TWI447831B - Controlled ambient system for interface engineering - Google Patents

Description

Controlled peripheral system for interface engineering

The present invention relates to surrounding systems, and more particularly to controlled surrounding systems for interface engineering.

Semiconductor processing is typically implemented in a highly controlled manner with strict environmental and equipment operational controls. The clean room in which such equipment is placed, for example, must meet stringent requirements, limiting the amount of particulates that can be produced during operation as well as other controlled parameters. When processing a substrate, it may be necessary to move between many systems, and the movement between systems will often be repeated multiple times depending on the device, layer, and structure desired to be formed in an integrated circuit device.

Even though semiconductor devices must meet stringent adjustments to meet the qualifications of semiconductor wafers, these adjustments are often mostly related to individual devices. In operation, if a wafer needs to be processed in a wet device, processing is completed at the device, and then the substrate must be shipped to another device, which may be dry. At the time of production, such substrates may move between devices using a clean room automation system. Typically, the substrate is transported or moved in a closed container and then attached to other equipment. Thus, if a plasma processing operation is required, it is possible to move the one or more substrates to a cluster device defined by one or more transport modules and dry processing modules.

Plasma processing modules are typically associated together in a cluster, but the cluster is limited to plasma processing or a type of processing having the same surrounding environment. That is, if the process is dry (e.g., plasma processing), the substrate is processed in the cluster until the process needs to be moved to a different type of system. The substrate is transported very carefully between the module and the cluster, but the substrate is exposed to oxygen. Oxygen may be present in the clean room (or closed container), and even if the environment is controlled and clean, exposure to oxygen during the move may result in oxidation of the features or layers prior to the next operation. Often, exposure to oxygen during transport, simply known in clean rooms, causes additional oxide removal steps to be included in the manufacturing sequence, resulting in increased costs and cycles. however, Even if the oxide removal step is implemented, some of the oxidation is caused by the waiting time in the queue before the next step.

Based on the foregoing, there is a need for systems, structures, and methods for processing substrates during manufacturing processes while avoiding unnecessary exposure to uncontrolled surrounding environments.

Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present invention address the need by providing a cluster construction for processing substrates and a method of shifting among modules of a cluster. The processing of the substrate is carried out in a controlled environment during transport between the processing stations and between one or more transport modules, and can be directly plated in a barrier layer and avoids the need for void-filled crystals. Layer. It is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in a number of ways, including a method, method, process, device, or system. Several inventive embodiments of the invention are described below.

In one embodiment, a cluster construction for processing a substrate is disclosed. The cluster construction includes a transport module controlled to be placed around the laboratory, the transport module being coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules. The transport module that is controlled to be in the environment surrounding the laboratory and the one or more wet substrate processing modules are used to manage a first ambient environment. A vacuum transport module is provided that is coupled to the transport module of the controlled laboratory environment and one or more plasma processing modules. The vacuum transport module and the one or more plasma processing modules are configured to manage a second ambient environment. And including a transport module of the controlled surrounding environment coupled to the vacuum transport module and one or more ambient processing modules. The transport module of the controlled surrounding environment and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third ambient environment. Thus, the cluster structure can perform controlled processing on the substrate in any of the first, second or third surrounding environments. In one example, the first, second, and third ambient environments are isolated by a slotted valve and a vacuum pre-chamber. The slotted valve defines isolation from the surrounding environment when the substrate is transferred by the vacuum preparation chamber, wherein dry plasma processing and wet processing can be in the cluster configuration so as not to The substrate is exposed to an oxygen environment outside the cluster structure.

In another embodiment, a method of processing a substrate in a cluster configuration is disclosed. law. The method includes interfacing a laboratory ambient transport module with one or more wet processing modules, wherein each of the transport modules and the one or more wet processing modules are in a first surrounding environment In operation. The method further interfaces a vacuum transport module with one or more plasma processing modules, wherein each of the vacuum transport modules and the one or more plasma processing modules are operated in a second ambient environment. Additionally, the method includes interfacing a transport module of a controlled surrounding environment with one or more electroplating modules, wherein each of the controlled surrounding environment transport modules and the one or more electroplating modules are A third ambient operation. According to this method, conditions can be transferred between the first, second, and third surrounding environments within the cluster structure without being exposed to external uncontrolled surrounding conditions.

In one embodiment, a method is provided for filling a trench of a substrate in a controlled environment. The method begins in a first chamber of one of the cluster devices, etching a trench for the substrate. a barrier layer for preventing electromigration deposited on an exposed surface of one of the trenches of the second chamber of the cluster device, and in the cluster device, the trench is directly deposited on the barrier layer The void fill material is filled.

In another embodiment, a method is provided for performing a void fill without coating a seed layer on a substrate. The method includes depositing a first barrier layer over a surface of a substrate having a trench defined therein. A second barrier layer is deposited on the first barrier layer, and an open region of the trench is filled with a conductive material deposited directly on one surface of the second barrier layer.

A semiconductor device is fabricated by a process comprising: etching a feature in a substrate in a first chamber of a cluster device; depositing in a second chamber of one of the cluster devices a barrier layer for preventing diffusion of copper into the exposed surface of the feature; and filling the feature with a void fill material deposited directly on the barrier layer.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description of the embodiments of the invention.

Several illustrative embodiments are disclosed below that define a cluster configuration example for processing a substrate and a method that can be transferred among the modules of the cluster. The processing of the substrate is carried out in a controlled ambient environment during each processing station and during transport between one or more transport modules. By providing an integrated cluster structure that defines and controls the heterogeneous cluster system and the surrounding environmental conditions, it is possible to create different layers, features, or other processes immediately after the other processes in the same overall system. The structure, but at the same time, prevents the substrate from contacting an uncontrolled environment (e.g., having more oxygen or other undesirable elements and/or moisture than the intended one). It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented in many ways, including a process, a method, a device, or a system. Several inventive embodiments are described below. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of the specific details described herein.

One application that can benefit from the controlled ambient conditions of the defined embodiment is the electroless deposition of a metal layer that is highly dependent on the surface characteristics and composition of the substrate. For example, electroless plating of copper on a barrier metal, such as a tantalum (Ta) or ruthenium (Ru) surface, for the formation of a seed layer prior to electroplating, and selective deposition of copper (Cu) among a lithographically defined pattern. The lines are all concerned.

The main problem overcome by the embodiments defined by the present invention is that the electroless deposition process is dispensed with by the automatic formation of a thin, essential metal oxide layer in the presence of oxygen (O ₂ ). A similar problem exists with selective caps and other applications on the Cu wire. An example of a layer/material is a cobalt-alloy cap layer which may include CoWP (cobalt tungsten phosphide), CoWB (cobalt tungsten boride), or CoWBP (cobalt tungsten boron phosphide). The cap layer is used to improve the adhesion of the dielectric barrier to the copper wire and thus improve the electromigration performance of the wires.

Therefore, proper management of engineering interfaces, such as surface preparation sequences prior to deposition, is critical. The engineering interface can be for layers, features, or materials. Thus, the preparation of an auto-pure surface and the maintenance of a pure interface are facilitated by the controlled configuration of the surrounding environment as defined herein, which provides the appropriate environment in a controlled manner. When the surface is prepared for the sequence. For example, in a CoWBP cap treatment, the electrolytic chemical solution formulation provides deposition selectivity for exposed Cu over an adjacent dielectric layer.

In some embodiments, the wafer surface and various interfaces prior to electroless plating are determined by upstream processing, typically a CMP and post-CMP cleaning sequence. In both cases, the direct current effect and corrosion are controlled by forming a Cu-BTA complex by passivating the Cu surface with BTA. This metal-organic hybrid must be removed prior to plating, otherwise plating will be inhibited. Furthermore, the dielectric surface must be free of Cu and its oxides, and the Cu surface must be free of Cu oxide. In one embodiment, the conditions are met by the surrounding cluster controlled by the surrounding environment, which prevents exposure to unwanted ambient conditions that may be unfavorable for the desired manufacturing operation.

A difference between the prior art system and the system of the present invention is that the conventional module cluster is not controlled at any time in the surrounding environment of the processing chamber and the transport chamber, so that the interface is in a processing sequence to the next one. The sequence is maintained and stabilized. Without a controlled environment, the prepared interface, even with minimal waiting time, may degrade or almost spontaneously change.

Based on the above summary, reference is made hereinafter to an exemplary structure that can process a substrate in an environment of a controlled environment. 1 illustrates a cluster system 100 in which the surrounding environment is controlled in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The surrounding environment controlled cluster system 100 includes some of the surrounding environment controlled processing stations 102a, 102b, and 102c. The controlled processing stations of each surrounding environment are connected to each other, maintaining the surrounding environmental conditions in each processing station and transferring the controlled environment between different processing stations. The processing stations 102a-102c whose environments are controlled can be regarded as the first, second, and third surrounding environments. The order of the first, second and third surrounding environments is not limited, since the transfer between the surrounding environments is determined by the particular selected recipe and the order of construction of the transport module and the processing module.

In one embodiment, the ambient controlled cluster system 100 can perform fine processing on layers or features of a semiconductor substrate (eg, a semiconductor wafer). The layers or features that are to be fabricated on a particular wafer depend on the processing station being processed. For example Processing may be for a processing line front (FEOL), a processing line (BEOL), or any processing sequence or step therein. An embodiment is provided below in which the surrounding environment controlled cluster system 100 is used to fabricate one or more features in a controlled surrounding environment.

At operation 110, a layer to be fabricated can be identified to be fabricated via various processing stations 102a-102c in the cluster system 100 that is controlled by the surrounding environment. Once the layer or feature has been identified in operation 110, an operation 112 is performed to construct a connection of the different modules, and the desired processing can be performed at a processing station controlled by each surrounding environment. Each of the surrounding controlled stations 102 will include a primary transport module that interfaces with a locally connected processing module. For example, the surrounding environment controlled processing station 102c may include a transport module 104c controlled to be in the laboratory environment. The surrounding environment controlled processing station 102b may include a vacuum transport module 104b and a surrounding environment controlled processing station. 102a can include a transport module 104a that is controlled by the surrounding environment.

Thus, each of the transport modules 104a-104c is interconnected with a controlled transfer station (e.g., a vacuum preparation chamber) and is accepted for use in a particular stage of processing for the configuration required to process a layer or feature. Connect different processing modules. At operation 114, a recipe is defined that is used to traverse the connection modules of different surrounding environments and to enter the recipe into a user interface 116.

The user interface 116 can be a computer with a screen and keyboard to communicate with the surrounding environment controlled cluster system 100. The user interface 116 can be a computer on a network that is coupled to other system computers for remote interaction with the surrounding cluster system 100 that is controlled by the environment. The user interface 116 also allows the user to enter a recipe defined in operation 114 to move the substrate between different shipping modules 104 and the processing modules coupled to each shipping module 104. In a particular embodiment, the ambient controlled cluster system 100 is located in a clean room environment that will then be connected to most facilities. Most of the facilities of the clean room, as is known, will provide the fluid, gas, pressure, cooling, heating, chemical solutions, etc. required for each of the surrounding environmentally controlled processing stations 102.

In this embodiment, a loading module 106 is used to advance the substrate 105 to the surrounding controlled processing station 102c, under the guidance of the user interface 116 code execution, to control the transport of the substrate to the surrounding environment. Within the cluster system 100. An unloading module 108 can accept a substrate 105 that has been processed by a processor under the control of the surrounding environment controlled processing station 102. Even if the loading module 106 and the unloading module 108 are two separate modules in the description, we should understand that the loading module and the unloading module can be sent to and from the same type of module or substrate. The same load port module accepts.

In one embodiment, the transport module 104c that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment is adapted to receive the substrate 105. Once the substrate 105 is transferred into the transport module 104c of the controlled laboratory environment, the controlled transport module 104c can be placed at a slightly higher pressure than the uncontrolled ambient environment. Operation, which can be located in the clean room.

In this manner, if the pressure in the transport module 104c of the controlled laboratory environment is slightly higher, then the interface of the substrate 105 into and out of the transport module 104c controlled to be in the laboratory environment will be A slight air flow is caused to flow out of the transport module 104c that is controlled by the surrounding environment of the laboratory. The slight outflow of air from the laboratory surrounding environment control transport module 104c will ensure that particulates or other surrounding air that may be present in the clean room are opened when one or more doors are opened to move the substrate 105 into and out of the When the transport module 104c, which is controlled to be in the laboratory environment, is not filtered into the transport module 104c of the controlled laboratory environment.

In one embodiment, the transport module 104c that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment can be selectively operated in an inert, controlled environment. An inert controlled surrounding environment refers to the ability to pump oxygen out and replace it with an inert gas. Examples of gases that can be pumped in to replace oxygen can be, for example, argon, nitrogen, and other gases that do not adversely affect the reaction. The inert controlled ambient environment, if selectively provided to the transport module 104c in the controlled laboratory environment, can also be coupled to the processing module coupled thereto. For example, any wet type implemented in a module connected to a controlled transport module 104c surrounding the laboratory Cleaning is also controlled by the inert, controlled environment.

The transport module 104c, which is controlled to be in the laboratory environment, will thus be moved into and out of the interface of the various wet processing systems in the surrounding processing station 102c, and will be controlled in the surrounding environment. The processed substrate of the processing station 102c is transferred to the vacuum transport module 104b. Transfer to the vacuum transport module 104b occurs via one or more vacuum preparation chambers in a controlled manner. Once the substrate is within the vacuum transport module 104b, the substrate 105 is allowed to move into and out of various plasma processing modules for desired processing. The vacuum transport module 104b is also shown as a transport module 104a coupled to the controlled surrounding environment.

Transferring the substrate 105 between the vacuum transport module 104b and the ambient controlled transport module 104a will be facilitated via one or more vacuum preparation chambers to ensure complete pressure of the vacuum transport module 104b Performance is maintained while the substrate 105 can be moved to a controlled ambient environment to avoid exposure to 104 undesired exposure of the layer or feature that has just been treated, possibly adversely altering such layers or features. The surroundings. In one example, when a substrate 105 has been processed in the surrounding environment controlled processing station 102b and has been moved into the surrounding environment controlled processing station 102a, the plasma processed features or layers are not This can be caused by uncontrolled exposure to the surrounding environment of features or layers that may be damaged or chemically altered.

As an embodiment, the controlled surrounding environment transport module 104a will operate in an inert ambient environment. As noted above, an inert ambient is pumped into an inert gas and the majority of the oxygen in the ambient controlled plant 102a should be depleted or reduced. As an embodiment, the oxygen level that is acceptable and still can be considered substantially free of oxygen can be 3 ppm (parts per million) or less. Some treatments may require control of less than 1 ppm after surface treatment before or during subsequent processing. By disposing the inert environment in the surrounding processing station 102a, it is possible to avoid oxidation or hydroxylation of features or layers that have just been fabricated in the processing station 102b or 102c that is controlled by the surrounding environment. Within the transport module 104a of the controlled environment, various processing modules will allow for controlled deposition, evaporation, or deposition of layers or features on the substrate 105. Plating or processing without any intermediate oxidation of layers or features. Thus, the layers formed in the transport module processing station of the controlled surrounding environment are controlled, and in one embodiment, are said to be "engineered" to avoid unnecessary oxides. Formation results in a reduction in the performance of the treated layer or features.

At this point, the substrate 105 can be moved back into the vacuum transport module 104b for further processing by the plasma processing module, or moved back to the laboratory ambient control transport module 104c for the connected mode. Additional processing within the group. The specific processing of moving the substrate 105 between any of the surrounding environment control processing stations 102a, 102b, and 102c depends on the recipe defined in operation 114, which is executed on a computer connected to the user interface 116. Controlled.

2A illustrates a cluster construction 200 including a number of transport modules and their associated processing modules. The cluster structure 200 is an example of a specific processing module that can be connected to various transport modules in the processing stations 102a, 102b, and 102c that are controlled by the surrounding environment.

The cluster construction 200 will be explained from left to right, wherein the substrate can be loaded and unloaded in the loading module 106 and the unloading module 108. As noted above, the load module 106 and the unload module 108 can be generally referred to as a load-unload station for accepting a wafer cassette 205 holding one or more wafers. The wafer cassette 205 can be mounted to front opening integrated boxes (FOUPs) for transporting wafers anywhere in the clean room. Controlling the FOUP of the wafer cassette 205 can be automated or manually operated by an operator. The substrate 105 is thus mounted in the wafer cassette 205 when transported to or received by the cluster structure 200. As defined herein, the clean room in which the cluster construction 200 is seated or installed handles the uncontrolled surrounding environment.

The transport module 104c, which is controlled to be in the laboratory environment, is defined by an extended transport module 201 that includes one or more end effectors 201b. The illustrated end effector 201b can traverse the extended transport module 201 as it moves along a track 201a. In one embodiment, the extended transport module 201 is maintained at a standard clean room pressure. Alternatively, the pressure can be controlled to be slightly above the ambient pressure of the clean room or slightly lower than the pressure of the clean room.

If the pressure in the extended transport module 201 is maintained at a pressure slightly higher than that of the clean room, then transferring the wafer into the extended transport module will cause a small amount of released gas in the environment surrounding the transport module to enter the dust-free state. room. This configuration can prevent particles or ambient air in the clean room from flowing into the extended transport module 201.

In other embodiments, the transfer between the extended transport module 201 and the clean room is controlled by a suitable filter and air handling unit, which will define a curtain or air and/or environmental interface to facilitate The ambient air interaction between the clean room and the extended transport module 201 is prevented. An example of a system for controlling the interface is defined in U.S. Patent No. 6,364,762 to the assignee of the present application, entitled "Wafer Atmospheric Transport Module Having a Controlled Mini-environment", published on April 2, 2002, incorporated herein by reference. As a reference.

The extended transport module 201 is shown providing an interface between the wet processing system 202a and the wet processing system 202b. Each wet processing system 202 can include a number of secondary modules in which the substrate 105 can be processed. In one example, a carrier 207 can be moved along a track 203 in the wet processing system 202a. The carrier 207 is configured to support the substrate 105 for processing in each of the secondary modules in the wet processing system 202. In one example, the wet processing system 202a includes a proximity station 204, followed by a proximity station 206, followed by a scrubbing station 208, and then a final proximity station 210.

The number of secondary modules in the wet processing system 202a depends on the particular application and the number of wet processing steps to be performed on a particular substrate 105. Even though the wet processing system 202a defines four secondary modules, an example of two secondary modules in the wet processing system 202b is provided. The proximity station 204 is formed by a proximal joint system that utilizes a meniscus to coat and remove fluid on the surface of the substrate 105 when the substrate 105 is moved along the track 203 so that the meniscus can be coated. The cloth is laid on the entire surface of the substrate 105.

In a particular embodiment, the proximity station can be used to apply simple cleaning deionized water, HF (hydrofluoric acid), ammonia based cleaning fluid, standard cleaning 1 (SC1), and other etching and cleaning chemical solutions. And / or a fluid mixture. In a particular embodiment, the proximity station includes a proximal joint that processes both the upper and bottom surfaces of the substrate 105. In other embodiments, only the upper surface is treated by a proximal joint and the bottom surface is untreated or treated by a brush station roller. The combination of processing operations performed in the wet processing system 102a is therefore different depending on the processing required for a particular substrate in the manufacturing recipe.

It is understood that the extension transport module 201 is configured to allow the substrate 105 to move into and out of any particular secondary module in the wet processing system 202 or into a single processing secondary module of the wet processing system 102a, and then The end of the line of the wet processing system 201 is removed. The wet processing system 201 is used to connect a system to each side of the extended transport module 201 for additional throughput. Of course, the laboratory surrounding environment control transport module defined by the extended transport module 201 may include more depending on the amount of production required, the available laboratory footprint or facilities, and/or the required processing. Less or more wet processing systems.

The extended transport module 201 is shown coupled to vacuum preparation chambers 218 and 219. The vacuum preparation chambers 218 and 219 are configured to allow a controlled transition from a pressure state to another pressure state between the extension transport module 201 and a vacuum transport module 222. The vacuum transport module 222 includes an end effector robot 222a. The end effector 222a is used to access the vacuum preparation chambers 218 and 219 when the slotted valves 220a and 220b allow them to be accessed. The slotted valve is provided with one or more doors that permit opening and closing of the vacuum transport module 222 such that the pressure in the vacuum transport module is undisturbed. Therefore, the doors of the slotted valves 220a and 220b can be moved between the vacuum preparation chambers 218 and 219 for controlling the transportation between the extended transport module 201 and the vacuum transport module 222 which may be in different pressure states. .

The vacuum transport module 222 also shows a boundary with the plasma module 270 via the slotted valves 220c and 220d. The plasma module 270 can be of any type, but in a specific embodiment, it can be a TCP etching module and a downstream microwave etching module. Other plasma module types can also be included. Some plasma modules may include deposition module types such as plasma vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc., so any dry processing module that removes or deposits material onto the substrate surface may be included And connected to the vacuum transport module 222.

Alternatively, the heat treatment module can additionally or replace the plasma processing module. In this case, it may be advantageous to operate the vacuum transport module 222 at a higher pressure, for example up to 400 Torr, to facilitate demarcation from the thermal module.

If the process is implemented in one of the plasma modules 270, the vacuum transport module can include a cooling station 224. The cooling station 224 is particularly advantageous when the substrate has been cooled to a temperature before being transferred to one of the adjacent processing stations of the controlled surrounding environment. Once the substrate is cooled, the substrate can be moved into a vacuum preparation chamber 228 by the end effector 222a as needed, and then transferred to a transport module 232 in a controlled environment. The transport module 232 of the controlled surrounding environment is interconnected with the vacuum preparation chamber 228 via a slotted valve 230a.

The transport module 232 of the controlled environment is shown interconnected with the processing modules 240a, 240b, 240c, and 240d via associated slotted valves 230b, 230c, 230d, and 230e. The transport module 232 of the controlled surrounding environment includes an arm 232a. In one embodiment, the processing module 240 is a wet processing module that is controlled by the surrounding environment. The wet processing module 240 of the controlled surrounding environment is used to process a wafer surface in a controlled inert ambient environment. As described above, the controlled inert ambient environment is configured to draw inert gas into the transport module 232 of the controlled surrounding environment and drive the oxygen out of the transport module 232 of the controlled surrounding environment.

The transport module 232 of the controlled surrounding environment provides a transfer environment by removing all or most of the oxygen from the transport module 232 of the controlled environment and replacing it with an inert gas. A freshly processed substrate (e.g., in plasma module 270) is not exposed in the processing module 240 before the layer is deposited, plated, or formed on a processing surface or feature. In a specific embodiment, the processed module 240 can be an electroplating module, an electroless plating module, a dry in/out wet processing module, or other types of modules, which can form or deposit a layer of the device. The surface of the previous plasma module or the top layer of the top of the feature.

In addition, the vacuum transport module and the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment can be integrated in reverse order to facilitate other processing procedures.

The result is that an engineered layer is formed directly on a freshly treated surface and does not contain oxides that are typically formed by exposure to oxygen, even before plating on a layer. In a particular embodiment, the dielectric layer may be etched to define a via and/or trench in the plasma module 270, and then a via or trench defined in the dielectric layer, through the vacuum preparation chamber 228, The vacuum transport module 222 carries the transport module 232 into the controlled surrounding environment. This transport occurs in a state that is not exposed or substantially unexposed to oxygen. In some processes, a barrier layer can be fabricated directly on the surface of the engineering interface. The barrier layer may include, for example, Ta, TaN, Ru, or a combination of the materials and the like. The barrier layer can be used to electrolessly plate Cu as a seed layer or directly onto a patterned substrate.

2B illustrates a block diagram of possible processing modules that can be coupled to various shipping modules in cluster configuration 200'. In this embodiment, loading and unloading stations 106/108 are provided to guide or receive the substrate between the cluster construction 200' and the clean room. The substrate is directed into a controlled module 104c surrounding the laboratory, wherein wet substrate processing can be performed. Having the wet substrate processing and transport of the substrate in the laboratory ambient control transport module occurs in a controlled environment that ensures that wet substrate processing can be performed in a controlled manner without the substrate being Exposure to an uncontrolled environment in a clean room.

The transport module that is controlled to be in the environment of the laboratory is used to introduce the substrate in the dry state into the wet substrate processing modules, and to receive the substrate in a dry state after the wet substrate processing. In this embodiment, the wet substrate treatment uses a meniscus proximal joint system capable of forming a fluid directly on the surface of the substrate, and the surface of the substrate is dried after the substrate has been treated. A vacuum preparation chamber 280 ensures that the surrounding environment transported between the transport module 104c and the vacuum transport module 104b in the controlled laboratory environment is controlled.

The vacuum transport module 104b interfaces with different types of plasma chambers 270. The processing performed in the plasma chamber may depend on the particular treatment, but after processing in the plasma chamber, the required processing may be performed in close proximity to any of the processing stations 102 in the adjacent controlled ambient environment. In one example, the wafer can be moved from the vacuum transport module 104b via the vacuum preparation chamber 280 and into the transport module 104a of the controlled surrounding environment. The transport module of the controlled environment is then in a different plating or deposition system 240 and / Efficient transport between systems that perform dry cleaning and dry wet cleaning (or etching).

Another example of a module that can be coupled to the transport module 104a of the controlled environment is a supercritical CO2 chamber. In other embodiments, the thermal chamber can be integrated into any of the transport modules depending on the processing requirements. For example, a chamber can be a supercritical chamber. The chamber can also be an electroless plating chamber capable of depositing a cobalt cover, a copper seed layer, a metal layer, a barrier layer, a base metal filling layer, and other conductive features, surfaces, interlayer connections, trace substances (trace )Wait. An electroless plating chamber, in one embodiment of the invention, does not require an electrode (e.g., anode/cathode), but uses a reactive chemical solution that is active on the surface. In yet another embodiment, the vacuum transport module can be coupled to only the thermally controlled chamber. In some cases, the vacuum transport module can be coupled to a higher pressure chamber if operated at a pressure range of between about 200 and 400 Torr.

Also described is an inert ambient environment control system 273 that is coupled to the transport module. The inert ambient environment control system 273, in one embodiment, includes: a pump, a measuring instrument, a controller, and a valve that measures and controls the pumping of oxygen out of the shipping module. A clean room facility (not shown) can also be coupled to the inert ambient control system 273 so that inert gas can be drawn into the transport chamber to replace the space occupied by the original oxygen. The pump that removes oxygen and inert gas fed into the transport chamber is monitored to maintain proper condition settings during operation. In some embodiments, the pump must still be operable to remove oxygen from the processing module to maintain an inert environment for both the transport module and the processing module. Measuring instruments, manual controls, and/or computer controls can monitor and adjust the aspiration and flow of inert gases such as N ₂ , Ar, He, Ne, Kr, Xe, and the like.

For the module of the controlled surrounding environment in which the inert environment is controlled, the temperature of the transport module and the processing module may vary depending on the processing to be performed. However, in the case of use, the controlled transport module 104c and the wet substrate processing station 202 can be operated at temperatures between about 15 ° C and about 30 ° C. The humidity is also controlled in the transport module 104c controlled by the laboratory environment, and the wet substrate processing station 202, and the humidity can be controlled at about 0% and about 20%.

The vacuum transfer module 104b can be operated at a pressure of between about 10 ^-9 and about 10 ^-4 Torr, and the operating temperature can be between about 15 ° C and about 30 ° C. The plasma processing module operates in a temperature range, a power range, and uses a processing gas or the like specially designed for a specific process, so any processing condition compatible with the vacuum state of the vacuum transport module 104b can be used. Other parameters, for example, may include: vacuum, temperature, and power. With respect to vacuum, in one embodiment, it can be from about 1 mT to about 10 T. Regarding the temperature, in one embodiment, it may be from about 10 ° C to about 400 ° C. Regarding power, in one embodiment, it can be from about 10 W to about 3000 W.

The controlled ambient transport module 104a (e.g., transport module 232 of FIG. 2A) is operable at a pressure of between about 500 T and about 800 T, and the temperature can be between about 15 ° C and about 30 ° C. However, the temperature can be controlled to be compatible with electroplating, dry-in and dry-out wet processing, supercritical CO2 operations, etc., which can be processed modules 240. In one embodiment, the temperature of the transport module is set to the ambient laboratory temperature, and the local temperature control is provided by the processing module. In another embodiment, the temperature of the transport module can be controlled to maintain a consistent environment as the wafer is transferred between the processing module and the transport module.

The system of Figure 2B is used to illustrate the modularity and interface control of the substrate between various controlled environments. In addition, we should understand that the modularity of each transport module and the acceptance of different secondary modules for processing are numerous. For the sake of simplicity, only the borders of different surrounding environment controlled transport modules are provided. An exemplary processing module.

2C illustrates an exemplary structure of the proximity station 204 of the person in question with reference to FIG. 2A. The proximity station 204 includes a proximal joint 260a positioned on the upper and lower sides of the substrate 105. The substrate 105 is supported on a carrier 207 that is movable along a track 203, as defined in Figure 2A. The surface of the proximal joint 260a and the surface of the substrate 105 (and the surface of the carrier 207) allow the formation of the meniscus 242.

The meniscus 204 can be a controlled fluid meniscus formed between the surface of the proximal joint 260a and the surface of the substrate, and the surface tension of the fluid supports the meniscus 242 in a controlled manner there. The control of the meniscus 242 is controlled by the The transfer and removal of the fluid ensures that it can be controlled to define the meniscus 242 as defined by the fluid. The meniscus 242 can be used to clean, process, etch or otherwise process the surface of the substrate 105. This treatment on the surface of the substrate 105 enables particles or unwanted materials to be removed by the meniscus 240.

As noted, the meniscus 240 is controlled by providing a fluid to the proximal joint 260a while simultaneously removing the fluid in a controlled manner. Alternatively, a gas surface tension gradient reducing agent may be provided to the proximal joint 260a to reduce surface tension between the meniscus 242 and the substrate 105. The gas tension reducing agent provided to the proximal joint 260a allows the meniscus 242 to move at an increased velocity (and thus increased throughput) on the surface of the substrate 105. An example of a gas tension reducing agent may be a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and nitrogen (IPA/N ₂ ). Another example of a gas tension reducing agent may be carbon dioxide (CO2). Other types of gases may also be used as long as the gas does not interfere with the desired treatment of a particular surface of the substrate 105.

2D-1 through 2D-6 provide embodiments of different configurations that may be included in the wet processing system 202 of FIG. 2A or the wet processing module 240 of the controlled surrounding environment of FIG. 2A. Even though such specific embodiments have been provided, it is understood that other structures may be included in the system.

2D-1 illustrates an embodiment in which a proximal joint 260a processes an upper surface of a substrate 105 and a wiper 290 processes a bottom surface of the substrate 105. This process can be implemented in the wet processing system 202 and can be used to clean or etch the surface of the substrate 105.

2D-2 provides an embodiment in which a bottom brush 290 and an upper brush 290 are used to treat the surface of the substrate 105. The brush used can be a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) brush that provides fluid to the surface of the substrate 105 in a rotating state. The fluid provided by the brush 290 can be via a brush (TTB) core, and the fluid, depending on the application, can be used to clean and/or etch and/or render the substrate surface hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

2D-3 illustrates an embodiment in which the processing module 240, which can be coupled to the transport module 232 of the controlled environment of FIG. 2A, is an electroplating system. The electricity The plating system can be an electroless plating system or an electroplating system that requires contact with the wafer. The plated head 260b can take some form, and the particular form of the plated head will vary depending on the type of plating to be implemented. As a result of the plating, a plated surface 292 is formed on the surface of the substrate 105. The plated surface may result in a deposited copper layer or other metal layer that may need to be plated on the surface of the substrate at a particular stage of fabrication.

2D-4 illustrates another embodiment of an electroplating system in which two plating heads are used to plate the surface of the substrate 105. In this embodiment, one plating head 260b is used as the actual plating head while another plating head 260b is used as the promotion head. The facilitating head provides the electrical connections required to define the anode-cathode connection for plating a metallic material onto the surface of a substrate.

2D-5 illustrates another embodiment that can be used in the head 260c of the wet processing system 202. The wet processing system 202 can include forming one or more Newtonian fluids on a surface of the substrate 105. An example of a non-Newtonian fluid is a soft condensate that resides in the middle between the extremes of the solid and liquid. The soft coagulum is easily disintegrated by external pressure, and examples of the soft coagulum include emulsions, gels, gels, foams, and the like. We should understand that the emulsion is a mixture of non-intermediate solutions such as toothpaste, cannabis, oil in water, and the like. The colloid is a polymer dispersion in water, and gelatin is an example of a colloid. The foam contains air bubbles formed in a liquid matrix, and the shaving cream is an example of a foam type. In this embodiment, the non-Newtonian fluid 294 is illustrated as being coated by a head 260c.

Another material of one of the wet chambers of the ambient control module is a three-state body portion. The three-state body portion is a gas including a gas, a solid, and a fluid.

The head 260c also includes inputs and outputs to provide a fluid that combines Newtonian fluid with non-Newtonian fluid.

2D-6 illustrate a substrate 105 supported by rollers 296. Roller 296 enables the substrate to be moved in a rotational manner, while head 260c is used to apply a non-Newtonian fluid (e.g., a foam-like material) to the surface of the substrate in a controlled manner. The non-Newtonian fluid can In a controlled manner, it is supplied to the head and removed by the head to clean the surface of the substrate. In another embodiment, the Newtonian fluid can be coated by the head 260c and left on the surface of the substrate for a period of time, wherein a nozzle can be used to spray the surface of the substrate using a roller to rotate the substrate. In yet another unillustrated embodiment, an SRD (Rotary Flush and Dry) module can be included, as well as other general purpose wet or dry processing systems. All of these modules, when attached to the transport module, are maintained in a controlled environment, and the dried wafers are loaded into the module and removed from the module after processing.

3 illustrates an exemplary flow process from A to D in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Flow process 300 of Figure 3 illustrates an example of manufacturing a CoWBP (cobalt tungsten boron phosphide) cover by operation on selected surfaces of exposed copper material. In Figure 4, the process illustrates two possible process flows that can be implemented; one of which yields a better result and the other of which results in a non-preferred result.

When a CoW (BP) capping process is performed, the electrolyzed chemical solution is formulated to provide selectivity for deposition on the exposed copper over the adjacent dielectric layer. The wafer surface and various interfaces are determined by upstream processing prior to electroless plating. These upstream treatments are typically chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and post-CMP cleaning sequences. In both cases, direct current effects and corrosion are controlled by passivating the copper surface, typically with BTA, to form a Cu-BTA complex.

In FIG. 4, the upper right diagram illustrates a dielectric material that includes a copper feature and results in a CMP and/or cleaning operation that produces a Cu-BTA complex 302. This metal-organic hybrid must be removed prior to plating or plating will be inhibited. In addition, the dielectric surface must be free of copper and its oxide, and the copper surface must be free of copper oxide. In one operation, the substrate having the Cu-BTA complex 302 is treated via a wet pre-cleaning operation to remove the Cu-BTA complex on the dielectric surface.

This operation is illustrated in operation A of Figures 3 and 4. In a particular embodiment, a cleaning chemical solution, which may be tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAH), is used to substantially remove all of the Cu-BTA complex 302. TMAH is only described as an example, and we should understand that other chemistry can be used depending on the layer that needs to be removed during the pre-cleaning operation. Drug solution. In one embodiment, operation A is performed by a cleaning module that is part of the transport module 104c that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment. If the Cu-BTA complex 302 is not removed from the surface using a pre-cleaning operation of A, the method can traverse paths B, C, and D illustrated in the upper portion of FIG.

Operations B, C, and D across the upper portion of Figure 4 result in a copper-tungsten-plated cover over the entire surface of the substrate, including portions of the dielectric layer that are not selectively plated (or deposited). Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, the advantages of processing operations A, B, C, and D using the system of the controlled surrounding environment will be described in the bottom column of FIG.

In operation B, a downstream TCP operation is performed in an aerobic environment to facilitate oxidation and removal of any residual organic contaminants; any exposed copper is also oxidized during this step. The oxidized copper residue 304 on the copper surface, as indicated by B, remains. However, if wet pre-cleaning has not been carried out, the copper oxide residue may remain on the upper surface of the dielectric material and will not be seen above the copper wire in such a process example.

Operation B is preferably implemented in one of the plasma modules connected to the vacuum transport module 104b, and the second operation is performed in another plasma module connected to the vacuum transport module 104b. In this embodiment, a next downstream TCP H2 operation is performed to facilitate a copper reduction operation, as shown by layer 306. The bottom portion of Figure 4 illustrates a preferred flow wherein only the copper oxide residue on the copper wire is reduced. The above section describes the portion of the copper residue that is reduced on the dielectric layer. Alternatively, operations B and C may be carried out at a higher temperature by heat treatment using oxygen, followed by heat treatment using hydrogen at a higher temperature (150 ° C to 400 ° C).

Once operations B and C are implemented, as shown in Figure 3, they can be shifted between C and D. This transfer enables the substrate to be transported from the vacuum transport module to the controlled ambient of an inert atmosphere via the vacuum pre-chamber. The controlled atmosphere of the inert atmosphere is designed to be substantially free of oxygen and will prevent improper oxidation of the surface prior to processing in a module that is connected to the controlled atmosphere of the inert atmosphere of Figure 3.

In operation D, the selective CoW cap plating 308 may occur only on the copper features without forming a CoW plating on the unwanted regions, as in the upper portion of FIG. Show (Operation D). The electroplating of CoW on copper is selectively promoted by the autocatalytic surface characteristics of copper, which selectively electroplates only CoW on the copper regions and not on the clean dielectric layer. This embodiment is provided to illustrate the manner in which the CoW plated cover is deposited over the exposed copper features, but there are many more possible manufacturing operations in the cluster configuration that can be handled and handled in a controlled surrounding environment.

5 illustrates a flow diagram 500 that defines a module structure in a cluster configuration and substrate control in the module to facilitate shifting between different modules in a controlled ambient environment. As described above, the difference from the prior art module is that the defined system can always control the surrounding environment in the processing chamber and in the transport module, so that the processing sequence to the next sequence, the interface (ie, the layer) , features, etc.) maintained as controlled and stable. If there is no controlled surrounding environment, the prepared interface may be as in the case of the prior art system, and even if the waiting time is very small, almost spontaneous degradation or change occurs.

The method operation of Figure 5 can begin at operation 502 where a layer or feature to be fabricated in a controlled surrounding environment is identified. In one embodiment, a particular layer can be fabricated, such as a barrier layer, a liner, a seed layer, or a copper substrate. In other embodiments, only certain features are fabricated, such as in selective plating operations, typically using electroplating and electroless plating systems. Once the layer or feature has been identified at operation 502, the method proceeds to operation 504 where the module is connected to the selected processing station of the surrounding environment. The module is for example connected to the different transport modules of Figure 2B.

At operation 504, once the appropriate module has been connected to the cluster configuration, the method proceeds to operation 506 where a recipe is defined for processing the substrate through a processing station that is controlled by each surrounding environment. The formulation depends on the desired result of the process, but the consistent nature of the substrate is that the surrounding environment is specifically controlled at various stages to ensure optimum processing of the layer, features or processing. Next, the method proceeds to operation 508 where a substrate is provided to process the identified layer or feature.

The substrate can be in the form of a semiconductor wafer, with or without a particular layer formed thereon or pre-formed thereon. At this stage, the wafer provided at operation 508 is transferred to a laboratory ambient control transport module (operation 510). Controlled The transport module that is built into the laboratory environment can be selectively controlled to provide an inert environment. The inert environment can, for example, provide a low oxygen or zero oxygen environment.

The reduced oxygen environment also assists in exposing the substrate or its surface to oxygen when applied to any of the wet processing modules that may be interconnected to the laboratory ambient control transport module. Thus, as defined herein, "laboratory environment" is understood to include situations in which the surrounding environment is controlled by defining an inert environment type, wherein the environment can be pumped and then filled with an inert gas. The suction of the environment removes oxygen or substantially removes all of the oxygen during processing in the laboratory surrounding the control module or connected modules.

The method now proceeds to operation 512 where wet processing is performed in one or more modules connected to the transport module of the controlled laboratory environment. Alternatively, some processing sequences do not require a wet process prior to vacuum processing. The various wet processing operations, as previously defined, may include near joint meniscus treatment, SRD treatment, brush treatment, and any other type of treatment that may include the use of fluids (Newtonian fluids and non-Newtonian fluids).

Now, at operation 514, the process moves to a decision point where it is determined whether the substrate is dry processed or moved to an inert ambient layer forming step. In this embodiment, it is assumed that it is desirable to move to a plasma processing and to transfer to operation 516. At operation 516, it is possible to move to a vacuum transport module. Transferring the wet processing to the vacuum transport module will cause a dry wafer to be transported and transported between the wet processing and the vacuum transport module.

During the transfer, the vacuum preparation chamber and valve enable the wafer to move between the modules. At operation 518, a plasma processing operation can be performed in one or more modules coupled to the vacuum transport module. As noted above, different types of plasma operations can be implemented depending on the type of plasma system and the chambers connected to the transport module. At this point, at operation 520, it is determined whether it is desirable to form a laboratory surrounding layer or the wafer should be moved back to a wet cleaning or wet etching operation.

If a wet or wet etch operation is desired, the method can be moved back to operation 510 where the transfer is carried out through the transport module and into the surrounding environment of the laboratory. Shipping module. If it is desired to implement an inert ambient layer formation, then the method proceeds to operation 522. At operation 522, a transfer to the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment occurs. In the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment, the substrate can be moved into one of a number of internal ambient layer forming modules. The inert ambient layer forms a transport module that is coupled to the controlled surrounding environment.

An embodiment of the layer forming module of the controlled surrounding environment may be a plating module using electroless processing or electroplating. In addition to electroplating and electroless plating, the substrate can also be moved into a module that can dry and dry the substrate. Examples of dry-in and dry-out treatments may include: a proximal joint process that applies a meniscus to the wafer surface. Thus, once operation 524 is performed in the inert ambient layer forming module, the decision operation can be performed at operation 526.

At operation 526, a determination is made as to whether additional transfer is required to enter the vacuum transport module (operation 516) or return to the transport module of the controlled laboratory environment (operation 510). This method can be terminated once the number of shifts of various transport modules controlled by the nature of the surrounding environment has occurred and the formation of layers or cladding required for the features is terminated. Of course, the end of this method only means the beginning of the next manufacturing process sequence.

While describing the fabrication of particular layers, interfaces, or features in the method operations of process 500, it should be understood that each seed layer, process, and fabrication steps can be repeated multiple times to make an integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device can then be packaged and placed in an electronic component for processing, storing, transmitting, displaying or displaying electronic material.

Figures 6-11 provide an example of direct electroplating of copper on a barrier film that can be carried out in a substantially oxygen-free environment of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating the processing of a layer of a substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Layer 600 is deposited on substrate 602. We understand that layer 600 is an interlayer dielectric layer (ILD).

Figure 7 illustrates layer 600 with an etched feature. The features can be contacts, vias, trenches, or other voids formed in one of the semiconductor materials such that subsequent metals form interconnects with other devices. For some processes, such as dual damascene etching processes, via and trench etch sequences are utilized to define the pre-metallization A feature in the electrical layer. In one embodiment, the voids 604 have been etched in layer 600 by known etching processes. For example, a plasma etch can be used to form voids 604 in layer 600. The plasma etch can occur in the plasma chamber of the cluster module of Figure 2, which operates in a controlled ambient environment under vacuum conditions. It should be noted that the terms "void" and "feature" can be used interchangeably.

Figure 8 is a simplified schematic view of a conformal barrier layer deposited on the exposed surface of the substrate and on the exposed surface of the void 604. The conformal barrier layer 606 is deposited in accordance with a deposition technique in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For example, deposition may occur in a module of the controlled surrounding environment of the cluster construction of Figure 2. That is, the barrier layer can be deposited using any of the modules 240a through 240d in a known deposition technique. It should be understood that the barrier layer 606 may be composed of tantalum nitride (TaN), tantalum (Ta), ruthenium (Ru), or a mixture of such materials. Although these are generally considered materials, other barrier layer materials may be used. The barrier layer material may be other high melting point metal compounds including, but not limited to, titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), zirconium (Zr), (Hf), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), vanadium ( V), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), and chromium (Cr).

Figure 9 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating one of the second structural layers deposited on the barrier layer 606. Layer 608 is a layer of germanium in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that tantalum nitride (TaN) has acceptable adhesion properties to the interlayer dielectric layer 600. However, tantalum nitride does not adhere to the copper layer, and it is used to fill the voids 604 in succession. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, when two barrier layers are deposited, the tantalum nitride layer 606 can be treated to have a germanium-rich surface adjacent to copper that will be filled in the voids 604. In one embodiment, a functional layer or a self-assembled monolayer is deposited on the barrier layer.

It should be understood that both layers 606 and 608 can be deposited by deposition modules defined by the processing system of the controlled surrounding environment of FIG. In FIG. 10, copper filling is performed in the trench to effect the generation of copper lines 610 after the planarization process. Copper lines 610 are depicted in barrier layers 608 and 606, which are defined in interlayer dielectric layer 600. It should be understood that copper filling is performed in Figure 9, and then a planarization step is performed to planarize the upper surface to obtain the line shown in Figure 10. In one embodiment, the planarization occurs in a wet processing module of the controlled surrounding environment as defined in FIG.

As shown in Figures 6 through 11, the copper void fill does not require a PVD seed layer. Thus, in the controlled surrounding environment as defined in Figure 1, the PVD seed layer can be omitted and the copper fill can be implemented directly on the barrier layer. Thus, in one embodiment, the copper fill can be performed directly on the barrier layer 608, wherein germanium is deposited on the tantalum nitride barrier layer. In another embodiment, the copper fill can be directly applied to the barrier layer 606, wherein the barrier layer 606 is ruthenium so that the copper fill can be properly attached.

Figure 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the method of directly performing void filling on the barrier layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, without the need for a PVD seed layer. The method begins at operation 700 where a void is etched. The void is etched by any known etching technique. In one embodiment, the void is etched by the module of FIG. 1 and the system to maintain the substrate around a controlled environment.

The method then proceeds to operation 702 where the barrier layer is deposited within the etched trench. As shown in Figures 7 through 10, the barrier layer can be a tantalum nitride layer, or any other suitable layer that prevents electromigration. It should be understood that in the system defined in Figures 1 and 2, the substrate can be moved from the vacuum zone of the controlled surrounding environment to the atmospheric zone of the controlled surrounding environment for deposition plating. The deposition of the barrier layer, in one embodiment, may be a tantalum nitride layer followed by a germanium layer. In another embodiment, a tantalum nitride layer can be deposited and then enriched as described above. In either event, a ruthenium rich layer is defined for void fill processing to ensure proper adhesion of copper to the barrier layer.

Second, void fill is performed, wherein as indicated at operation 704, copper is deposited directly into the trench and on the barrier layer. As noted above, such treatments do not require a PVD seed layer to be defined in the barrier layer. That is, the copper system is directly filled on the barrier layer without passing through the seed layer. The overfill from the void fill is then planarized to provide a smooth upper surface of the interlayer dielectric layer, as indicated at operation 706.

The control system and the electronic device that manages and interfaces with the cluster structure module, the robot, and the like can be controlled in an automated manner using computer control. Thus, aspects of the present invention can be implemented in other computer systems, including: handheld devices, microprocessor systems, microprocessors or programmable consumer electronics, microcomputers, large computers, and the like. The invention can also be implemented in a decentralized computer environment in which tasks are performed via a network The linked remote processing device is implemented.

From the above-described embodiments, it is understood that the present invention employs operations performed by various computers involved in data stored in a computer system. These operations require entity manipulation for the amount of entities. Usually, although not necessary, such quantities are in the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transferred, combined, compared or manipulated. Again, the manipulations performed are often referred to as: for example: regeneration, identification, decision, or comparison.

Any of the operations described herein that form part of the present invention are useful machine operations. The invention is also directed to a device or a device for performing such operations. The device may be particularly limited to the necessary uses, such as the carrier network described above, or it may be a general purpose computer that is selectively activated, or may be comprised of a computer program stored in a computer. In particular, various general purpose machines having computer programs written in accordance with the teachings herein can be used, or more specific devices can be constructed more conveniently to perform the desired operations.

The invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium can be any data storage device capable of storing data and thereafter being read by a computer system. Examples of computer readable media, including: hard disk, network attached storage (NAS), read only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, flash Memory, tape, and other optical and non-optical data storage devices. The computer readable medium can also be assigned to a computer system connected to the network to store and execute the computer readable code in a decentralized manner.

While the invention has been described in terms of the various embodiments the embodiments Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such modifications, alternatives, In the context of the patent application, the specific order of operation is not intended to be a

100‧‧‧Environmentally controlled cluster system

102‧‧‧ stage

102a, 102b, 102c‧‧‧Processing stations controlled by the surrounding environment

104‧‧‧Transport module

104a‧‧‧Transportation module for controlled surroundings

104b‧‧‧Vacuum transport module

104c‧‧‧Controlled transport module for the surrounding environment of the laboratory

105‧‧‧Substrate

106‧‧‧Loading module (station)

108‧‧‧Unloading module (station)

110‧‧‧ operation

112‧‧‧ operation

114‧‧‧ operation

116‧‧‧User Interface

200‧‧‧ cluster structure

200'‧‧‧ cluster structure

201‧‧‧Extended transport module

201a‧‧ Track

201b‧‧‧End Actuator

202‧‧‧ Wet processing system (wet substrate processing station)

202a‧‧‧ Wet treatment system

202b‧‧‧ Wet treatment system

203‧‧‧ Track

204‧‧‧ Near Station

205‧‧‧ wafer cassette

206‧‧‧ Near Station

207‧‧‧ Carrier

208‧‧‧wiping station

210‧‧‧Final Near Station

218‧‧‧vacuum preparation room

219‧‧‧vacuum preparation room

220a~220d‧‧‧ slotted valve

222‧‧‧Vacuum transport module

222a‧‧‧End Actuator Robot

224‧‧‧cooling station

228‧‧‧vacuum preparation room

230a~230e‧‧‧ slotted valve

232‧‧‧Transportation module for controlled surroundings

232a‧‧‧arm

240‧‧‧Processing module

240a~240d‧‧‧Processing Module

242‧‧‧ Meniscus

260a‧‧‧near joint

260b‧‧‧ plating head

260c‧‧ head

270‧‧‧Micro plasma module

273‧‧‧Inert ambient control system

280‧‧‧vacuum preparation room

290‧‧‧Scratch

292‧‧‧ Electroplated surface

294‧‧‧Non-Newtonian fluid

296‧‧‧ Roller

300‧‧‧Process processing

302Cu-BTA‧‧‧ misfit

304‧‧‧Oxidized copper residue

306‧‧ layer

500‧‧‧flow chart

502‧‧‧ operation

504‧‧‧ operation

506‧‧‧ operation

508‧‧‧ operation

510‧‧‧Laboratory environment control transport module

512‧‧‧ operation

514‧‧‧ operations

516‧‧‧ operation

520‧‧‧ operation

522‧‧‧ operation

524‧‧‧ operations

526‧‧ steps

600‧‧ layers

602‧‧‧Substrate

604‧‧‧ gap

606‧‧‧Barrier

608‧‧ ‧

610‧‧‧ copper wire

700‧‧‧ operation

702‧‧‧ operation

704‧‧‧ operation

706‧‧‧ operation

The invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a system diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and the computer control that can be used to manufacture an operation management system for a particular project.

2A-2D6 illustrate a hardware example that can perform the processing of the controlled surrounding environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3-4 illustrate a process flow in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention that can be facilitated by the controlled surrounding environment that performs the transfer between the transport module and the processing module.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a flow diagram that may perform a decision on the transfer processing of the processing region in a module that is controlled by the surrounding environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a simplified schematic view of a layer of a substrate for processing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 illustrates a layer having an etched trench.

Figure 8 is a simplified schematic diagram showing a conformal barrier layer deposited on the exposed surface of the substrate and on the exposed surface of the trench.

Figure 9 is a simplified schematic view of a second conformal layer deposited on the barrier layer.

In Figure 10, a copper fill is applied to the trench to create a copper line after planarization.

Figure 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for performing void fill directly on a barrier layer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, thereby eliminating the need for a PVD seed layer.

100‧‧‧Environmentally controlled cluster system

102a, 102b, 102c‧‧‧Processing stations controlled by the surrounding environment

104a‧‧‧Transportation module for controlled surroundings

104b‧‧‧Vacuum transport module

104c‧‧‧Controlled transport module for the surrounding environment of the laboratory

105‧‧‧Substrate

106‧‧‧Loading module (station)

108‧‧‧Unloading module (station)

110‧‧‧ operation

112‧‧‧ operation

114‧‧‧ operation

116‧‧‧User Interface

Claims (15)

A cluster construction for processing a substrate, comprising: (a) a transport module in a controlled laboratory environment at a first location for receiving a substrate into and out of the cluster structure, the controlled environment surrounding the laboratory The transport module is coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules, the controlled transport module and the one or more wet substrate processing modules for managing a first ambient environment, And the interface between the transport module that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment and the one or more wet substrate processing modules is defined such that an end effector feeds the substrate into the wet state in a dry state. One of the substrate processing modules sends the substrate out of the wet substrate processing module in a dry state, wherein at least one of the wet substrate processing modules is a proximal connector system, The proximal joint system creates a meniscus between the surface of the proximal joint and the surface of the substrate, the substrate being configured to be held by a carrier in the proximal joint system, and the carrier can be along the proximal joint system a track movement wherein the track of the proximal joint system is parallel to a track of the end effector of the transport module that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment; (b) a vacuum transport module in a second position a first vacuum preparation chamber for dry transportation by a first vacuum preparation chamber, the vacuum delivery module being connected to one or more plasmas a processing module, the vacuum transport module and the one or more plasma processing modules for managing a second surrounding environment; and (c) a transport module of a controlled surrounding environment at a third location, Directly connected to the vacuum transport module by a second vacuum preparation chamber for dry transport, the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment is connected to one or more ambient processing modules. The transport module of the controlled environment and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third surrounding environment; wherein the second location is between the first and third locations; wherein the cluster Construction definition 1, each of the second and third surrounding environment in the controlled processing of the substrate, and wherein the first, second and a third surrounding environment The uncontrolled clean room environment outside the cluster structure is isolated. The cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the third surrounding environment is an inert surrounding environment substantially free of oxygen. A cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the first surrounding environment is an inert surrounding environment substantially free of oxygen. A cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the second surrounding environment can be set to a vacuum. A cluster construction for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the one or more ambient processing modules comprise a metal plating system. A cluster construction for processing a substrate according to claim 5, wherein the metal plating system comprises an electroplating and electroless plating system. A cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein one of the wet substrate processing modules uses a non-Newtonian fluid. A cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein a scrubbing system is used in the wet substrate processing module. The clustering structure for processing a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the controlled transporting module is defined by an extended transport module having a track and an end effector. The substrate is moved into and out of the one or more wet substrate processing modules. A cluster construction for processing a substrate, comprising: (a) a controlled module in a laboratory environment in a first position for receiving substrates into and out of the cluster structure, the transport module that is controlled to be in the laboratory environment is connected to one or more wet a substrate processing module, the controlled manufacturing environment of the laboratory environment and the one or more wet substrate processing modules for managing a first surrounding environment, wherein at least the wet substrate processing modules are One is a proximal joint system that creates a meniscus between the surface of the proximal joint and the surface of the substrate, the substrate being configured to be held by a carrier in the proximal joint system, and the carrier Moving along a track of the proximal joint system, wherein the track of the proximal joint system is parallel to a track of an end effector of one of the transport modules that are controlled to be in the laboratory environment; (b) in a a vacuum transport module of 2 positions, which is directly connected to a transport module of the controlled laboratory environment by one of the first vacuum preparation chambers for dry transport, the vacuum transport module being connected to one or more a plasma processing module, the vacuum transport module and the one or more plasma processing modules for managing a second ambient environment; and (c) transporting a controlled surrounding environment at a third location The module is directly connected to the vacuum transport module by a second vacuum preparation chamber for dry transport, and the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment is connected to one or more surrounding environment processing modules, and the controlled a surrounding transport module and the one or more ambient processing modules for managing a third ambient environment; wherein the second location is between the first and third locations; wherein the cluster structure is Controlling the substrate in any one of the first, second or third surrounding environments, wherein the first, second and third surrounding environments are by a slotted valve and the vacuum preparation chamber Isolating; the slotted valve defines an isolation between the surrounding environments when the substrate is transferred through the vacuum preparation chamber; wherein the dry plasma treatment and the wet treatment do not expose the substrate to the cluster Constructing an external oxygen environment, but This cluster structure is implemented within. A cluster construction for processing a substrate, comprising: a transport module controlled to be placed in the environment surrounding the laboratory for receiving the substrate into and out of the cluster structure, the transport module controlled by the surrounding environment of the laboratory being connected to one or more wet substrate processing modules, the controlled a transport module in the environment surrounding the laboratory and the one or more wet substrate processing modules for managing a first surrounding environment, wherein at least one of the wet substrate processing modules is a proximal connector system, The proximal joint system creates a meniscus between the surface of the proximal joint and the surface of the substrate, the substrate being configured to be held by a carrier in the proximal joint system, and the carrier can be along a side of the proximal joint system Orbital movement; an end effector in a transport module in the environment surrounding the controlled laboratory, the end effector being movable along a linear track, the end effector moving the substrate into and out of the one or the other in a dry state The above wet substrate processing module, wherein the track of the proximal joint system is parallel to the line of the end effector of the transport module that is controlled to be in the surrounding environment of the laboratory a vacuum transport module, which is directly connected to a transport module of the controlled laboratory environment by one of the first vacuum preparation chambers for dry transport, the vacuum transport module being connected to one or more a plasma processing module, the vacuum transport module and the one or more plasma processing modules for managing a second ambient environment, the end effector being delivered from the transport module of the controlled laboratory environment The dry substrate passes through the first vacuum preparation chamber to the vacuum transport module; and a transport module of the controlled surrounding environment is directly connected to the vacuum transport module by a second vacuum preparation chamber for dry transport, A transport module of the controlled surrounding environment is coupled to one or more ambient processing modules, the transport module of the controlled surrounding environment and the one or more ambient processing modules for managing a third ambient environment The third surrounding environment is an inert environment substantially free of oxygen; wherein the vacuum transport module is disposed between the transport module of the controlled laboratory environment and the controlled surrounding ring Between the transport modules; wherein the cluster structure can perform controlled processing on the substrate in any of the first, second or third surrounding environments; and in operation, the first and second And the third The surrounding environment is isolated from the uncontrolled clean room environment outside the cluster structure. The cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 11, wherein the first surrounding environment is an inert surrounding environment substantially free of oxygen. A cluster construction for processing a substrate according to claim 11 wherein the one or more ambient processing modules comprise a metal plating system. A cluster construction for processing a substrate according to claim 13 wherein the metal plating system comprises an electroplating and electroless plating system. The cluster structure for processing a substrate according to claim 11 of the patent application, further comprising: a computer for controlling the substrate to be connected between the first, second and third surrounding environments and the entry and exit to the respective surroundings The processing module moves.