Patent ID: 8317923

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a protective self aligned buffer (PSAB) layer within a metal layer in a partially fabricated semiconductor device, the apparatus comprising: (a) a process chamber having an inlet for introduction of reactants; (b) a support for holding the partially fabricated semiconductor device in position during formation of the PSAB layer; and (c) a controller, associated with the process chamber, the controller comprising program instructions for: (i) contacting the partially fabricated semiconductor device with a PSAB-forming reactant, such that the PSAB-forming reactant reacts with metal atoms of the metal layer and chemically transforms the top portion of the metal layer into a first protective self-aligned buffer layer, wherein said first PSAB layer resides entirely within said metal layer; (ii) subsequently contacting the partially fabricated semiconductor device with a pinning reactant in a plasma discharge to form a pinned PSAB layer on or within the metal layer; and (iii) treating the partially fabricated device surface with H 2 in a plasma discharge concurrently with (ii) or after (ii).