Abstract: A method of forming a copper alloy seed layer comprises providing a substrate in a reactor, performing a first ALD process to fabricate an alloy metal layer on the substrate, wherein the first ALD process uses an alloy metal precursor selected from a group of specific alloy metal precursors, performing a second ALD process to fabricate a copper metal layer on the alloy metal layer, wherein the second ALD process uses a copper metal precursor selected from a group of specific copper metal precursors, and annealing the alloy metal layer and the copper metal layer to form a graded Cu-alloy layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a continuous ultra-thin copper layer using a low thermal budget comprises providing a substrate in a reactor, establishing a low first temperature at a surface of the substrate, introducing a copper precursor flow into the reactor to deposit the copper precursor onto the surface, introducing an inert gas flow into the reactor after the copper precursor flow, increasing the temperature at the surface of the substrate to a second temperature during the inert gas flow, and performing a chemical vapor deposition process at the second temperature to deposit a copper layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Described herein are metal gate electrode stacks including a low resistance metal cap in contact with a metal carbonitride diffusion barrier layer, wherein the metal carbonitride diffusion barrier layer is tuned to a particular work function to also serve as a work function metal for a pMOS transistor. In an embodiment, the work function-tuned metal carbonitride diffusion barrier prohibits a low resistance metal cap layer of the gate electrode stack from migrating into the MOS junction. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the work function of the metal carbonitride barrier film is modulated to be p-type with a pre-selected work function by altering a nitrogen concentration in the film.

Abstract: An iodine-doped ruthenium barrier layer for use with copper interconnects within integrated circuits is formed using novel, iodine-containing ruthenium precursors in an ALD or CVD process. Ruthenium precursors that may be used include ruthenium containing carbonyls, arenes, cyclopentadienyls, and certain other ruthenium containing compounds. The ruthenium precursors include iodine to catalyze a subsequent copper metal deposition and to smooth the surface of the ruthenium layer. The iodine concentration across the thickness of the ruthenium barrier layer may be constant or may be graded.

Abstract: An iridium barrier and adhesion layer for use with copper interconnects within integrated circuits is formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The ALD process uses an organometallic iridium precursor and at least one co-reactant.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a damascene process to form an interconnect comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having a trench etched into a dielectric layer, wherein the trench includes a barrier layer and an adhesion layer, depositing a copper seed layer onto the adhesion layer using an ALD process, depositing an iodine catalyst layer onto the copper seed layer using an ALD process, and depositing a copper layer onto the copper seed layer using an ALD process. The iodine catalyst layer causes the copper layer to fill the trench by way of a bottom-up fill mechanism. The trench fill is performed using a single ALD process, which minimizes the creation of voids and seams in the final copper interconnect.

Abstract: A method for forming a silicon alloy based barrier layer comprises providing a substrate having a dielectric layer including a trench, placing the substrate in a reactor, and carrying out a process cycle, wherein the process cycle comprises introducing a silicon containing precursor into the reactor, introducing a metal containing precursor into the reactor, and introducing a co-reactant into the reactor, wherein the silicon, metal, and co-reactant react to form a silicon alloy layer that is conformally deposited on a bottom and a sidewall of the trench.

Abstract: An iridium encased copper interconnect comprises an iridium liner formed within a trench in a dielectric layer, wherein the iridium liner is formed directly on the dielectric layer, a copper interconnect formed on the iridium liner, and an iridium capping layer formed on the copper interconnect. The iridium encased copper interconnect may be fabricated by providing a semiconductor substrate in a reactor, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes a trench etched into a dielectric layer, pulsing trimethylaluminum into the reactor proximate to the semiconductor substrate, pulsing an iridium precursor into the reactor proximate to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the trimethylaluminum enables an iridium species to deposit directly on the dielectric layer, depositing a copper seed layer on the iridium species layer using an electroless deposition process, and depositing a bulk copper layer on the copper seed layer using an electroplating process.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Those methods may comprise forming a thin conformal copper layer on a surface by utilizing a formation temperature below about 125 degrees Celsius.

Abstract: Noble metal barrier layers are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus may include a substrate, a dielectric layer over the substrate, and an interconnect structure within the dielectric layer. The interconnect structure may have a bulk metal and a barrier layer. The barrier layer may be disposed between the bulk metal and the dielectric layer. The barrier layer may include one or more metals selected from iridium, platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, gold, silver, rhenium, ruthenium, tungsten, and nickel.