Abstract: Method for removing or inactivating corrosion-forming etch residues remaining on the surface of a dielectric material after etching a metal layer which is supported by the dielectric material. The surface of the dielectric material which supports the corrosion-forming etch residues is post-etch treated in order to remove the corrosion-forming etch residues. Post-etch treating of the surface of the dielectric material includes disposing the dielectric material in a vacuum chamber having microwave downstream treating gas plasma, or contacting the surface of the dielectric material with deionized water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving the adhesion of copper and other metal-comprising conductive metals to a barrier layer. A barrier layer is provided that has a first surface that is substantially unoxidized, wherein at least a portion of the first surface is free from the presence of oxygen atoms. A conductive layer is then deposited onto the first surface of the barrier layer. The substantially unoxidized state of the first surface enhances the adhesion of the metal-comprising layer to the barrier layer. The method is particularly useful in obtaining excellent adhesion of a copper nucleation layer to an underlying barrier layer surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to our discovery that depositing various film layers in a particular order using a combination of Ion Metal Plasma (IMP) and traditional sputter deposition techniques with specific process conditions results in a barrier layer structure which provides excellent barrier properties and allows for metal/conductor filling of contact sizes down to 0.25 micron and smaller without junction spiking. Specifically, the film layers are deposited on a substrate in the following order: (a) a first layer of a barrier metal (M), deposited by IMP sputter deposition; (b) a second layer of an oxygen-stuffed barrier metal (MOx), an oxygen-stuffed nitride of a barrier metal (MNOx), or a combination thereof; (c) a third layer of a nitride of a barrier metal (MNx), deposited by IMP sputter deposition of the barrier metal in the presence of nitrogen; and (d) a fourth, wetting layer of a barrier metal, deposited by traditional sputter deposition.