Selective barrier metal etching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12266537-B2
Application number	US-202217592365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2022
Priority date	Mar 3, 2021
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A method for selective barrier metal etching includes performing a hydrogen implantation process, in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch chamber, to chemically reduce an oxidized portion of a barrier metal layer formed within a feature in a metal layer on the barrier metal layer, and performing an etch process, in the ICP etch chamber, to remove the hydrogen implanted portion of the barrier metal layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for selective barrier metal etching, the method comprising:
performing a hydrogen implantation process to chemically reduce an oxidized portion of a barrier metal layer on a foot structure formed at a bottom of a feature in a metal layer on the barrier metal layer;
performing a first etch process to remove the hydrogen implanted portion of the barrier metal layer; and
performing a second etch process to remove at least a portion of the foot structure,
wherein the hydrogen implantation process, the first etch process, and the second etch process are repeated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises ruthenium.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier metal layer comprises a first layer comprising titanium and a second layer comprising titanium nitride.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier metal layer comprises a first layer comprising tantalum and a second layer comprising tantalum nitride.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen implantation process comprises directing plasma effluents generated from a hydrogen containing gas towards the oxidized portion of the barrier metal layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first etch process comprises supplying a chlorine containing gas, an inert gas, and a carbon containing gas.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen implantation process, the first etch process, and the second etch process are performed in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch chamber, and the first etch process remove an outermost atomic layer of the hydrogen implanted portion of the barrier metal layer.

8. A method for forming a metal containing feature, the method comprising:
performing a first etch process to form a feature in a metal layer formed on a barrier metal layer, using an oxygen containing etching gas, wherein after the first etch process, the feature has an un-etched portion of the metal layer near a top surface of the barrier metal layer within the feature;
performing a hydrogen implantation process to chemically reduce an oxidized portion of the metal barrier layer formed within the feature in the metal layer; and
performing a second etch process to remove the hydrogen implanted portion of the barrier metal layer using a chlorine containing etching gas; and
performing a third etch process to remove at least a portion of the un-etched portion of the metal layer using the oxygen containing etching gas,
wherein the hydrogen implantation process, the second etch process, and the third etch process are repeated until the un-etched portion of the metal layer is removed substantially.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal layer comprises ruthenium.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the barrier metal layer comprises a first layer comprising titanium and a second layer comprising titanium nitride.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the barrier metal layer comprises a first layer comprising tantalum and a second layer comprising tantalum nitride.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrogen implantation process comprises directing plasma effluents generated from a hydrogen containing gas towards the oxidized portion of the barrier metal layer.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first etch process, the hydrogen implantation process, and the second etch process are performed in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch chamber, and
the hydrogen implantation process and the second etch process remove an outermost atomic layer of the hydrogen implanted portion of the barrier metal layer.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the oxidized portion of the barrier metal layer formed within the feature in the metal layer has a thickness of between 0.5 nm and 5 nm.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
wherein the first etch process and the third etch process are different.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Shaw Jonathan
• Lee Gene

Classifications

• H10W20/0633

  using subtractive patterning of the conductive members · CPC title

• H10W20/037

  the barrier, adhesion or liner layers being on top of a main fill metal · CPC title

• H10W20/425

  Barrier, adhesion or liner layers · CPC title

• H10W20/063

  by forming conductive members before forming protective insulating material · CPC title

• H10P50/283 Primary

  by chemical means · CPC title