Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090065735 | CLEANING SOLUTION FORMULATIONS FOR SUBSTRATES - Presented is a cleaning solution according to one embodiment of the present invention that includes a corrosion inhibitor, a solubilizing agent, an oxygen scavenger, and a complexing agent also capable as a pH adjustor. Another embodiment of the present invention includes cleaning solutions that include a pH adjustor, an optional complexing agent, and a corrosion inhibitor. The cleaning solutions may have a solubilizing agent optionally present, may have a surfactant optionally present, and may have a dielectric etchant optionally present. | 03-12-2009 |
20090072190 | CLEANING SOLUTION FORMULATIONS FOR SUBSTRATES - A semiconductor system includes: providing a dielectric layer; providing a conductor in the dielectric layer, the conductor exposed at the top of the dielectric layer; capping the exposed conductor; and modifying the surface of the dielectric layer, modifying the surface of the dielectric layer, wherein modifying the surface includes cleaning conductor ions from the dielectric layer by dissolving the conductor in a low pH solution, dissolving the dielectric layer under the conductor ions, mechanically enhanced cleaning, or chemisorbing a hydrophobic layer on the dielectric layer. | 03-19-2009 |
20090157229 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLATING SOLUTION ANALYSIS AND CONTROL - A plating system comprises a plating solution and an apparatus for control of the plating solution, the apparatus including a Raman spectrometer for measurement of organic components, a visible light spectrometer for measurement of metallic components, and a pH probe. The plating solution can be sampled continuously or at intervals. Dosing of the plating solution adjusts for components consumed or lost in the plating process. The method of dosing is based on maintaining a desired composition of the plating solution. | 06-18-2009 |
20090162537 | POST-DEPOSITION CLEANING METHODS AND FORMULATIONS FOR SUBSTRATES WITH CAP LAYERS - One embodiment of the present invention is a method of fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes providing a substrate having a metal and dielectric damascene metallization layer and depositing substantially on the metal a cap. After deposition of the cap, the substrate is cleaned with a solution comprising an amine to provide a pH for the cleaning solution of 7 to about 13. Another embodiment of the presented invention is a method of cleaning substrates. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a formulation for a cleaning solution. | 06-25-2009 |
20090162681 | ACTIVATION SOLUTION FOR ELECTROLESS PLATING ON DIELECTRIC LAYERS - Presented is a solution to activate an oxide surface for electroless deposition of a metal. The solution comprises a binding agent having at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the oxide surface and at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with a catalyst. Also present are methods of fabricating electronic devices and electronic devices fabricated using the method. | 06-25-2009 |
20090246359 | PROCESSES AND SOLUTIONS FOR SUBSTRATE CLEANING AND ELECTROLESS DEPOSITION - This invention pertains to fabrication of devices. One embodiment is a method of substrate cleaning and electroless deposition of a cap layer for an integrated circuit. The method is performed on a substrate having a surface comprising a metal and dielectric damascene metallization layer. The method comprises exposing the surface of the substrate to a cleaning solution sufficient to clean the surface of the substrate and exposing the surface of the substrate to an electroless deposition solution sufficient to deposit the cap layer. Other embodiments of the present invention include solutions to clean the substrate and solutions to accomplish electroless deposition. | 10-01-2009 |
20090288593 | ELECTROLESS DEPOSITION SYSTEM - An electroless deposition system includes a deposition solution, and saturating the deposition solution with an oxygen concentration in a range from about two thousand parts per million to about twenty thousand parts per million. | 11-26-2009 |
20090288594 | ELECTROLESS DEPOSITION CHEMICAL SYSTEM LIMITING STRONGLY ADSORBED SPECIES - An electroless deposition chemical system includes an electroless solution including a metal component, and a strongly adsorbed species component having a concentration less than a concentration of the metal component. | 11-26-2009 |
20110014361 | ELECTROLESS DEPOSITION SOLUTIONS AND PROCESS CONTROL - One embodiment of the present invention is a method of electroless deposition of cap layers for fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes controlling the composition of an electroless deposition bath so as to substantially maintain the electroless deposition properties of the bath. Other embodiments of the present invention include electroless deposition solutions. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a composition used to recondition an electroless deposition bath. | 01-20-2011 |
20110014489 | Method for Strengthening Adhesion Between Dielectric Layers Formed Adjacent to Metal Layers - A method is provided which includes forming a metal layer and converting at least a portion of the metal layer to a hydrated metal oxide layer. Another method is provided which includes selectively depositing a dielectric layer upon another dielectric layer and selectively depositing a metal layer adjacent to the dielectric layer. Consequently, a microelectronic topography is formed which includes a metal feature and an adjacent dielectric portion comprising lower and upper layers of hydrophilic and hydrophobic material, respectively. A topography including a metal feature having a single layer with at least four elements lining a lower surface and sidewalls of the metal feature is also provided herein. The fluid/s used to form such a single layer may be analyzed by test equipment configured to measure the concentration of all four elements. In some cases, the composition of the fluid/s may be adjusted based upon the analysis. | 01-20-2011 |
20110135824 | Electroless Deposition System - An electroless deposition method includes providing a deposition solution, and saturating the deposition solution with an oxygen concentration in a range from about two thousand parts per million to about twenty thousand parts per million, and replenishing deionized water in the deposition solution. | 06-09-2011 |
20110143553 | INTEGRATED TOOL SETS AND PROCESS TO KEEP SUBSTRATE SURFACE WET DURING PLATING AND CLEAN IN FABRICATION OF ADVANCED NANO-ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Methods and systems for handling a substrate through processes including an integrated electroless deposition process includes processing a surface of the substrate in an electroless deposition module to deposit a layer over conductive features of the substrate using a deposition fluid. The surface of the substrate is then rinsed in the electroless deposition module with a rinsing fluid. The rinsing is controlled to prevent de-wetting of the surface so that a transfer film defined from the rinsing fluid remains coated over the surface of the substrate. The substrate is removed from the electroless deposition module while maintaining the transfer film over the surface of the substrate. The transfer film over the surface of the substrate prevents drying of the surface of the substrate so that the removing is wet. The substrate, once removed from the electroless deposition module, is moved into a post-deposition module while maintaining the transfer film over the surface of the substrate. | 06-16-2011 |
20110152151 | Post Deposition Wafer Cleaning Formulation - Methods and systems for cleaning corrosion product of a metallic capping layer from the surface of a substrate are provided. According to one embodiment, a treatment solution includes a surfactant, a complexing agent, and a pH adjuster. The surfactant is configured to enhance wetting of the substrate surface, and inhibit further corrosion of the capping layer. The complexing agent is configured to bind to metal ions which have desorbed from the substrate surface. The pH adjuster is configured to adjust the pH to a desired level, so as to promote desorption of the corrosion product from the substrate surface. | 06-23-2011 |
20120282483 | Method for Strengthening Adhesion Between Dielectric Layers Formed Adjacent to Metal Layers - A method is provided which includes forming a metal layer and converting at least a portion of the metal layer to a hydrated metal oxide layer. Another method is provided which includes selectively depositing a dielectric layer upon another dielectric layer and selectively depositing a metal layer adjacent to the dielectric layer. Consequently, a microelectronic topography is formed which includes a metal feature and an adjacent dielectric portion comprising lower and upper layers of hydrophilic and hydrophobic material, respectively. A topography including a metal feature having a single layer with at least four elements lining a lower surface and sidewalls of the metal feature is also provided herein. The fluid/s used to form such a single layer may be analyzed by test equipment configured to measure the concentration of all four elements. In some cases, the composition of the fluid/s may be adjusted based upon the analysis. | 11-08-2012 |
20130078808 | ELECTROLESS DEPOSITION SOLUTIONS AND PROCESS CONTROL - One embodiment of the present invention is a method of electroless deposition of cap layers for fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes controlling the composition of an electroless deposition bath so as to substantially maintain the electroless deposition properties of the bath. Other embodiments of the present invention include electroless deposition solutions. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a composition used to recondition an electroless deposition bath. | 03-28-2013 |
20130224511 | METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR ANCHORING GAPFILL METALS - One aspect of the present invention includes a method of fabricating an electronic device. According to one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate having dielectric oxide surface areas adjacent to electrically conductive surface areas, chemically bonding an anchor compound with the dielectric oxide surface areas so as to form an anchor layer, initiating the growth of a metal using the electrically conductive surface areas and growing the metal so that the anchor layer also bonds with the metal. The anchor compound has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the oxide surface and has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the metal. Another aspect of the present invention is an electronic device. A third aspect of the present invention is a solution comprising the anchor compound. | 08-29-2013 |
20130240484 | ELECTROLESS COPPER ALLOY CAPPING - A method for providing copper filled features in a layer is provided. A deposition of copper is provided to fill features in the layer. Tops of the copper deposit are cleaned to remove copper or copper oxide at tops of the copper deposit. A selective copper alloy plating on the tops of the copper deposit is provided. The copper deposit and selective copper alloy plating are annealed. | 09-19-2013 |
20130244423 | ELECTROLESS GAP FILL - A method for providing copper filled features is provided. Features are provided in a layer on a substrate. A simultaneous electroless copper plating and anneal is provided. The electroless copper plating is chemical-mechanical polished, where there is no annealing before the chemical-mechanical polishing and after the simultaneous electroless copper plating and anneal. | 09-19-2013 |
20140037982 | Method for Strengthening Adhesion Between Dielectric Layers Formed Adjacent to Metal Layers - A method is provided which includes forming a metal layer and converting at least a portion of the metal layer to a hydrated metal oxide layer. Another method is provided which includes selectively depositing a dielectric layer upon another dielectric layer and selectively depositing a metal layer adjacent to the dielectric layer. Consequently, a microelectronic topography is formed which includes a metal feature and an adjacent dielectric portion comprising lower and upper layers of hydrophilic and hydrophobic material, respectively. A topography including a metal feature having a single layer with at least four elements lining a lower surface and sidewalls of the metal feature is also provided herein. The fluid/s used to form such a single layer may be analyzed by test equipment configured to measure the concentration of all four elements. In some cases, the composition of the fluid/s may be adjusted based upon the analysis. | 02-06-2014 |
20140099789 | METHOD OF MAKING AN INTERCONNECT DEVICE - A semiconductor system includes: providing a dielectric layer; providing a conductor in the dielectric layer, the conductor exposed at the top of the dielectric layer; capping the exposed conductor; and modifying the surface of the dielectric layer, modifying the surface of the dielectric layer, wherein modifying the surface includes cleaning conductor ions from the dielectric layer by dissolving the conductor in a low pH solution, dissolving the dielectric layer under the conductor ions, mechanically enhanced cleaning, or chemisorbing a hydrophobic layer on the dielectric layer. | 04-10-2014 |
20140199497 | METHODS FOR REDUCING METAL OXIDE SURFACES TO MODIFIED METAL SURFACES - Method and apparatus for reducing metal oxide surfaces to modified metal surfaces are disclosed. Metal oxide surfaces are reduced to form a film integrated with a metal seed layer by contacting a solution with a reducing agent with the metal oxide surfaces. The solution with the reducing agent can contact the metal oxide surfaces under conditions that form an integrated film with the metal seed layer, and that reduces reoxidation from exposure the ambient environment. In some embodiments, an additive can be included with the reducing agent to form a surface protecting layer on the metal seed layer. In some embodiments, the metal is copper used in damascene copper structures. | 07-17-2014 |
20140217590 | THROUGH SILICON VIA METALLIZATION - To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a method for filling through silicon vias is provided. A dielectric layer is formed over the through silicon vias. A barrier layer, comprising tungsten, is deposited by CVD or ALD over the dielectric layer. The through silicon vias are filled with a conductive material. | 08-07-2014 |
20150033980 | METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR ANCHORING GAPFILL METALS - One aspect of the present invention includes a method of fabricating an electronic device. According to one embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate having dielectric oxide surface areas adjacent to electrically conductive surface areas, chemically bonding an anchor compound with the dielectric oxide surface areas so as to form an anchor layer, initiating the growth of a metal using the electrically conductive surface areas and growing the metal so that the anchor layer also bonds with the metal. The anchor compound has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the oxide surface and has at least one functional group capable of forming a chemical bond with the metal. Another aspect of the present invention is an electronic device. A third aspect of the present invention is a solution comprising the anchor compound. | 02-05-2015 |
20150037973 | METHOD FOR CAPPING COPPER INTERCONNECT LINES - A method of forming a capping layer over copper containing contacts in a dielectric layer with a liner comprising a noble metal liner around the copper containing contacts is provided. An electroless deposition is provided to deposit a deposition comprising copper on the noble metal liner and the copper containing contacts. A capping layer is formed over the deposition comprising copper. | 02-05-2015 |
20150050808 | ADHESION LAYER FOR THROUGH SILICON VIA METALLIZATION - To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a method for forming copper filled through silicon via features in a silicon wafer is provided. Through silicon vias are etched in the wafer. An insulation layer is formed within the through silicon vias. A barrier layer is formed within the through silicon vias. An oxide free silicon, germanium, or SiGe adhesion layer is deposited over the barrier layer. A seed layer is deposited over the adhesion layer then the wafers is annealed. The features are filled with copper or copper alloy. The stack is annealed. | 02-19-2015 |