Apparatus for integrated surface treatment and deposition for copper interconnect

Abstract

An integrated system for depositing films on a substrate for copper interconnect is provided. The system includes a processing chamber with a plurality of proximity heads, and a vacuum transfer module coupled to the processing chamber. Selected ones of the proximity heads are used for surface treatments and atomic layer depositions (ALDs). The system further includes a processing module for copper seed layer deposition, which is integrated with a rinse/dryer to enable dry-in/dry-out process capability and is filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen. Additionally, the system includes a controlled-ambient transfer module coupled to the processing module for copper seed layer deposition. Further, the system includes a loadlock coupled to the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module. The integrated system enables controlled-ambient transitions within the system to limit exposure of the substrate to uncontrolled ambient conditions outside of the system.

1 . An integrated system for depositing films on a substrate for copper interconnect, comprising:
 a processing chamber having a plurality of proximity heads, selected ones of the proximity heads being used for surface treatments and atomic layer depositions (ALDs);   a vacuum transfer module coupled to the processing chamber, the vacuum transfer module being used to transfer the substrate in the integrated system;   a processing module for copper seed layer deposition, wherein the processing module for performing copper seed layer deposition is integrated with a rinse/dryer to enable dry-in/dry-out process capability and is filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen;   a controlled-ambient transfer module coupled to the processing module for copper seed layer deposition; and   a loadlock coupled to the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, the loadlock being used to assist transferring the substrate between the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, wherein the integrated system enables controlled-ambient transitions within the integrated system to limit exposure of the substrate to uncontrolled ambient conditions outside of the integrated system.   
   
   
       2 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processing module for copper gap-fill layer deposition, which is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer module; and   a processing module for substrate cleaning, which is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer module.   
   
   
       3 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cassette for holding the substrate before and after the substrate being processed in the integrated system; and   a loadlock coupled to the cassette and to the vacuum transfer module, the loadlock being used to assist transferring the substrate between the cassette and the vacuum transfer module.   
   
   
       4 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the proximity heads is used to deposit an ALD barrier layer for copper interconnect. 
   
   
       5 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the proximity heads is used to deposit an ALD liner layer for copper interconnect. 
   
   
       6 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the proximity heads is used to perform surface pre-treatment before ALDs, and another one of the proximity heads is used to perform surface post-treatment after ALDs. 
   
   
       7 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein not every proximity head in the processing chamber is used during substrate processing. 
   
   
       8 . The integrated system of  claim 2 , wherein the processing module for copper seed layer deposition is an electroless deposition module, and the processing module for copper gap-fill layer deposition is an electrochemical plating module. 
   
   
       9 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected ones of the proximity heads includes a proximity head for surface pre-treatment, a proximity head for barrier layer ALD, a proximity head for liner layer ALD, and a proximity head for surface post-treatment. 
   
   
       10 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected ones of the plurality of proximity heads are placed side by side, and are placed in the sequence of the proximity head for surface pre-treatment, the proximity head for barrier layer ALD, the proximity head for liner layer ALD, and the proximity head for surface post-treatment. 
   
   
       11 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein the controlled-ambient transfer module is filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen. 
   
   
       12 . The integrated system of  claim 1 , wherein the films deposited on the substrate for copper interconnect in the integrated system with limited exposure to uncontrolled ambient conditions outside the integrated system improve electro-migration (EM) performance for copper interconnect. 
   
   
       13 . An integrated system for depositing films on a substrate for copper interconnect, comprising:
 a cassette for holding the substrate before and after the substrate being processed in the integrated system;   a processing chamber with a plurality of proximity heads, selected ones of the proximity heads being used for surface treatments and atomic layer depositions (ALDs), wherein the processing chamber is configured to operate under vacuum;   a vacuum transfer module coupled to the processing chamber, the vacuum transfer module being used to transfer the substrate in the integrated system;   a first loadlock coupled to the cassette and to the vacuum transfer module and to the processing chamber with the plurality of proximity heads, the first loadlock being used to assist transferring the substrate between the cassette and the vacuum transfer module;   a processing module for copper seed layer deposition, wherein the processing module for performing copper seed layer deposition is integrated with a rinse/dryer to enable dry-in/dry-out process capability and is filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen;   a controlled-ambient transfer module coupled to the processing module for copper seed layer deposition; and   a second loadlock coupled to the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, the second loadlock being used to assist transferring the substrate between the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, wherein the integrated system enables controlled-ambient transitions within the integrated system to limit exposure of the substrate to uncontrolled ambient conditions outside of the integrated system.   
   
   
       14 . The integrated system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a processing module for copper gap-fill layer deposition, which is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer module; and   a processing module for substrate cleaning, which is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer module.   
   
   
       15 . The integrated system of  claim 13 , wherein one of the proximity heads is used to deposit an ALD barrier layer for copper interconnect and another one of the proximity heads is used to deposit an ALD liner layer. 
   
   
       16 . The integrated system of  claim 13 , wherein one of the proximity heads is used to perform surface pre-treatment before ALD and another one of the proximity heads is used to perform surface post-treatment after ALD. 
   
   
       17 . The integrated system of  claim 14 , wherein the processing module for copper seed layer deposition is an electroless deposition module, and the processing module for copper gap-fill layer deposition is an electrochemical plating module. 
   
   
       18 . The integrated system of  claim 14 , wherein the selected ones of the proximity heads includes a proximity head for surface pre-treatment, a proximity head for barrier layer ALD, a proximity head for liner layer ALD, and a proximity head for surface post-treatment. 
   
   
       19 . The integrated system of  claim 14 , wherein the controlled-ambient transfer module is filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen. 
   
   
       20 . An integrated system for depositing films on a substrate for copper interconnect, comprising:
 a processing chamber having a plurality of proximity heads, selected ones of the proximity heads being used for surface treatments and atomic layer depositions (ALDs);   a vacuum transfer module coupled to the processing chamber, the vacuum transfer module being used to transfer the substrate in the integrated system;   a processing module for copper seed layer deposition;   a controlled-ambient transfer module coupled to the processing module for copper seed layer deposition; and   a loadlock coupled to the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, the loadlock being used to assist transferring the substrate between the vacuum transfer module and to the controlled-ambient transfer module, wherein the controlled-ambient transfer module and the processing module for performing copper seed layer deposition are filled with an inert gas to limit the exposure of the substrate to oxygen, and wherein the integrated system enables controlled-ambient transitions within the integrated system to limit exposure of the substrate to uncontrolled ambient conditions outside of the integrated system.