Tak Kin Chu, 8615310 Pine Orchard Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20906

6351036, Feb 26, 2002

Aug 20, 1998

09/137083

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 2348

257751, 438687, 438643, 257767

A semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing a precursor, such as a metal halide (e. g. , BaF ), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of the temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6465887, Oct 15, 2002

May 3, 2000

09/563740

Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Francisco Santiago - Frederickburg VA
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 2348

257751, 257762, 257767, 438584

An epitaxial barrier material provides not only a unique growth medium for growing single crystal structures of elemental metal thereon, but also provides an effective diffusion barrier at extremely thin thicknesses against migration of atoms from the metallization layer into an adjacent semiconductor substrate or low dielectric insulation layer. This invention is particularly advantageous for forming single crystal, transition metal conductor lines, contacts, filled trenches, and/or via plugs, and especially conductor structures based on transition metals of copper, silver, gold, or platinum. These metals are highly attractive for interconnect strategies on account of there respective low resistivity and high reliability characteristics. Processes for making the barrier film in a semiconductor device are also covered. The capability to use copper interconnect strategies coupled with the proviso of an extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6566247, May 20, 2003

Jul 5, 2001

09/899799

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 214763

438627, 438643, 438653

A semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms, in which more than one type of metal atom is provided in barrier film. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing different types of precursors, such as metal halides (e. g. , BaF and SrF ), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of the temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6720654, Apr 13, 2004

Aug 20, 1998

09/137086

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 2348

257751, 257767

A semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing a precursor, such as a metal halide (e. g. , BaF ), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of the temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6734558, May 11, 2004

Aug 20, 1998

09/137084

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 2343

257751, 257762, 257767

A semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing a precursor, such as a metal halide (e. g. , BaF ), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of the temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6881669, Apr 19, 2005

May 9, 2001

09/853925

Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD, US
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA, US
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD, US

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L021/44
H01L021/4763

438653, 438627, 438643

An epitaxial barrier material provides not only a unique growth medium for growing single crystal structures of elemental metal thereon, but also provides an effective diffusion barrier at extremely thin thicknesses against migration of atoms from the metallization layer into an adjacent semiconductor substrate or low dielectric insulation layer. This invention is particularly advantageous for forming single crystal, transition metal conductor lines, contacts, filled trenches, and/or via plugs, and especially conductor structures based on transition metals of copper, silver, gold, or platinum. These metals are highly attractive for interconnect strategies on account of there respective low resistivity and high reliability characteristics. Processes for making the barrier film in a semiconductor device are also covered. The capability to use copper interconnect strategies coupled with the proviso of an extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6077775, Jun 20, 2000

Aug 20, 1998

9/137089

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 21441
H01L 214763

438643

Process for making a semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing a metal halide as a precursor (e. g. , BaF. sub. 2 or SrF. sub. 2), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of a temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.

6291876, Sep 18, 2001

Aug 20, 1998

9/137088

Michael F. Stumborg - Fredericksburg VA
Francisco Santiago - Fredericksburg VA
Tak Kin Chu - Bethesda MD
Kevin A. Boulais - Waldorf MD

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

H01L 2358

257632

A semiconductor device having a barrier film comprising an extremely thin film formed of one or more monolayers each comprised of a two-dimensional array of metal atoms, in which more than one type of metal atom is provided in barrier film. In one exemplary aspect, the barrier film is used for preventing the diffusion of atoms of another material, such as a copper conductor, into a substrate, such as a semiconducting material or an insulating material. In one mode of making the semiconductor device, the barrier film is formed by depositing different types of precursors, such as metal halides (e. g. , BaF. sub. 2 and SrF. sub. 2), onto the substrate material, and then annealing the resulting film on the substrate material to remove all of the constituents of the temporary heteroepitaxial film except for a monolayer of metal atoms left behind as attached to the surface of the substrate. A conductor, such as copper, deposited onto the barrier film is effectively prevented from diffusing into the substrate material even when the barrier film is only one or several monolayers in thickness. The extremely thin barrier film makes possible a significant increase in the component density and a corresponding reduction in the number of layers in large scale integrated circuits, as well as improved performance.