Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device. A dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and an opening is formed in the dielectric layer. A barrier layer is deposited to line the opening which is optimized to reduce current crowding by resistance changes and/or being thicker at the bottom and sidewalls of a via. A conductor core is then deposited to fill the channel opening over the barrier layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device. A device dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A first dielectric layer on the device dielectric layer has an opening formed therein including a conductor reservoir volume. A barrier layer lines the channel opening. A conductor core fills the opening over the barrier layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer and has a second channel and via opening provided therein. A barrier layer lines the second channel and via opening except over the first channel opening. A conductor core fills the second channel and via opening over the barrier layer and the first conductor core to form the second channel and via. The conductor reservoir volume provides a supply of conductor material to prevent the formation of voids in the first channel and in the via.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device and a device dielectric layer formed on the semiconductor substrate. A channel dielectric layer on the device dielectric layer has a channel opening, an alloy-barrier layer lining the channel opening, and a conductor core filling the channel opening. An alloy layer is deposited which contains an element capable of reacting during thermal treatment with both the conductor core and the channel dielectric layer to form an alloy-barrier to diffusion of the material of the conductor core to the channel dielectric layer. The alloy-barrier layer is reacted with the conductor core and the channel dielectric layer to form a compound which provides a bond which blocks surface diffusion and permits conductor core to conductor core diffusion in dual inlaid integrated circuits.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device. A device dielectric layer with an opening formed therein is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A barrier layer of barrier metal and barrier compound lines the opening, the barrier layer having a dielectric layer proximate and distal regions. The barrier layer has no barrier metal adjacent the dielectric layer proximate region and all barrier metal in the dielectric layer distal region, the barrier layer has all barrier compound adjacent the dielectric layer proximate region and no barrier compound before the dielectric layer distal region. A conductor core is over the barrier layer fills the opening and connects to the semiconductor device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided for an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate grated circuit having a semiconductor device. A dielectric layer is on the semiconductor substrate and has an opening provided therein. A barrier layer lines the opening, and a first conductor core fills the opening over the barrier layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer and has a second channel and via opening provided therein. A shunt layer is in the via opening above the conductor core. A barrier layer lines the second channel and via opening over the shunt layer and the second dielectric layer. A conductor core fills the second channel and via opening over the barrier layer and the first conductor core to form the second channel and via.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefore is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device and a device dielectric layer formed on the semiconductor substrate. A channel dielectric layer on the device dielectric layer has a channel opening, a barrier layer lining the channel opening, and a conductor core filling the channel opening. A barrier layer is deposited which contains an element capable of reacting during thermal treatment with both the conductor core and the channel dielectric layer to form a barrier to diffusion of the material of the conductor core to the channel dielectric layer. The barrier layer reacts with the conductor core and the channel dielectric layer to form a compound which provides a bond which blocks surface diffusion and permits conductor core to conductor core diffusion in dual inlaid integrated circuits.

Abstract: The electromigration resistance of capped Cu or Cu alloy interconnects is significantly improved by treating the exposed planarized surface of the Cu or Cu alloy with a plasma containing NH3 and N2 under mild steady state conditions, thereby avoiding sensitizing the Cu or Cu alloy surface before capping layer deposition with an attendant improvement in electromigration resistance and wafer-to-wafer uniformity. Embodiments include treating the Cu or Cu alloy surface with a plasma at a relatively high N2 flow rate of about 8,000 to about 9,200 sccm and a relatively low NH3 flow rate of about 210 to about 310 sccm.

Abstract: A plurality of test interconnect structures are formed with each test interconnect structure having a respective alloy seed layer and with a fill conductive material formed to fill the respective interconnect opening. The respective alloy seed layer of each of the test interconnect structures has a respective thickness and a respective concentration of an alloy dopant within a bulk conductive material. A respective thermal anneal process is performed at a respective thermal anneal temperature for each of the plurality of test interconnect structures. A respective resistance and a respective rate of electromigration failure is measured for each of the plurality of test interconnect structures. For forming an IC interconnect structure within an IC interconnect opening, an alloy seed layer is deposited onto sidewalls and a bottom wall of the IC interconnect opening, and the IC interconnect opening is filled by growing a fill conductive material from the alloy seed layer within the IC interconnect opening.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device. A device dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A first dielectric layer on the device dielectric layer has an opening formed therein including a conductor reservoir volume. A barrier layer lines the channel opening. A conductor core fills the opening over the barrier layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer and has a second channel and via opening provided therein. A barrier layer lines the second channel and via opening except over the first channel opening. A conductor core fills the second channel and via opening over the barrier layer and the first conductor core to form the second channel and via. The conductor reservoir volume provides a supply of conductor material to prevent the formation of voids in the first channel and in the via.

Abstract: An integrated circuit and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a semiconductor substrate with a semiconductor device. A device dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and a channel dielectric layer on the device dielectric layer has an opening formed therein. A barrier layer lines the channel opening and a conductor core fills the opening over the barrier layer. A seed layer is disposed between the barrier layer and the conductor core. The seed layer has an associated element which is formed during annealing into an intermetallic compound which has a density lower than the density of the conductor core.

Abstract: The concentration of metal atoms in a field area between two trench structures is determined by applying a voltage on one of the trench structures and grounding the other. The resultant current flow between the trench structures is measured and used as an indicator of metal concentration in the field area.

Abstract: A categorization of a particular semiconductor wafer based on void size is obtained from sigma data and T0.1% failure data that has been obtained from wafers subjected to isothermal testing. The sigma data and the T0.1% failure data for the particular wafer is compared to stored data corresponding to ranges for sigma and T0.1% data for each of a plurality of void categories, and the particular wafer is categorized based on the stored data. The T0.1% failure data is computed based on a T50% failure data and the sigma value, so that small sample sizes can be utilized to obtain the stored data.

Abstract: A multi-level metal interconnect structure in a semiconductor device includes a plurality of overlying metal layers separated by ILD layers and electrically connected by filled vias in the ILD layers. Each metal layer includes a relatively thick antireflective layer for improved electromigration resistance. Each metal layer also includes a metal lining layer and a metal interconnect layer overlying the metal lining layer. Enhanced electromigration resistance is obtained by forming the antireflective layer to a thickness of no less than the thickness of the metal lining layer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the antireflective layer has a thickness of about 1000 angstroms.