Applied Endura ® Cirrus™ PVD

Breakthrough Patterning Hardmask Enables Copper Interconnect Scaling

External Use R 69 G 153 B 195 MOBILITY DRIVING AGGRESSIVE SCALING THROUGH HIGHER DENSITY R 224 G 225 SYSTEM on CHIP (SoC) INTERCONNECTS B 221 R 139 G 141 B 142 R 77 G 79 B 83 R 163 G 219 B 232 R 122 G 184 B 0 R 254 G 203 B 0 R 255 G 121 B 1 R 205 Multi-component SoCs designed G 32 B 44 to meet both functionality and R 6 form factor G 30 B 60

External Use Interconnects in Advanced Chips are Narrow and Dense

SoC COPPER INTERCONNECTS connect elements on a chip

>20 KM COPPER WIRING

102 mm2 die size >1 Billion transistors >10 Layers of stacked wiring

External Use Interconnects Fabricated In-Situ on the Wafer

Lithography Patterning Metallization Exposure of a pattern (stencil) Selective removal to create wiring Copper wiring pathways

Patterning plays a key role in defining the interconnects

External Use Patterning Challenges Limiting Interconnect Scaling

Complexity Scaling Alignment

Copper Cu Line Via

Via Via Bottom 1/2000th Cu Lines Human Hair

Via Landing

Perfect via alignment is critical for device yield

Source: Tada, M.; Inoue, N.; Hayashi, Y.; "Performance Modeling of Low-k /Cu Interconnects for 32-nm-Node and Beyond

External Use Metal Hardmask Layer Manages Alignment Errors

Larger vias overlaid onto the hardmask Hardmask layer masks un-intended overlays

Hardmask Via Overlay Protected

Dielectric Etched Layer

Via Diameter Meets Spec.

Hardmask ensures the perfect via alignment critical for yield

External Use Nitride is the Metal Hardmask of Choice

Titanium TiN Hardmask Copper Metal Diamond Nitride

Softer Hardness Harder

Titanium nitride (TiN) is one of Prevalent since the 90nm node the hardest known materials

Robust TiN hardmask film is essential for pattern fidelity

External Use Physical Vapor Deposition Technology for TiN Hardmask

► Titanium atoms reactively sputtered in nitrogen-based plasma

► Tunable composition

PVD is the leading technology for metal deposition in chip manufacturing

External Use Applied is the Leader in PVD TiN Systems

Standard PVD Ionized PVD 2nd Gen. Ionized PVD

>200 PVD TiN systems

2007 2009 2011 2013

External Use High Film Density is Key for Hardness

Excessive Hardmask Erosion

Via CD In-Spec

*

Hardmask High-Density Resistant to Etch Hardmask

Via CD Out-of-Spec Etch to Harder

Low-Density Hardmask TiN Film Density (g/cm^3)

High film density desired to prevent excessive erosion CD = critical dimension

* Inverse of hardmask etch rate during dielectric etch

External Use Conventional PVD TiN has High Compressive Stress

+ve (Tension) Neutral Stress -ve (Compression)

Neutral-to-tensile stress needed for pattern fidelity

External Use Breakthrough Needed to Extend TiN Hardmask

Alternative Technologies

CVD/ALD Tensile Low-density films Ideal Hardmask for 10 nm and Beyond

Conventional PVD TiN Neutral Stress Need Breakthrough Possible to densify but stress penalty

Compressive

Low Film Density (Hardness) High PVD = Physical Vapor Deposition CVD = Chemical Vapor Deposition ALD =

External Use Introducing Endura® CirrusTM HTX TiN Breakthrough in PVD TiN Hardmask

 First PVD TiN system capable of tensile TiN films with high density

 VHF PVD-based technology for high ionization

 Tool of record at multiple customer sites

VHF = Very High Frequency PVD = Physical Vapor Deposition TiN =

External Use Conventional PVD

Enhanced PVD Technology for TiN Films

Conventional PVD CirrusTM HTX TiN

► Higher plasma density

► Ion energy control

► Surface atom mobility enhancement

PVD = Physical Vapor Deposition TiN = Titanium Nitride

External Use Precision Control Over TiN Film Growth

Conventional TiN Columnar microstructure dominated by (111) orientation Neutral-Dominant Plasma Nucleation (0 – 50Å)

(50 – 150Å) Film Growth (>200 Å)

TM Dense Nucleation with a mixture Cirrus HTX TiN of (111) and (200) orientation Highly Ionized Plasma

Smooth, dense microstructure dominated by (200) orientation

Scan here to view animations Cirrus chamber designed for tensile, high-density TiN films TiN = Titanium Nitride

External Use First PVD for Tensile, High-Density TiN Films

Alternative Technologies CirrusTM HTX TiN CVD/ALD Tensile Low-density films

Conventional PVD Neutral Stress Possible to densify but stress penalty

Compressive

Low Film Density (Hardness) High PVD = Physical Vapor Deposition CVD = Chemical Vapor Deposition ALD = Atomic Layer Deposition TiN = Titanium Nitride

External Use Proven Performance for Dense, Narrow Patterns

Conventional TiN CirrusTM HTX TiN Higher Pattern Density (Dense Pattern)

No Line Bending Pattern Distortion No Line Bending

TiN = Titanium Nitride Good pattern fidelity demonstrated on 10nm features Applied Materials Internal Data

External Use ProvenApplied Performance Endura® Cirrus for™ Dense, HTX TiN Narrow System Patterns Breakthrough in Interconnect Patterning for Advanced Devices

Precision engineered hardmask addresses patterning challenges for advanced interconnects

Tunable film stress for TiN thin films with close-to-bulk density

Rapid traction with >80 chambers shipped since 2013

Maintains Applied’s leadership in metal hardmask technology

External Use