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METHODS AND DEVICES FOR IMPROVING BOND STRENGTH OF DIFFUSION BARRIERS

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  • Publication Date:
    March 20, 2025
  • Additional Information
    • Document Number:
      20250096190
    • Appl. No:
      18/370840
    • Application Filed:
      September 20, 2023
    • Abstract:
      Semiconductor devices and corresponding methods of manufacture are disclosed. The methods include forming a first layer on a first substrate, treating the first layer with a nitrogen-based plasma to form a first type of dangling bonds, treating the first layer with an oxygen-based plasma to transform the first type of dangling bonds into a second type of dangling bonds, and treating the first layer with water to transform the second type of dangling bonds into a third type of dangling bonds.
    • Assignees:
      Tokyo Electron Limited (Tokyo, JP)
    • Claim:
      1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a first layer on a first substrate; treating the first layer with a nitrogen-based plasma to form a first type of dangling bonds; treating the first layer with an oxygen-based plasma to transform the first type of dangling bonds into a second type of dangling bonds; and treating the first layer with water to transform the second type of dangling bonds into a third type of dangling bonds.
    • Claim:
      2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a second layer on a second substrate; treating the second layer with a nitrogen-based plasma to form the first type of dangling bonds; treating the second layer with an oxygen-based plasma to transform the first type of dangling bonds into the second type of dangling bonds; and treating the second layer with water to transform the second type of dangling bonds into the third type of dangling bonds.
    • Claim:
      3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: bonding the first substrate and the second substrate such that the third type of dangling bonds of each substrate forms a third layer between the first layer and the second layer.
    • Claim:
      4. The method of claim 2, wherein the third layer is an oxide layer.
    • Claim:
      5. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first layer is a nitride-based material; the first type of dangling bonds is a nitrogen-based dangling bond; the second type of dangling bonds is an oxygen-based dangling bond; and the third type of dangling bonds is a hydroxide-based dangling bond.
    • Claim:
      6. The method of claim 5, wherein the nitride-based material is at least one of SiCN, SiN, BN, AlN, TiN, or TaN.
    • Claim:
      7. The method of claim 1, wherein: the bonding of the first substrate and the second substrate is performed by a wafer-to-wafer bonding or by a die-to-wafer bonding.
    • Claim:
      8. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a first layer on a first substrate; forming a second layer on a second substrate; forming a first type of dangling bonds on the first layer of the first substrate and on the second layer of the second substrate; transforming the first type of dangling bonds on the first layer of the first substrate and on the second layer of the second substrate into a second type of dangling bonds; transforming the second type of dangling bonds on the first layer of the first substrate and on the second layer of the second substrate into a third type of dangling bonds; and bonding the third type of dangling bonds on the first layer of the first substrate with the third type of dangling bonds on the second layer of the second substrate.
    • Claim:
      9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bonding of the third type of dangling bonds on the first layer of the first substrate and the third type of dangling bonds on the second layer of the second substrate forms a third layer.
    • Claim:
      10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third layer is an oxide layer.
    • Claim:
      11. The method of claim 8, comprising: treating the first layer and the second layer with a N2 plasma to form the first type of dangling bonds; treating the first type of dangling bonds with an O2 plasma to transform the first type of dangling bonds into the second type of dangling bonds; and treating the second type of dangling bonds with water to transform the second type of dangling bonds into the third type of dangling bonds.
    • Claim:
      12. The method of claim 11, wherein: the first type of dangling bonds is a nitrogen-based dangling bond; the second type of dangling bonds is an oxygen-based dangling bond; and the third type of dangling bonds is a hydroxide-based dangling bond.
    • Claim:
      13. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a dielectric material on a first portion of a first substrate; forming the dielectric material on a first portion of a second substrate; forming a conductive material on a second portion of the first substrate; forming the conductive material on a second portion of the second substrate; forming dangling bonds on the first portion of the first substrate; forming dangling bonds on the first portion of the second substrate; and bonding the first substrate and the second substrate such that at least one of the dangling bonds on the first portion of the first substrate bonds with at least one of the dangling bonds on the first portion of the second substrate to form an oxide.
    • Claim:
      14. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of dangling bonds on the first portion of the first substrate and the forming of dangling bonds on the first portion of the second substrate comprises: forming nitrogen-based dangling bonds on the dielectric material on the first portion of the first substrate and on the dielectric material on the first portion of the second substrate; transforming the nitrogen-based dangling bonds into oxygen-based dangling bonds; and transforming the oxygen-based dangling bonds into hydroxide-based dangling bonds.
    • Claim:
      15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: treating the dielectric material on the first portion of the first substrate and on the dielectric material on the first portion of the second substrate with an N2 plasma to form the nitrogen-based dangling bonds; treating the nitrogen-based dangling bonds with an O2 plasma to transform the nitrogen-based dangling bonds into the oxygen-based dangling bonds; and treating the oxygen-based dangling bonds with water to transform the oxygen-based dangling bonds into the hydroxide-based dangling bonds.
    • Claim:
      16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: forming an interconnect material on a bottom portion and sidewalls of the second portion of the first substrate; and forming the interconnect material on a bottom portion and sidewalls of the second portion of the second substrate.
    • Claim:
      17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interconnect material formed on the second portion of the first substrate, the interconnect material formed on the second portion of the second substrate, and the oxide form a diffusion barrier.
    • Claim:
      18. The method of claim 17, wherein the interconnect material formed on the second portion of the first substrate is connected to the interconnect material formed on the second portion of the second substrate through the oxide.
    • Claim:
      19. The method of claim 13, wherein the oxide prevents the conductive material in the second portion of the first substrate from diffusing into the first portion of the second substrate.
    • Claim:
      20. The method of claim 13, wherein the dielectric material comprises tetraethyl orthosilicate and at least one of SiCN, SiN, BN, AlN, TiN, or TaN.
    • Current International Class:
      01
    • Accession Number:
      edspap.20250096190