Low resistance barrier layer for isolating, adhering, and passivating copper metal in semiconductor fabrication

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:874390

Weihs, Timothy P ^[1]

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1. Baltimore, MD

Cubic or metastable cubic refractory metal carbides act as barrier layers to isolate, adhere, and passivate copper in semiconductor fabrication. One or more barrier layers of the metal carbide are deposited in conjunction with copper metallizations to form a multilayer characterized by a cubic crystal structure with a strong (100) texture. Suitable barrier layer materials include refractory transition metal carbides such as vanadium carbide (VC), niobium carbide (NbC), tantalum carbide (TaC), chromium carbide (Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2), tungsten carbide (WC), and molybdenum carbide (MoC).

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6380627
• OSTI ID: 874390
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

resistance
barrier
layer
isolating
adhering
passivating
copper
metal
semiconductor
fabrication
cubic
metastable
refractory
carbides
layers
isolate
adhere
passivate
carbide
deposited
conjunction
metallizations
form
multilayer
characterized
crystal
structure
strong
100
texture
materials
transition
vanadium
vc
niobium
nbc
tantalum
tac
chromium
crsub3
csub2
tungsten
wc
molybdenum
moc
transition metal
semiconductor fabrication
metal carbide
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