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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
This paper describes in situ post deposition treatment technologies to fortify the coherent PVD TiN barrier so that it will withstand the high temperature (> 450°C) Al deposition or flow process for sub-0.5 μm planarized Al technology. The coherent PVD TiN barriers were sputtered under 3 different pressure conditions and subsequently heat treated for fortification. Such heat treated, fortified PVD TiN barriers exhibit low reactivity with Al, which is illustrated by the minimal sheet resistance increase in TiN/Al thin film stacks during the heat treatment. Furthermore, optical and SEM inspection on the silicon surface show no pitting.
Leakage current of less than 50 pA has been obtained on 10K-contact chains of sub-0.5 (μm devices using a vacuum integrated coherent Ti/fortified PVD TiN/planarized Al process. This development has led to a completely vacuum integrated sub-0.5 μm PVD Al plug fill process.