Abstract: A method of fabricating multilayer interconnect structures on a semiconductor wafer begins by roughening the interior surface of a metal lid to a surface roughness in excess of SA 2000 with a reentrant surface profile, and installing the metal lid as the ceiling of a plasma clean reactor chamber having a wafer pedestal facing the interior surface of the ceiling.

Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor wafer in a plasma reactor comprises sensing transient voltages or currents on a conductor coupled to the wafer and providing a first comparator for comparing the transient voltages or currents with a threshold level stored in the comparator. The method further includes transmitting from the comparator an arc flag signal whenever a transient voltage or current is sensed that exceeds the threshold level, and deactivating the power generator in response to the arc flag signal.

Abstract: A plasma reactor system for processing a wafer in which respective comparators are coupled to the respective RF transient sensors which are coupled in turn to respective RF power application points. The comparators have respective comparison thresholds. The system further includes a controller programmed to updating the respective thresholds of the comparators with respective updated thresholds for different ones of the steps of the process recipe.

Abstract: Wafer level arc detection is provided in a plasma reactor using an RF transient sensor sensing voltage at an electrostatic chucking electrode, the RF sensor being coupled to a threshold comparator, and a system controller responsive to the threshold comparator.

Abstract: A method of responding to voltage or current transients during processing of a wafer in a plasma reactor at each of plural RF power applicators and at the wafer support surface. For each process step and for each of the power applicators and the wafer support surface, the method includes determining an arc detection threshold lying above a noise level. The method further includes comparing each transient with the threshold determined for the corresponding power applicator or wafer support surface, and issuing an arc detect flag if the transient exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning chamber includes a contoured ceiling electrode having an arcuate surface that faces a substrate support and has a variable cross-sectional thickness to vary the gap size between the arcuate surface and the substrate support to provide a varying plasma density across the substrate support. A dielectric ring for the cleaning chamber comprises a base, a ridge, and a radially inward ledge that covers the peripheral lip of the substrate support. A base shield comprises a circular disc having at least one perimeter wall. Cleaning and conditioning processes for the cleaning chamber are also described.

Abstract: A plasma reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber. A process gas inlet is coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the process gas inlet. The reactor further includes a metal sputter target at the ceiling, a high voltage D.C. source coupled to the sputter target, an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for exciting kinetic electrons, and an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for coupling energy to plasma ions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating multilayer interconnect structures on a semiconductor wafer begins by roughening the interior surface of a metal lid to a surface roughness in excess of SA 2000 with a reentrant surface profile, and installing the metal lid as the ceiling of a plasma clean reactor chamber having a wafer pedestal facing the interior surface of the ceiling. Conductive vias are formed in a dielectric layer of the semiconductor wafer, which are then covered with an overlying dielectric layer. High aspect ratio openings are etched through the overlying dielectric layer to the conductive via to expose a face of the conductive via. This step is followed by a preclean step for removing residue from the exposed face of each conductive via while capturing at least a portion of the residue on the roughened interior surface of the lid.

Abstract: Physical vapor deposition and re-sputtering of a barrier layer in an integrated circuit is performed by providing a metal target near a ceiling of the chamber and a wafer support pedestal facing the target near a floor of the chamber. A process gas is introduced into said vacuum chamber. A target-sputtering plasma is maintained at the target to produce a stream of principally neutral atoms flowing from the target toward the wafer for vapor deposition. A wafer-sputtering plasma is maintained near the wafer support pedestal to produce a stream of sputtering ions toward the wafer support pedestal for re-sputtering. The sputtering ions are accelerated across a plasma sheath at the wafer in a direction normal to a surface of the wafer to render the sputter etching highly selective for horizontal surfaces.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition reactor includes a vacuum chamber with a sidewall, a ceiling and a retractable wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber, the retractable wafer support pedestal having an internal electrode and a grounded base with a conductive annular flange extending from the base. A metal sputter target at the ceiling is energized by a high voltage D.C. source. The reactor has an RF plasma source power generator with a frequency suitable for exciting kinetic electrons is coupled to either the sputter target or to the internal electrode of the pedestal.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition plasma reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber, a process gas inlet coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the process gas inlet, a metal sputter target at the ceiling, a high voltage D.C. source coupled to the sputter target, an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency in a range between about 60 MHz and 81 MHz, and an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for coupling energy to plasma ions.

Abstract: A barrier layer is formed in an integrated circuit by providing a metal target near a ceiling of the chamber and a wafer support pedestal facing the target near a floor of the chamber. A process gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber. A target-sputtering plasma is maintained at the target to produce a stream of principally neutral atoms flowing from the target toward the wafer for vapor deposition. A wafer-sputtering plasma is maintained near the wafer support pedestal to produce a stream of sputtering ions toward the wafer support pedestal for re-sputtering. The sputtering ions are accelerated across a plasma sheath at the wafer in a direction normal to a surface of the wafer to render the sputter etching highly selective for horizontal surfaces.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of performing physical vapor deposition in a reactor chamber on a workpiece positioned on a workpiece support facing the metal sputter target. The method includes sputtering atoms from the metal sputter target by applying a low level of target bias power to the metal sputter target to produce a correspondingly low metal deposition rate on the workpiece. The method further includes ionizing the atoms sputtered from the metal sputter target to an ionization fraction in excess of about 50% by applying a high level of VHF source power to the metal sputter target through a solid large diameter RF feed rod that engages the metal sputter target. The low level of target bias power can be as low as about 500 Watts although it may range up to about 2500 Watts. Preferably, the target bias power is D.C. power. The RF feed rod may be threadably engaged into a receptacle in the center of a top surface of the metal sputter target.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber, a process gas inlet coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the process gas inlet. A metal sputter target is located at the ceiling and a high voltage D.C. source coupled to the sputter target. An RF plasma source power generator is coupled to the metal sputter target and has a frequency suitable for exciting kinetic electrons. Preferably, the wafer support pedestal comprises an electrostatic chuck and an RF plasma bias power generator is coupled to the wafer support pedestal having a frequency suitable for coupling energy to plasma ions. Preferably, a solid metal RF feed rod having a diameter in excess of about 0.5 inches engages the metal sputter target, the RF feed rod extending axially above the target through the ceiling and being coupled to the RF plasma source power generator.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition reactor includes a metal sputter target, a D.C. sputter power source coupled to the metal sputter target and a wafer support pedestal facing the metal sputter target. A movable magnet array is adjacent a side of the metal sputter target opposite the wafer support pedestal. A solid metal RF feed rod engages the metal sputter target and extends from a surface of the target on a side opposite the wafer support pedestal. A VHF impedance match circuit is coupled to an end of the RF feed rod opposite the metal sputter target and a VHF RF power generator coupled to said VHF impedance match circuit. Preferably, the reactor of further includes a center axle about which the movable magnet array is rotatable, the center axle having an axially extending hollow passageway, the RF feed rod extending through the passageway.

Abstract: A method of performing physical vapor deposition of copper onto an integrated circuit in a vacuum chamber of a plasma reactor includes providing a copper target near a ceiling of the chamber, placing an integrated circuit wafer on a wafer support pedestal facing the target near a floor of the chamber, introducing a carrier gas into the vacuum chamber having an atomic weight substantially less than the atomic weight of copper, maintaining a target-sputtering plasma at the target to produce a stream comprising at least one of copper atoms and copper ions flowing from the target toward the wafer support pedestal for vapor deposition, maintaining a wafer-sputtering plasma near the wafer support pedestal by capacitively coupling plasma RF source power to the wafer-sputtering plasma, and accelerating copper ions of the wafer sputtering plasma in a direction normal to a surface of the wafer support pedestal.

Abstract: A method of performing physical vapor deposition of copper onto an integrated circuit in a vacuum chamber of a plasma reactor includes providing a copper target near a ceiling of the chamber, placing an integrated circuit wafer on a wafer support pedestal facing the target near a floor of the chamber, introducing a carrier gas into the vacuum chamber, maintaining a target-sputtering plasma at the target to produce a stream comprising at least one of copper atoms and copper ions flowing from the target toward the wafer support pedestal for vapor deposition, and maintaining a wafer-sputtering plasma near the wafer support pedestal by capacitively coupling plasma RF source power to the wafer-sputtering plasma. The frequency of the RF source power is sufficiently high to limit ion energy near the surface of the wafer so that the principal portion of the power provides plasma ion generation.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition plasma reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber, a process gas inlet coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the process gas inlet, a metal sputter target at the ceiling, a high voltage D.C. source coupled to the sputter target, an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency in a range between about 60 MHz and 81 MHz, and an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for coupling energy to plasma ions.

Abstract: A method of performing physical vapor deposition of copper onto an integrated circuit in a vacuum chamber of a plasma reactor, includes providing a copper target near a ceiling of the chamber, placing an integrated circuit wafer on a wafer support pedestal facing the target, introducing a carrier gas into the vacuum chamber, and establishing a deposition rate on the wafer by applying D.C. power to the copper target while establishing a plasma ionization fraction by applying VHF power to the copper target. The method can further include promoting re-sputtering of copper on vertical surfaces on the wafer by coupling HF or LF power to the wafer. The method preferably includes maintaining a target magnetic field at the target and scanning the target magnetic field across the target.

Abstract: A plasma reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber. A process gas inlet is coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the process gas inlet. The reactor further includes a metal sputter target at the ceiling, a high voltage D.C. source coupled to the sputter target, an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for exciting kinetic electrons, and an RF plasma bias power generator coupled to the wafer support pedestal and having a frequency suitable for coupling energy to plasma ions.