids  155  extend from top surface  165  of wire  150  into wire  150  but do not extend to the bottom of wire  150 . Note voids  155  are “U” shaped. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2C  is a cross-section view illustrating the root cause of slit-void defects. In  FIG. 2C , an opening  166  is formed in a hardmask layer  167  and a trench  168  is formed in ILD layer  105 . The etching of trench  168  created an overhang  169  of hardmask layer  167 . Overhang  169  “shadows” the formation of liner/seed layer  115 A so the liner and seed layer do not extend up the sidewalls of the trench to hardmask layer  167 . During Cu plating, for a significant number of wires (e.g. about 3% to about 7%), the distal ends of the trench  166  will not be completely filled with Cu where there is no liner/seed layer  115  and a void is thereby formed. 
         [0028]      FIG. 3A  is a top view and  FIG. 3B  is a cross-section view through line  3 B- 3 B of  FIG. 3A  illustrating a second exemplary slit-void wire defect. In  FIGS. 3A and 3B  a damascene wire  170  is formed in ILD layer  105  and includes liner  115  and core conductor  120 . Slit-void defects  175  are formed at the distal ends  160  of wire  170 . A top surface  180  of wire  170  (where there are no slit-voids  175 ) is coplanar with top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . In  FIG. 3B , it can be seen that voids  175  are due to an absence of both liner  115  and core conductor  120 . Voids  175  extend from top surface  180  of wire  170  into wire  170  but do not extend to the bottom of wire  170 . Note voids  175  extend across the entire width W of wire  175  at distal ends  160 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  is a top view and FIGS.  4 B/ 4 C/ 4 D are a cross-section views through respective lines  4 B- 4 B/ 4 C- 4 C/ 4 D- 4 D of  FIG. 4A  illustrating a method of repairing the wire defect of FIGS.  2 A/ 2 B and FIGS.  3 A/ 3 B according to embodiments of the present invention. The defects shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  will be used in an example of the repair process, but the process is equally applicable to the defects of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and other slit-void defects.  FIG. 4A  is similar to  FIG. 2A  except wires  185 A or  185 B or  185 C have respective metal fillings  190 A or  190 B or  190 C replacing (i.e., filling in) void  155  of  FIG. 2A . In  FIG. 4B , top surface of filling  190 A is coplanar with a top surface  195 A of core conductor  120  of wire  185 A. In  FIG. 4C , at least a region of a top surface of filling  190 B extends above a top surface  195 B of core conductor  120  of wire  185 B. In  FIG. 4D , at least a region of a top surface of filling  190 C is extends below a top surface  195 C of core conductor  120  of wire  185 C. 
         [0030]    Fillings  190 A,  190 B and  190 C are formed by selective deposition of the fill metal on Cu. The selective deposition technique includes chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or electroless deposition. Selective processes according to embodiments of the present invention involve self-complementary materials and are self-limiting depositions of a metal from a reactive vapor phase compound of the metal exclusively on exposed copper. Examples of suitable metals include ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), gold (Au), iridium (Ir), manganese (Mn), and tungsten (W) with Ru, Mn and Co preferred and Ru most preferred. Ru may be selectively deposited on Cu using triruthenium dodecacarbonyl (Ru 3 (CO) 12 ) precusor in a CVD reaction. Such a processes is described in United States Patent Publication 2008/0315429 by McFeely et al. and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Co may be selectively deposited on Cu using dicarbonyl (h5-2,4-cycopentadien-1-yl)Co precusor in a CVD reaction. 
         [0031]    Optionally, filling  190 A of  FIG. 4B  may be formed from filling  190 B of  FIG. 4C  by CMP of filling  190 B. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 5A through 5H  are cross-sections illustrating fabrication of a hybrid wire according to embodiments of the present invention. In  FIG. 5A , a hardmask layer  200  is formed on top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . In one example hardmask layer is silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ). In one example, hardmask layer is SiO 2  when ILD layer  105  is not SiO 2  or is a low K dielectric such as SiCOH. In one example, hardmask layer is between about 10 nm and about 80 nm thick. 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 5B , openings  205  are formed in hardmask layer  200  using a photolithographic process. For example, a photoresist layer is applied to the top surface of hardmask layer, the photoresist layer exposed to actinic radiation through a patterned photomask and the exposed photoresist layer developed to form a patterned photoresist layer. When the photoresist layer comprises positive photoresist, the developer dissolves the regions of the photoresist exposed to the actinic radiation and does not dissolve the regions where the patterned photomask blocked (or greatly attenuated the intensity of the radiation) from impinging on the photoresist layer. When the photoresist layer comprises negative photoresist, the developer does not dissolve the regions of the photoresist exposed to the actinic radiation and does dissolve the regions where the patterned photomask blocked (or greatly attenuated the intensity of the radiation) from impinging on the photoresist layer. After etching (e.g., by reactive ion etch (RIE)) hardmask layer  200 , the patterned photoresist is removed. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 5C , trenches  210  are etched (e.g., by RIE) into ILD layer  105 . Lateral etching of trenches  210  creates overhangs  215  in hardmask layer  200 . Low K and porous dielectric materials are more susceptible to lateral etching than conventional dielectric layers such as SiO 2 . The RIE process may be adjusted to control the distance D of overhangs  215 . Greater overhang results in more shadowing of subsequent depositions/evaporations as described infra. 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 5D , liner (or first liner)  115  is formed (e.g., by evaporation or sputter deposition) on bottoms  216  and sidewalls  217  of trenches  210  and all exposed surfaces of hardmask layer except surfaces  218  of overhangs  215 . However, because of shadowing, liner  115  is not formed on regions  219  of sidewalls  217  adjacent to top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . Liner  115  does not extend along sidewall  217  all the way up to top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 5E , an electrically conductive corner-liner (or second liner)  220  is formed on liner  115 , regions  219  of sidewalls  217  and surface  218  of overhangs  215 . In one example corner-liner  220  comprises Ru, Co, Ti, Pd, Ni, Au, Ir, Mn, or W with Ru, Mn and Co preferred and Ru most preferred. In one example, corner-liner  220  is formed from non-selective CVD or atomic layer deposition (ALD). Because of the “corner” at the interface of surfaces  218  and  219 , corner-liner  220  is thickest in region  225  of corner-liner  220  due to two surfaces of corner-liner  220  growing toward each other during deposition. 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 5F , optional Cu seed layer  230  is formed on corner-liner  220 . Seed layer  230  is required in the event that the core conductor will be plated Cu. 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 5G , a layer of core conductor  235  is formed on top of seed layer  230  (if present, or corner liner  225  if there is no seed layer). Core conductor  235  completely fills remaining space in trench  210 . In one example, core conductor  235  is plated Cu. In one example core conductor  235  is aluminum (Al) formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) followed by a reflow (i.e., heating process). When core conductor  235  is Al, in one example, liner  115  comprises a layer of titanium nitride (TiN) on a layer of Ti, with the Ti between the TiN and Al. 
         [0039]    In  FIG. 5H , a CMP has been performed removing all of core conductor  235 , of liner  115 , corner-liner  220  and seed layer  230  above top surface  130  of ILD layer and all of hardmask layer  200  (see  FIG. 5G ) to form hybrid damascene wires  240 . Wires  240  have a width W 1  and are spaced apart a distance S. In one example W 1 =S=about 40 nm to about 200 nm. 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a hybrid wire of  FIG. 5H . In  FIG. 6 , wire  240  includes a ring of corner-liner  220  around the entire perimeter of wire  240  and a ring of liner  115  between corner-liner  220  and core conductor  235 . Seed layer  230  (if present) is a ring between corner-liner  220  and core conductor  235 . 
         [0041]      FIGS. 7A through 7C  are cross-sections and  FIG. 7D  is a top view of an alternative method of fabricating a hybrid wire according to embodiments of the present invention. In  FIG. 7A , formation of a damascene wire has proceeded to the point just prior to CMP. A hardmask  245  has been patterned, a liner  115  formed on the sidewalls and the bottom of a trench  250  in ILD layer  105  and a layer of core conductor  255  fills the trench. A seed layer of Cu as described supra may or may not be present and is not shown in  FIGS. 7A through 7D . Core conductor may be Cu or Al. 
         [0042]    In  FIG. 7B  a CMP has been performed to coplanarize core conductor  255 , edges of liner  115  and top surface  130  of ILD layer  105  followed by an oxidizing etch. Slit voids  260  are formed around the entire perimeter of core conductor  255 . The extent and depth of slit-voids  260  is be controlled by the oxidizing etch process. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 7C , the slit-voids of  FIG. 7B  are filled with fill  265  to form a hybrid damascene wire  270 . Fill  265  is formed by the same process and of the same materials as fill  190 A of  FIG. 4B ,  190 B of  FIG. 4C  or fill  190 C of  FIG. 4D . While fill  265  is shown coplanar with ILD layer  105  and core conductor  255 , it may be raised above (as in  FIG. 4C ) or recessed below (as in  FIG. 4D ) the plane defined by top surface  130  of ILD layer  105 . Fill  265  is formed around the entire perimeter of core conductor  255  between the core conductor and liner  115  as illustrated in  FIG. 7D . Fill  265  extends from a top surface  275  of wire  270  into wire  270  but does not extend to the bottom of wire  270 . 
         [0044]    Thus, the embodiments of the present invention provide hybrid wires for interconnecting devices of integrated circuits into circuits, methods of fabricating hybrid wires and methods for repairing defects in wires during fabrication of integrated circuits thereby mitigating or eliminating the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove. 
         [0045]    The description of the embodiments of the present invention is given above for the understanding of the present invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7