Abstract: Interconnects and methods for forming interconnects are described and disclosed herein. The interconnect contains a stack formed on a substrate having a via and a trench formed therein, a first metal formed from a first material of a first type deposited in the via, and a second metal formed from a second material of a second type deposited in the trench.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate an interconnect formed on a substrate and a method of forming the interconnect thereon. In an embodiment, a via and trench in a stack formed on the substrate. A bottom of the via is pre-treated using a first pre-treatment procedure. A sidewall of the via is pre-treated using a second pre-treatment procedure. A first metal fill material of a first type is deposited on the stack, in the via. A second metal fill material of a second type is deposited on the stack, in the trench.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to form fully self-aligned vias are described. A first metal film is formed in the recessed first conductive lines and on the first insulating layer of a substrate comprising alternating conductive lines and a first insulating layer. Pillars and a sheet are formed from the first metal film. Some of the pillars and a portion of the sheet are selectively removed and a second insulating layer is deposited around the remaining pillars and sheet. The remaining pillars and sheet are removed to form vias and a trench in the second insulating layer. A third insulating layer is deposited in the vias and trench and an overburden is formed on the second insulating layer. Portions of the overburden are selectively etched from the second insulating layer to expose the second insulating layer and the filled vias and leaving portions of the third insulating layer on the second insulating layer.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include methods of treating a substrate to remove one or more of voids, seams, and grain boundaries from interconnects formed on the substrate. The method includes heating the substrate in an environment pressurized at supra-atmospheric pressure. In one example, the substrate may be heated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes selectively depositing a barrier layer atop a substrate having one or more exposed metal surfaces and one or more exposed dielectric surfaces, wherein a thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed metal surfaces is greater than the thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed dielectric surfaces. In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes depositing an etch stop layer comprising aluminum atop a substrate via a physical vapor deposition process; and depositing a barrier layer atop the etch stop layer via a chemical vapor deposition process, wherein the substrate is transferred from a physical vapor deposition chamber after depositing the etch stop layer to a chemical vapor deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to atmosphere.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an interconnect formed on a substrate and methods for forming the interconnect on the substrate. In one embodiment, the method for forming an interconnect on a substrate includes depositing a barrier layer on the substrate, depositing a transition layer on the barrier layer, and depositing an etch-stop layer on the transition layer, wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the barrier layer, and wherein the transition layer shares a common element with the etch-stop layer.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a low resistivity nickel silicide layer used in forming an interconnect and electronic devices formed using the methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for depositing a layer includes positioning a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber, the processing chamber having a nickel target and a silicon target disposed therein, the substrate facing portions of the nickel target and the silicon target each having an angle of between about 10 degrees and about 50 degrees from the target facing surface of the substrate, flowing a gas into the processing chamber, applying an RF power to the nickel target and concurrently applying a DC power to the silicon target, concurrently sputtering silicon and nickel from the silicon and nickel targets, respectively, and depositing a NixSi1-x layer on the substrate, where x is between about 0.01 and about 0.99.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate an interconnect formed on a substrate and a method of forming the interconnect thereon. In an embodiment, a via and trench in a stack formed on the substrate. A bottom of the via is pre-treated using a first pre-treatment procedure. A sidewall of the via is pre-treated using a second pre-treatment procedure. A first metal fill material of a first type is deposited on the stack, in the via. A second metal fill material of a second type is deposited on the stack, in the trench.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method for sealing a porous low-k dielectric film. The method includes forming a sealing layer on the porous low-k dielectric film using a cyclic process. The cyclic process includes repeating a sequence of depositing a sealing layer on the porous low-k dielectric film and treating the sealing layer until the sealing layer achieves a predetermined thickness. The treating of each intermediate sealing layer generates more reactive sites on the surface of each intermediate sealing layer, which improves the quality of the resulting sealing layer.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes selectively depositing a barrier layer atop a substrate having one or more exposed metal surfaces and one or more exposed dielectric surfaces, wherein a thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed metal surfaces is greater than the thickness of the barrier layer atop the one or more exposed dielectric surfaces. In some embodiments, a method of forming an interconnect structure includes depositing an etch stop layer comprising aluminum atop a substrate via a physical vapor deposition process; and depositing a barrier layer atop the etch stop layer via a chemical vapor deposition process, wherein the substrate is transferred from a physical vapor deposition chamber after depositing the etch stop layer to a chemical vapor deposition chamber without exposing the substrate to atmosphere.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include methods of treating a substrate to remove one or more of voids, seams, and grain boundaries from interconnects formed on the substrate. The method includes heating the substrate in an environment pressurized at supra-atmospheric pressure. In one example, the substrate may be heated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: An interconnect structure for use in semiconductor devices and a method for fabricating the same is described. The method includes positioning a substrate in a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a copper layer having an exposed surface and a low-k dielectric layer having an exposed surface, forming a metal layer over the exposed surface of the copper layer, wherein the exposed surface of the low-k dielectric layer is free from the metal layer, and forming a metal-based dielectric layer over the metal layer and over at least part of the exposed low-k dielectric surface, wherein the metal-based dielectric layer comprises an aluminum compound.

Abstract: Methods to selectively deposit capping layers on a copper surface relative to a dielectric surface comprising separately the copper surface to a cobalt precursor gas and a tungsten precursor gas, each in a separate processing chamber. The copper surface and the dielectric surfaces can be substantially coplanar. The combined thickness of cobalt and tungsten capping films is in the range of about 2 ? to about 60 ?.

Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor or MEMS structures at a 10 nm Node (16 nm HPCD) down to 5 nm Node (7 nm HPCD), or lower, where the conductive contacts of the interconnect structure are fabricated using solely subtractive techniques applied to conformal layers of conductive materials.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure include methods of treating a substrate to remove one or more of voids, seams, and grain boundaries from interconnects formed on the substrate. The method includes heating the substrate in an environment pressurized at supra-atmospheric pressure. In one example, the substrate may be heated in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is fabricated by chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition of a metal film to metal film.

Abstract: A method for sealing porous low-k dielectric films is provided. The method comprises exposing a substrate to UV radiation and a first reactive gas, wherein the substrate has an open feature defined therein, the open feature defined by a porous low-k dielectric layer and a conductive material, wherein the porous low-k dielectric layer is a silicon and carbon containing material and selectively forming a pore sealing layer in the open feature on exposed surfaces of the porous low-k dielectric layer using UV assisted photochemical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor or MEMS structures at a 10 nm Node (16 nm HPCD) down to 5 nm Node (7 nm HPCD), or lower, where the conductive contacts of the interconnect structure are fabricated using solely subtractive techniques applied to conformal layers of conductive materials.

Abstract: An interconnect structure for use in semiconductor devices and a method for fabricating the same is described. The method includes positioning a substrate in a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a copper layer having an exposed surface and a low-k dielectric layer having an exposed surface, forming a metal layer over the exposed surface of the copper layer, wherein the exposed surface of the low-k dielectric layer is free from the metal layer, and forming a metal-based dielectric layer over the metal layer and over at least part of the exposed low-k dielectric surface, wherein the metal-based dielectric layer comprises an aluminum compound.

Abstract: A method of forming features in a dielectric layer is described. A via, trench or a dual-damascene structure may be present in the dielectric layer prior to depositing a conformal aluminum nitride layer. The conformal aluminum nitride layer is configured to serve as a barrier to prevent diffusion across the barrier. The methods of forming the aluminum nitride layer involve the alternating exposure to two precursor treatments (like ALD) to achieve high conformality. The high conformality of the aluminum nitride barrier layer enables the thickness to be reduced and the effective conductivity of the subsequent gapfill metal layer to be increased.