Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced interconnect structure with improved reliability. The inventive interconnect structure has enhanced mechanical strength of via contacts provided by embedded metal liners. The embedded metal liners may be continuous or discontinuous. Discontinuous embedded metal liners are provided by a discontinuous interface at the bottom of the via located within the interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: An interconnect structure and method of fabricating the same in which the adhesion between a chemically etched dielectric material and a noble metal liner is improved are provided. In accordance with the present invention, a chemically etching dielectric material is subjected to a treatment step which modified the chemical nature of the dielectric material such that the treated surfaces become hydrophobic. The treatment step is performed prior to deposition of the noble metal liner and aides in improving the adhesion between the chemically etched dielectric material and the noble metal liner.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced interconnect structure with improved reliability. The inventive interconnect structure has enhanced mechanical strength of via contacts provided by embedded metal liners. The embedded metal liners may be continuous or discontinuous. Discontinuous embedded metal liners are provided by a discontinuous interface at the bottom of the via located within the interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: A chip is provided which includes a back-end-of-line (“BEOL”) interconnect structure. The BEOL interconnect structure includes a plurality of interlevel dielectric (“ILD”) layers which include a dielectric material curable by ultraviolet (“UV”) radiation. A plurality of metal interconnect wiring layers are embedded in the plurality of ILD layers. Dielectric barrier layers cover the plurality of metal interconnect wiring layers, the dielectric barrier layers being adapted to reduce diffusion of materials between the metal interconnect wiring layers and the ILD layers. One of more of the dielectric barrier layers is adapted to retain compressive stress while withstanding UV radiation sufficient to cure the dielectric material of the ILD layers, making the BEOL structure better capable of avoiding deformation due to thermal and/or mechanical stress.

Abstract: A dielectric cap and related methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the dielectric cap includes a dielectric material having an optical band gap (e.g. greater than about 3.0 electron-Volts) to substantially block ultraviolet radiation during a curing treatment, and including nitrogen with electron donor, double bond electrons.

Abstract: The embodiments of the invention provide a metal capping process for a BEOL interconnect with air gaps. More specifically an apparatus is provided comprising metal lines within a first dielectric. Metal caps are over the metal lines, wherein the metal caps contact the metal lines. In addition, air gaps are between the metal lines, wherein the air gaps are between the metal caps. A second dielectric is also provided over the bottom portion of a first dielectric, wherein a top portion of the second dielectric is over the metal caps, and wherein top portions of the first dielectric and bottom portions of the second dielectric comprise sides of the air gap. The apparatus further includes dielectric caps over the metal lines, wherein the dielectric caps contact the metal caps.

Abstract: An interconnect in provided which comprises a copper conductor having both a top surface and a lower surface, with caps formed on the top surface of the metallic conductor. The cap is formed of dual laminations or multiple laminations of films with the laminated films including an Ultra-Violet (UV) blocking film and a diffusion barrier film. The diffusion barrier film and the UV blocking film may be separated by an intermediate film.

Abstract: A method of fabricating and a structure of an integrated circuit (IC) incorporating a porous dielectric layer are disclosed. A metal line is formed in the porous dielectric layer. A gas cluster ion beam process is applied to the porous dielectric layer so that an upper portion of the dielectric layer is densified to be not porous or non-interconnected low porous, while a lower portion of the porous dielectric layer still maintains its ultra-low dielectric constant after the gas cluster ion beam process.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced interconnect structure with improved reliability. The inventive interconnect structure has enhanced mechanical strength of via contacts provided by embedded metal liners. The embedded metal liners may be continuous or discontinuous. Discontinuous embedded metal liners are provided by a discontinuous interface at the bottom of the via located within the interlayer dielectric layer.

Abstract: An interconnect structure and method of fabricating the same in which the adhesion between a chemically etched dielectric material and a noble metal liner is improved are provided. In accordance with the present invention, a chemically etching dielectric material is subjected to a treatment step which modified the chemical nature of the dielectric material such that the treated surfaces become hydrophobic. The treatment step is performed prior to deposition of the noble metal liner and aides in improving the adhesion between the chemically etched dielectric material and the noble metal liner.

Abstract: A method is described for the repair of process induced damage sustained by low-k organosilicate dielectrics as a result of reactive ion etch, resist strip, wet clean and CMP operations in a hard mask free integration of these dielectrics into microelectronic interconnect structures incorporating a dielectric cap which is an etch stop and barrier layer. In situ reaction of the damaged regions with a suitable silylation agent just prior to a passivation barrier cap deposition is proposed as the most efficacious means to repair all the damage sustained by the dielectric. Variations of this method which include ex situ rather than in situ silylation are also described for use with hard mask free integration with selective barrier caps.

Abstract: A method for protecting a semiconductor device from carbon depletion type damage includes enriching an exposed surface of a porous interlevel dielectric material (ILD) with a carbon based material, and implementing a plasma based operation on the porous ILD material. The enriching of the porous ILD material reduces effects of carbon depletion as a result of the plasma based operation.