Corrosion/etching protection in integration circuit fabrications

摘要

A method of producing reduced corrosion interconnect structures and structures thereby formed. A method of producing microelectronic interconnects having reduced corrosion begins with a damascene structure having a first dielectric and a first interconnect. A metal oxide layer is deposited selectively to metal or nonselective over the damascene structure and then thermally treated. The treatment converts the metal oxide over the first dielectric to a metal silicate while the metal oxide over the first interconnect remains as a self-aligned protective layer. When a subsequent dielectric stack is formed and patterned, the protective layer acts as an etch stop, oxidation barrier and ion bombardment protector. The protective layer is then removed from the patterned opening and a second interconnect formed. In a preferred embodiment the metal oxide is a manganese oxide and the metal silicate is a MnSiCOH, the interconnects are substantially copper and the dielectric contains ultra low-k.

主权项

1. A method of inhibiting corrosion when forming an interconnect structure having first and second interconnects, the method comprising:
providing a first interconnect embedded in a first dielectric material; forming a metal oxide protective layer over the first interconnect; forming a dielectric stack over the first interconnect and first dielectric material; forming a hard mask over the dielectric stack; forming an opening in the hard mask and the dielectric stack at least partially over the first interconnect wherein the metal oxide protective layer is capable of resisting corrosion in an oxidative environment; removing the hard mask while leaving the metal oxide protective layer to prevent corrosion of the first interconnect; removing the metal oxide protective layer in the opening without corroding the first interconnect; and forming a second interconnect.