Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-l82ql Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-30T07:25:29.844Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Arc Suppression and Defect Reduction in Semiconductor Metallization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Xiangbing Li
Affiliation:
PVD Division, Applied Materials Inc., 2151 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
David Loo
Affiliation:
PVD Division, Applied Materials Inc., 2151 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
Brad Stimson
Affiliation:
PVD Division, Applied Materials Inc., 2151 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
Scott Seamons
Affiliation:
PVD Division, Applied Materials Inc., 2151 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
Murali Narasimhan
Affiliation:
PVD Division, Applied Materials Inc., 2151 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95054
Get access

Abstract

Suppression of arcing between the target and plasma during PVD is a key issue for defect reduction, yield improvement and high quality metallization in microelectronics manufacturing. An integrated mini sparcle product has been designed for Endura HP PVD™ sputtering sources. Characteristics of arcing and mechanisms for suppression are discussed here. Process characterization with Ti, TiN and Al sputtering proves that the arc suppression unit has little adverse impact on film properties. The uniformity of reactive sputtered TiN is improved with arc suppression. Marathon evaluation indicates significant reduction in TiN defect and Interconnect metal stack defect. The study of the application for a wide variety of materials (Al, Ti, TiN, SiW, Si) establishes a correlation between deposition rate loss and sputtering power and this relation is found to be almost independent of the materials sputtered. The impact on throughput for typical metal stack is also presented in this paper.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Grove, T. C., Arcing Problems Encountered During Supper Deposition of Aluminum, Application Notes, Advanced Energy, 1995.Google Scholar
2. Beisswenger, S., et. Al., Economical Consideration on Modem Sputtering Technology, Proceedings of 35h Annual SVC Technology Conference, pp 128134, 1992.Google Scholar
3. Scherer, M. and Wirz, P., “Reactive High Rate DC Sputtering of Oxide”, Thin Solid Films, vol. 119, pp. 203209, 1984.Google Scholar
4. Sproul, W. D., Graham, M., Wong, M., Lopez, S., Li, D., Scholl, R., “Reactive DC Magnetron Sputtering of A120 3 Oxide Coatings”, AVS Tech. Conf., Denver, CO, October 1994.Google Scholar
5. Anderson, L., “A New Techniqueof Arc Control in DC Sputtering”, Proceedings of 35th Annual SVC Technology Conference, pp 325329, 1992.Google Scholar
6. Scholl, R.. “Advances in Arc Handling In Reactive And Other Difficult Processes”. Proc. 37th SVC Tech. Conf., pp. 312, 1994.Google Scholar
7. Hohnke, D. K., Schmatz, D. J., and Hurley, M. D., Thin Solid Films, Vol. 118, pp. 301, 1984.Google Scholar