Product Briefing Outline: ATMI has introduced a new
copper electrochemical deposition process for producing semiconductor
chips with advanced copper interconnects in partnership with Enthone
and Novellus Systems. The new chemistry and process were developed for
Novellus Systems' SABRE tool for the 45nm process node. The
ATMI-Enthone ‘Viaform Extreme' process is claimed to offer significant
enhancements that meet stringent performance requirements for low
defect rates, uniformity, and electrical performance. The chemistry
and associated processes have been validated at leading semiconductor
manufacturers, according to the companies.
Problem: Initially, the industry saw the need
for only two organic components - a suppressor and an accelerator - in
the plating solution in order to achieve void-free deposition. Enthone
discovered that adding a third component - a leveler - reduced mounding
over high-density features and produced a markedly more planar surface.
However, continued development has been required to produce void-free
deep aspect ratio trench filling which is increasingly susceptible to
impurities. Improving stress migration, electro-migration, and the
speed of bottom-up fill has also become more challenging.
Solution:
ATMI-Enthone's Viaform Extreme process is claimed to offer significant
enhancements that meet stringent performance requirements for low
defect rates, uniformity, and electrical performance for the 45nm
technology node and below with high reliability. By altering the
chemistry of the proprietary organic polymers in the acid copper
plating solution, ATMI and Enthone were able to manipulate the
properties of the resulting film to meet the individual parameters set
by different chip manufacturers.
Applications: Copper interconnects at the 45nm node.
Platform:
ViaForm chemistry is produced in Enthone's high volume manufacturing
(HVM) facility and applications laboratories based in Connecticut USA.
The HVM exceeds Class 1000 packaging requirements and features computer
integrated manufacturing, including on-line particle count, fully
automated and enclosed chemical distribution, and dedicated processing
streams. ViaForm chemistry is exclusively marketed and distributed
worldwide by ATMI and used exclusively on Novellus' SABRE and SABRE
Extreme ECD platforms.
Availability: July 2006 onwards.