The disclosed technology generally relates to forming a titanium nitride layer, and more particularly to forming by atomic layer deposition a titanium nitride layer on a seed layer. In one aspect, a semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising a non-metallic surface. The semiconductor structure additionally comprises a seed layer comprising silicon (Si) and nitrogen (N) conformally coating the non-metallic surface and a TiN layer conformally coating the seed layer. Aspects are also directed to methods of forming the semiconductor structures.

Described are microelectronic devices comprising a dielectric layer formed on a substrate, a feature comprising a gap defined in the dielectric layer, a barrier layer on the dielectric layer, a two metal liner film on the barrier layer and a gap fill metal on the two metal liner. Embodiments provide a method of forming a microelectronic device comprising the two metal liner film on the barrier layer.

Provided herein are methods for forming a layer on a substrate wherein the layer is formed selectively on a first region of the substrate relative to a second region having a composition different than the first region. Methods of the invention include selectively forming a layer using an inhibitor agent capable of reducing the average acidity of a first region of the substrate having a composition characterized by a plurality of hydroxyl groups. Methods of the invention include selectively forming a layer by exposure of the substrate to: (i) an inhibitor agent comprising a substituted or an unsubstituted amine group, a substituted or an unsubstituted pyridyl group, a carbonyl group, or a combination of these, and (ii) a precursor gas comprising one or more ligands selected from the group consisting of a carbonyl group, an allyl group, combination thereof.

Embodiments include package substrates and a method of forming the package substrates. A package substrate includes a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) layer over a first dielectric, where the SAM layer includes first end groups and second end groups. The second end groups may include a plurality of hydrophobic moieties. The package substrate also includes a conductive pad on the first dielectric, where the conductive pad has a bottom surface, a top surface, and a sidewall, and where the SAM layer surrounds and contacts a surface of the sidewall of the conductive pad. The hydrophobic moieties may include fluorinated moieties. The conductive pad includes a copper material, where the top surface of the conductive pad has a surface roughness that is approximately equal to a surface roughness of the as-plated copper material. The SAM layer may have a thickness that is approximately 0.1 nm to 20 nm.

A source/drain is disposed over a substrate. A source/drain contact is disposed over the source/drain. A first via is disposed over the source/drain contact. The first via has a laterally-protruding bottom portion and a top portion that is disposed over the laterally-protruding bottom portion.

The present disclosure describes an interconnect structure and a method forming the same. The interconnect structure can include a substrate, a layer of conductive material over the substrate, a metallic capping layer over the layer of conductive material, a layer of insulating material over top and side surfaces of the metallic capping layer, and a layer of trench conductor formed in the layer of insulating material and the metallic capping layer.

Embodiments herein are generally directed to methods of forming high aspect ratio metal contacts and/or interconnect features, e.g., tungsten features, in a semiconductor device. Often, conformal deposition of tungsten in a high aspect ratio opening results in a seam and/or void where the outward growth of tungsten from one or more walls of the opening meet. Thus, the methods set forth herein provide for a desirable bottom up tungsten bulk fill to avoid the formation of seams and/or voids in the resulting interconnect features, and provide an improved contact metal structure and method of forming the same. In some embodiments, an improved overburden layer or overburden layer structure is formed over the field region of the substrate to enable the formation of a contact or interconnect structure that has improved characteristics over conventionally formed contacts or interconnect structures.

Methods for forming a semiconductor structure are described. The method includes cleaning a substrate to form a substrate surface substantially free of oxide, exposing the substrate surface to a first molybdenum precursor, and exposing the substrate surface to a reactant to selectively deposit a first molybdenum film on the substrate surface. The method may be performed in a processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The method may also include forming one or more of a cap layer and a liner and annealing the substrate. The method may also include depositing a second molybdenum film on the substrate surface.

A method of forming a titanium nitride film includes: forming the titanium nitride film by alternately repeating supplying a raw material gas, which contains a titanium compound including chlorine and titanium, to a substrate accommodated in a processing container, and supplying a reaction gas, which contains a nitrogen compound including nitrogen and reacts with the titanium compound to form titanium nitride, to the substrate, wherein the forming the titanium nitride film is executed under a condition in which a pressure in the processing container is set within a range of 2.7 kPa to 12.6 kPa so that a specific resistance of the titanium nitride film becomes 57 micro-ohm-cm or less.

A semiconductor structure including a first dielectric layer comprising a first conductive metal feature embedded in the first dielectric layer; and a second dielectric layer including a second conductive metal feature embedded in the second dielectric layer, the second conductive metal feature is above and directly contacts the first conductive metal feature, and an interface between the second conductive metal feature and the second dielectric layer includes a repeating scallop shape along its entire length.