A method includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer, depositing a seed layer in the opening, wherein first portions of the seed layer have a first concentration of impurities, exposing the first portions of the seed layer to a plasma, wherein after exposure to the plasma the first portions have a second concentration of impurities that is less than the first concentration of impurities, and filling the opening with a conductive material to form a conductive feature. In an embodiment, the seed layer includes tungsten, and the conductive material includes tungsten. In an embodiment, the impurities include boron.

A method for photoresist-free photolithography to pattern a surface of conductor or semiconductor substrate and deposit a material includes surface cleaning and irradiating a surface through a mask with VUV photons from a lamp. Photons are generated with a VUV lamp having a wavelength of 160 nm-200 nm and with an intensity sufficient to alter the surface. The photons are directed through a mask pattern to alter the surface chemistry or structure in those areas of the substrate defined by the mask. Material is selectively deposited onto the surface, in those portions of the surface that are exposed to the VUV photons, or unexposed to the VUV photons, depending on the substrate surface. A method uses a seed film and then electroplates metal onto the seed film in the mask pattern. A method provides for electroless deposition of metal and another for altering surface chemistry in the mask pattern.

A semiconductor device includes a fin structure, a source/drain region, a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, a first contact plug, and a second contact plug. The fin structure extends above a substrate. The source/drain region is in the fin structure. The first ILD layer is over the source/drain region. The first contact plug extends through the first ILD layer to a silicide region of the source/drain region. The second contact plug is over the first contact plug. The first contact plug has a protruding portion extending above the first ILD layer and laterally surrounding a lower part of the second contact plug.

Methods of forming copper interconnects are described. A doped tantalum nitride layer formed on a copper layer on a substrate has a first amount of dopant. The doped tantalum nitride layer is exposed to a plasma comprising one or more of helium or neon to form a treated doped tantalum nitride layer with a decreased amount of dopant. Apparatus for performing the methods are also described.

A semiconductor device includes a first interlayer insulating film disposed on a substrate and having a first trench. A first lower conductive pattern fills the first trench and includes first and second valley areas that are spaced apart from each other in a first direction parallel to an upper surface of the substrate. The first and second valley areas are recessed toward the substrate. A second interlayer insulating film is disposed on the first interlayer insulating film and includes a second trench that exposes at least a portion of the first lower conductive pattern. An upper conductive pattern fills the second trench and includes an upper barrier film and an upper filling film disposed on the upper barrier film. The upper conductive pattern at least partially fills the first valley area.

A method includes receiving a structure having a dielectric layer over a conductive feature, wherein the conductive feature includes a second metal. The method further includes etching a hole through the dielectric layer and exposing the conductive feature and depositing a first metal into the hole and in direct contact with the dielectric layer and the conductive feature, wherein the first metal entirely fills the hole. The method further includes annealing the structure such that atoms of the second metal are diffused into grain boundaries of the first metal and into interfaces between the first metal and the dielectric layer. After the annealing, the method further includes performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to remove at least a portion of the first metal.

Tungsten-containing metal films may be deposited in recessed features of semiconductor substrates by electrodeposition. The tungsten-containing metal film is electrodeposited under conditions so that the tunsten-containing metal film is free or substantially free of oxide. Conditions are optimized during electrodeposition for pH, tungsten concentration, and current density, among other parameters. The tungsten-containing metal film may include cobalt tungsten alloy, cobalt nickel tungsten alloy, or nickel tungsten alloy, where a tungsten content in the tungsten-containing metal film is between about 1-20 atomic %.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device with a landing pad of conductive polymer and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate, a plug disposed in the dielectric layer, and a landing pad of conductive polymer disposed over the dielectric layer. The method includes: providing a substrate; forming a dielectric layer with a plug over the substrate; performing an etching process to remove a portion of the dielectric layer to expose a protruding portion of the plug; forming a conductive polymer layer covering the dielectric layer and the protruding portion; and performing a thermal process to form a landing pad over the dielectric layer in a self-aligned manner. The landing pad of conductive polymer comprises a protruding portion of the plug, a first silicide layer disposed over the protruding portion, and a second silicide layer disposed on a sidewall of the protruding portion.

A method and apparatus for nitride capping of titanium materials via chemical vapor deposition techniques is provided. The method includes forming a titanium nitride layer upon a titanium material layer formed on a substrate. The titanium nitride layer is formed by exposing the titanium material layer to a hydrogen-rich nitrogen-containing plasma followed by exposing the titanium material layer to a nitrogen-rich nitrogen-containing plasma. The titanium nitride layer is then exposed to an argon plasma followed by exposing the titanium nitride layer to a halide soak process.

A structure includes a first conductive feature in a first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; and a second conductive feature extending through the second dielectric layer to physically contact the first conductive feature, wherein the second conductive feature includes a metal adhesion layer over and physically contacting the first conductive feature; a barrier layer extending along sidewalls of the second dielectric layer; and a conductive filling material extending over the metal adhesion layer and the barrier layer, wherein a portion of the conductive filling material extends between the barrier layer and the metal adhesion layer.