Diffusion barrier layer formation

• Main Authors: Vijayakumar, Arun, Engel, Brett H, Wong, Keith Kwong Hon, Ferrer, Domingo A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.06.2019
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.