A method includes forming a first conductive feature in a first dielectric layer, forming a first metal cap over and contacting the first conductive feature, forming an etch stop layer over the first dielectric layer and the first metal cap, forming a second dielectric layer over the etch stop layer; and etching the second dielectric layer and the etch stop layer to form an opening. The first conductive feature is exposed to the opening. The method further includes selectively depositing a second metal cap at a bottom of the opening, forming an inhibitor film at the bottom of the opening and on the second metal cap, selectively depositing a conductive barrier in the opening, removing the inhibitor film, and filling remaining portions of the opening with a conductive material to form a second conductive feature.

A semiconductor processing tool performs passivation layer deposition and removal in situ. A transport mechanism included in the semiconductor processing tool transfers a semiconductor structure through different deposition chambers (e.g., without breaking or removing a vacuum environment). Accordingly, the semiconductor processing tool deposits a target layer that is thinner on, or even absent from, a metal layer, such that contact resistance is reduced between a conductive structure formed over the target layer and the metal layer. As a result, electrical performance of a device including the conductive structure is improved. Moreover, because the process is performed in situ (e.g., without breaking or removing the vacuum) in the semiconductor processing tool, production time and risk of impurities in the conductive structure are reduced. As a result, throughput is increased, and chances of spoiled wafers are decreased.

Provided are an interconnect structure and an electronic device including the interconnect structure. The interconnect structure may include a dielectric layer including a trench; a conductive line in the trench; and a first cap layer on an upper surface of the conductive line. The first cap layer may include a graphene-metal composite including graphene and a metal mixed with each other.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method are provided. The method for forming the semiconductor device includes providing a substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the substrate; forming a through hole in the dielectric layer, the through hole exposing a portion of a top surface of the substrate; performing a surface treatment process on the dielectric layer of sidewalls of the through hole; and filling a metal layer in the through hole.

An interlayer insulating film has via holes. A sidewall conductive layer is arranged along a sidewall surface of one via hole and contains one or more kinds selected from a group including tungsten, titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum and molybdenum. A second metal wiring layer is embedded in one via hole and contains aluminum. A plug layer is embedded in the other via hole and contains one or more kinds selected from the group including tungsten, titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum and molybdenum.

A method for manufacturing an interconnect structure includes providing a substrate structure including a substrate, a first metal layer on the substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate and covering the first metal layer, and an opening extending to the first metal layer; forming a first barrier layer on a bottom and sidewalls of the opening with a first substrate bias; forming a second barrier layer on the first barrier layer with a second substrate bias, the second substrate bias being greater than the first substrate bias, the first and second barrier layers forming collectively a barrier layer; removing a portion of the barrier layer on the bottom and on the sidewalls of the opening by bombarding the barrier layer with a plasma with a vertical substrate bias; and forming a second metal layer filling the opening.

A semiconductor structure (MG) includes a metal gate structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the MG, a source/drain (S/D) feature disposed adjacent to the dielectric layer, and a S/D contact disposed over the S/D feature. The S/D contact includes a first metal layer disposed over the S/D feature and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer.

A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first interlayer insulating layer on the substrate; a first wiring pattern in a first trench of the first interlayer insulating layer; a second interlayer insulating layer on the first interlayer insulating layer; a second wiring pattern in a second trench of the second interlayer insulating layer; a third interlayer insulating layer on the second interlayer insulating layer; a third wiring pattern in a third trench of the third interlayer insulating layer, and including a wiring barrier layer and a wiring filling layer, wherein the wiring filling layer contacts the third interlayer insulating layer; a via trench extending from the first wiring pattern to the third trench; and a via including a via barrier layer and a via filling layer. The via barrier layer is in the via trench. The via filling layer contacts the first wiring pattern and the wiring filling layer.

An integrated circuit structure comprises a first and second conductive structures formed in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) of a metallization stack over a substrate. The first conductive structure comprises a first conductive line, and first dummy structures located adjacent to one or more sides of the first conductive line, wherein the first dummy structures comprise respective arrays of dielectric core segments having a Young's modulus larger than the Young's modulus of the ILD, the dielectric core segments being approximately 1-3 microns in width and spaced apart by approximately 1-3 microns. The second conductive structure formed in the ILD comprises a conductive surface and second dummy structures formed in the conductive surface, where the second dummy structures comprising an array of conductive pillars.

The present disclosure describes a method for forming liner-free or barrier-free conductive structures. The method includes depositing an etch stop layer on a cobalt contact disposed on a substrate, depositing a dielectric on the etch stop layer, etching the dielectric and the etch stop layer to form an opening that exposes a top surface of the cobalt contact, and etching the exposed top surface of the cobalt contact to form a recess in the cobalt contact extending laterally under the etch stop layer. The method further includes depositing a ruthenium metal to substantially fill the recess and the opening, and annealing the ruthenium metal to form an oxide layer between the ruthenium metal and the dielectric.