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 Titanium 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 = Atomic Layer Deposition
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 = Titanium Nitride
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