A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer, a via, a first graphene layer, and a metal line. The dielectric layer is over the semiconductor substrate. The via extends through the dielectric layer. The first graphene layer extends along a top surface of the via. The metal line spans the first graphene layer. The metal line has a line width decreasing as a distance from the first graphene layer increases.

Embodiments herein provide for oxygen based treatment of low-k dielectric layers deposited using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process. Oxygen based treatment of the FCVD deposited low-k dielectric layers desirably increases the Ebd to capacitance and reliability of the devices while removing voids. Embodiments include methods and apparatus for making a semiconductor device including: etching a metal layer disposed atop a substrate to form one or more metal lines having a top surface, a first side, and a second side; depositing a passivation layer atop the top surface, the first side, and the second side under conditions sufficient to reduce or eliminate oxygen contact with the one or more metal lines; depositing a flowable layer of low-k dielectric material atop the passivation layer in a thickness sufficient to cover the one or more metal lines; and contacting the flowable layer of low-k dielectric material with oxygen under conditions sufficient to anneal and increase a density of the low-k dielectric material.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a structure including a first insulating pattern and a metal pattern disposed on a substrate, performing a cleaning process on the structure, exposing the structure to a reducing agent, forming, selectively, a passivation layer on the metal pattern, forming, selectively, a second insulating pattern on the first insulating pattern, and performing thermal processing on the structure.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: a base provided with a contact hole is provided; an initial contact structure including a first diffusion barrier layer, a conductive layer and a second diffusion barrier layer stacked onto one another is formed on the base, the first diffusion barrier layer conformably covering the contact hole and covering part of a top surface of the base, the conductive layer covering first diffusion barrier layer and being filled in unoccupied space in the contact hole, the second diffusion barrier layer covering a side of the conductive layer away from first diffusion barrier layer, the initial contact structure outside the contact hole being provided with a groove exposing side walls of conductive layer and second diffusion barrier layer; a third diffusion barrier layer is formed on a side wall of initial contact structure exposed by the groove to obtain a target contact structure.