Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a barrier layer are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a barrier layer on a substrate includes treating an exposed layer deposited on a substrate and within a feature of the substrate by pulsing a bias power applied to a substrate support supporting the substrate while exposing the layer to a plasma. The exposed layer can be deposited by an atomic layer deposition process, and can be, for example, a tantalum nitride layer. The bias power can be up to 500 watts of RF power at a pulse frequency of about 1 Hz to about 10 kHz. The bias power can be pulsed uniformly or at multiple different levels.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a surface of a substrate uses alcohol and water treatments. The method may include applying an alcohol treatment on a surface of the substrate with the alcohol treatment configured to provide surface reduction and applying a water treatment to the surface of the substrate with the water treatment configured to enhance selectivity of at least a portion of the surface for a subsequent barrier layer process by removing alcohol from the at least a portion of the surface. The water treatment may be performed simultaneously with the alcohol treatment or performed after the alcohol treatment. The water treatment may include vaporized water or water injected into a plasma to produce hydrogen or oxygen radicals.

Abstract: Methods of forming copper interconnects are described. A doped tantalum nitride layer formed on a copper layer on a substrate has a first amount of dopant. The doped tantalum nitride layer is exposed to a plasma comprising one or more of helium or neon to form a treated doped tantalum nitride layer with a decreased amount of dopant. Apparatus for performing the methods are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of coils for use in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a coil for use in a process chamber includes: a coil body having a first end portion and an opposing second end portion coupled to the first end portion via a central portion, the coil body having an annular shape with the first end portion and the second end portion disposed adjacent to each other and spaced apart by a gap forming a discontinuity in the annular shape, wherein at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion have a height that is greater than a height of the central portion; and a plurality of hubs coupled to an outer sidewall of the coil body and configured to facilitate coupling the coil to the process chamber, wherein a hub of the plurality of hubs is coupled to each of the first end portion and the second end portion and configured to couple the coil to a power source.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a surface of a substrate uses alcohol and water treatments. The method may include applying an alcohol treatment on a surface of the substrate with the alcohol treatment configured to provide surface reduction and applying a water treatment to the surface of the substrate with the water treatment configured to enhance selectivity of at least a portion of the surface for a subsequent barrier layer process by removing alcohol from the at least a portion of the surface. The water treatment may be performed simultaneously with the alcohol treatment or performed after the alcohol treatment. The water treatment may include vaporized water or water injected into a plasma to produce hydrogen or oxygen radicals.

Abstract: Methods of forming copper interconnects are described. A doped tantalum nitride layer formed on a copper layer on a substrate has a first amount of dopant. The doped tantalum nitride layer is exposed to a plasma comprising one or more of helium or neon to form a treated doped tantalum nitride layer with a decreased amount of dopant. Apparatus for performing the methods are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. A method, for example, includes igniting a plasma at a first pressure within a processing volume of a process chamber; depositing sputter material from a target disposed within the processing volume while decreasing the first pressure to a second pressure within a first time frame while maintaining the plasma; continuing to deposit sputter material from the target while decreasing the second pressure to a third pressure within a second time frame less than the first time frame while maintaining the plasma; and continuing to deposit sputter material from the target while maintaining the third pressure for a third time frame that is greater than or equal to the second time frame while maintaining the plasma.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for method for filling a feature with copper. In some embodiments, the methods include: (a) depositing a first cobalt layer via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process atop a substrate field and atop a sidewall and a bottom surface of a feature disposed in a substrate to form a first cobalt portion atop the substrate field and a second cobalt portion atop the sidewall; (b) depositing copper atop the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field; and (c) flowing the copper disposed atop the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field over the second cobalt portion and into the feature, wherein the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field reduces the mobility of copper compared to the mobility of copper over the second cobalt portion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for filling features on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of filling features on a substrate includes: depositing a first metallic material on the substrate and within a feature disposed in the substrate in a first process chamber via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process at a first temperature; depositing a second metallic material on the first metallic material in a second process chamber at a second temperature and at a first bias power to form a seed layer of the second metallic material; etching the seed layer in the second process chamber at a second bias power greater than the first bias power to form an intermix layer within the feature comprising the first metallic material and the second metallic material; and heating the substrate to a third temperature greater than the second temperature, causing a reflow of the second metallic material.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. A method, for example, includes igniting a plasma at a first pressure within a processing volume of a process chamber; depositing sputter material from a target disposed within the processing volume while decreasing the first pressure to a second pressure within a first time frame while maintaining the plasma; continuing to deposit sputter material from the target while decreasing the second pressure to a third pressure within a second time frame less than the first time frame while maintaining the plasma; and continuing to deposit sputter material from the target while maintaining the third pressure for a third time frame that is greater than or equal to the second time frame while maintaining the plasma.

Abstract: A method of filling structures on a substrate uses a semi-dynamic reflow process. The method may include depositing a metallic material on the substrate at a first temperature, heating the substrate to a second temperature higher than the first temperature wherein heating of the substrate causes a static reflow of the deposited metallic material on the substrate, stopping heating of the substrate, and depositing additional metallic material on the substrate causing a dynamic reflow of the deposited additional metallic material on the substrate. RF bias power may be applied during the dynamic reflow to facilitate in maintaining the temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of forming copper interconnects are described. A doped tantalum nitride layer formed on a copper layer on a substrate has a first amount of dopant. The doped tantalum nitride layer is exposed to a plasma comprising one or more of helium or neon to form a treated doped tantalum nitride layer with a decreased amount of dopant. Apparatus for performing the methods are also described.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a surface of a substrate uses alcohol and water treatments. The method may include applying an alcohol treatment on a surface of the substrate with the alcohol treatment configured to provide surface reduction and applying a water treatment to the surface of the substrate with the water treatment configured to enhance selectivity of at least a portion of the surface for a subsequent barrier layer process by removing alcohol from the at least a portion of the surface. The water treatment may be performed simultaneously with the alcohol treatment or performed after the alcohol treatment. The water treatment may include vaporized water or water injected into a plasma to produce hydrogen or oxygen radicals.

Abstract: A method of filling structures on a substrate uses a semi-dynamic reflow process. The method may include depositing a metallic material on the substrate at a first temperature, heating the substrate to a second temperature higher than the first temperature wherein heating of the substrate causes a static reflow of the deposited metallic material on the substrate, stopping heating of the substrate, and depositing additional metallic material on the substrate causing a dynamic reflow of the deposited additional metallic material on the substrate. RF bias power may be applied during the dynamic reflow to facilitate in maintaining the temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate include cleaning and self-assembly monolayer (SAM) formation for subsequent reverse selective atomic layer deposition. An apparatus may include a process chamber with a processing volume and a substrate support including a pedestal, a remote plasma source fluidly coupled to the process chamber and configured to produce radicals or ionized gas mixture with radicals that flow into the processing volume to remove residue or oxides from a surface of the substrate, a first gas delivery system with a first ampoule configured to provide at least one first chemical into the processing volume to produce a SAM on the surface of the substrate, a heating system located in the pedestal and configured to heat a substrate by flowing gas on a backside of the substrate, and a vacuum system fluidly coupled to the process chamber and configured to control heating of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods for monitoring process chambers using a controllable plasma oxidation process followed by a controlled reduction process and metrology are described. In some embodiments, the metrology comprises measuring the reflectivity of the metal oxide film formed by the controllable plasma oxidation process and the reduced metal film or surface modified film formed by reducing the metal oxide film.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods of depositing a plurality of layers. A doped copper seed layer is deposited in a plurality of feature definitions in a device structure. A first copper seed layer is deposited and then the first copper seed layer is doped to form a doped copper seed layer, or a doped copper seed layer is deposited directly. The doped copper seed layer leads to increased flowability, reducing poor step coverage, overhang, and voids in the copper layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for method for filling a feature with copper. In some embodiments, the methods include: (a) depositing a first cobalt layer via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process atop a substrate field and atop a sidewall and a bottom surface of a feature disposed in a substrate to form a first cobalt portion atop the substrate field and a second cobalt portion atop the sidewall; (b) depositing copper atop the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field; and (c) flowing the copper disposed atop the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field over the second cobalt portion and into the feature, wherein the first cobalt portion atop the substrate field reduces the mobility of copper compared to the mobility of copper over the second cobalt portion.

Abstract: Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes are combined with physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes in a low pressure environment to produce a high quality barrier film. The initial barrier film is deposited on a substrate using ALD processes and then moved to a PVD chamber to treat the barrier film to increase the barrier film's density and purity, decreasing the barrier film's resistivity. A dual source of materials is sputtered onto the substrate to provide doping while a gas is simultaneously used to etch the substrate to release nitrogen. At least one source of material is positioned to provide doping at an acute angle to the surface of the substrate while supplied with DC power and RF power at a first RF power frequency. The substrate is biased using RF power at a second RF power frequency.

Abstract: Methods of treating a film on a substrate in a PVD chamber are described. The methods include biasing the substrate with an RF power to provide a biased substrate, etching the film on the biased substrate with at least one gas, and sputtering first and second sources of cobalt onto the film on the biased substrate to form a doped film. Some embodiments advantageously provide doped films as liners or barrier layers. Some embodiments provide for the deposition of bulk materials on the doped films. Some embodiments advantageously minimize the thickness of the individual layers.