• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.435-438
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• 2004

MOCVD is one of the major deposition techniques for Cu thin films and Ta-Si-N is one of promising barrier metal candidates for Cu with high thermal stability. Effects of hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the underlying Ta-Si-N film surface on the Cu nucleation in Cu MOCVD were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron emission spectrometry analyses. Cu nucleation in MOCVD is enhanced as the rf-power and the plasma exposure time are increased in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment. The optimal plasma treatment process condition is the rf-power of 40 Wand the plasma exposure time of 2 min. The hydrogen gas flow rate in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment process does not affect Cu nucleation much. The mechanism through which Cu nucleation is enhanced by the hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the Ta-Si-N film surface is that the nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the Ta-Si-N film surface are effectively removed by the plasma treatment. Consequently the chemical composition was changed from Ta-Si-N(O) into Ta-Si at the Ta-Si-N film surface, which is favorable for Cu nucleation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.1091-1098
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• 1998

Thermal stability of the electroless deposited Cu thin film was investigated. Cu/TaN/Si multilayer was fabricated by electroless-depositing Cu thin layer on TaN diffusion barrier layer which was deposited by MOCVD on the Si substrate, and was annealed in $H_2$ ambient to investigate the microstructure of Cu film with a post heat-treatment. Cu thin film with good adhesion was successfully deposited on the surface of the TaN film by electroless deposition with a proper activation treatment and solution control. Microstructural property of the electroless-deposited Cu layer was improved by a post-annealing in the reduced atmosphere of $H_2$ gas up to $600^{\circ}C$. Thermal stability of Cu/TaN/Si system was maintained up to $600^{\circ}C$ annealing temperature, but the intermediate compounds of Cu-Si were formed above $650^{\circ}C$ because Cu element passed through the TaN layer. On the other hand, thermal stability of the Cu/TaN/Si system in Ar ambient was maintained below $550^{\circ}C$ annealing temperature due to the minimal impurity of $O_2$ in Ar gas.

• Proceedings of the International Microelectronics And Packaging Society Conference
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• 2001.07a
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• pp.100-103
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• 2001

In this study, the adhesion and thermal property of the electroless-deposited Cu thin film were investigated. The multilayered structure of Cu/TaN/Si was fabricated by electroless-depositing the Cu thin layer on the TaN diffusion barrier which was deposited by MOCVD on the Si substrate. The thermal stability was investigated by measuring the resistivity as post-annealing temperature far the multilayered Cu/TaN/Si specimen which was annealed at Ar gas. The adhesion property of Cu 171ms was evaluated by the scratch test. The adhesion of the electroless-deposited Cu film was compared with other deposition methods of thermal evaporation and sputtering. The scratch test showed that the adhesion of electroless plated Cu film on TaN was better than those of sputtered Cu film and evaporated Cu film.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.19-24
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• 2009

Formation of an adhesion/barrier layer and a seed layer by sputtering techniques followed by electroplating has been one of the most widely used methods for the filling of through-Si via (TSV) with high aspect ratio for 3-D packaging. In this research, the adhesion and diffusion-barrier properties of the $TaN_x$ film deposited by reactive sputtering were investigated. The adhesion strength between Cu film and $SiO_2$/Si substrate was quantitatively measured by $180^{\circ}$ peel test and topple test as a function of the composition of the adhesive $TaN_x$ film. As the nitrogen content increased in the adhesive $TaN_x$ film, the adhesion strength between Cu and $SiO_2$/Si substrate increased, which was attributed to the increased formation of interfacial compound layer with the nitrogen flow rate. We also examined the diffusion-barrier properties of the $TaN_x$ films against Cu diffusion and found that it was improved with increasing nitrogen content in the $TaN_x$ film up to N/Ta ratio of 1.4.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics A
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• v.32A no.11
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• pp.35-43
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• 1995

To obtain high quality of $Ta_{2}O_{5}$ film, two dielectric layers of $Si_{3}N_{4}$ and $Ta_{2}O_{5}$ were subsequently formed on Si wafer. Silicon nitride films were thermally grown in 10 Torr ammonia ambient by R.F induced heating system. The thickness of thermally grown $Si_{3}N_{4}$ film was able to be controlled in the range of tens $\AA$ due to the self-limited growth property. $Ta_{2}O_{5}$ film of 200$\AA$ thickness was then deposited on the as-grown $Si_{3}N_{4}$ film about 25$\AA$ thickness by sputtering method and annealed at $900^{\circ}C$in $O_{2}$ ambient for 1hr. Stoichiometry film was prepared by the annealing in oxygen ambient. Despite the high temperature anneal process, silicon oxide layer was not grown at the interface of the layered films because of the oxidation barrier effect of Si$_{3}$N$_{4}$ film. The fabricated $Ta_{2}O_{5}$/$Si_{3}N_{4}$ film showed low leakage current less than several nA and high dielectric breakdown strength.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1999

In this study, the thermal property and adhesion of the electroless-deposited Cu thin film were investigated. The multilayered structure of Cu /TaN /Si was fabricated by electroless-depositing the Cu thin layer on the TaN diffusion barrier which was deposited by MOCVD on the Si substrate. The thermal stability was investigated by measuring the resistivity as post-annealing temperature for the multilayered Cu /TaN /Si specimen which was annealed at atmospheres of $H_2$and Ar gases, respectively. The adhesion strength of Cu films was evaluated by the scratch test. The adhesion of the electroless-deposited Cu film was compared with other deposition methods of thermal evaporation and sputtering. The scratch test showed that the adhesion of electroless plated Cu film on TaN was better than that of sputtered Cu film and evaporated Cu film.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society Of Semiconductor Equipment Technology
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.139-145
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• 2005

In the study, in order to deposit TaN thin film using diffusion barrier and bottom electrode we made the Plasma Assisted ALD equipment and confirmed the electrical characteristic of TaN thin films deposited PAALD method, PAALD equipment depositing TaN thin film using PEMAT(pentakis(ethylmethlyamlno) tantalum) Precursor and $NH_3$ reaction gas is aware that TaN thin film deposited of high density and amorphous phase with XRD measurement The degree of diffusion and react ion taking place in Cu/TaN(deposited using 150 W PAALD)/$SiO_2$/Si systems with increasing annealing temperature was estimated from MOS capacitor property and the $SiO_2(600\;\AA)$/Si system surface analysis by C-V measurement and secondary ion material spectrometer(SIMS) after Cu/TaN/$SiO_2(400\;\AA)$ system etching. TaN thin film deposited PAALD method diffusion barrier have a good diffusion barrier property up to $500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.4 no.2 s.11
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• pp.39-43
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• 2005

In the study, in order to deposit TaN thin film for diffusion barrier and bottom electrode we made the Plasma Assisted ALD equipment and confirmed the electrical characteristics of TaN thin films grown PAALD method. Plasma Assisted ALD equipment depositing TaN thin film using PEMAT(pentakis(ethylmethlyamino) tantalum) precursor and NH3 reaction gas is shown that TaN thin film deposited high density and amorphous phase with XRD measurement. The degree of diffusion and reaction taking place in Cu/TaN (deposited using 150W PAALD)/$SiO_{2}$/Si systems with increasing annealing temperature was estimated for MOS capacitor property and the $SiO_{2}$, (600${\AA}$)/Si system surface analysis by C-V measurement and secondary ion material spectrometer (SIMS) after Cu/TaN/$SiO_{2}$ (400 ${\AA}$) layer etching. TaN thin film deposited PAALD method diffusion barrier have a good diffusion barrier property up to 500$^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2011

The microstructure and Cu diffusion barrier property of Ta-Si-N films for various Si and N compositions were studied. Ta-Si-N films of a wide range of compositions (Si: 0~30 at.%, N: 0~55 at.%) were deposited by DC magnetron reactive sputtering of Ta and Si targets. Deposition rates of Ta and Si films as a function of DC target current density for various $N_2/(Ar+N_2)$ flow rate ratios were investigated. The composition of Ta-Si-N films was examined by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). The variation of the microstructure of Ta-Si-N films with Si and N composition was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The degree of crystallinity of Ta-Si-N films decreased with increasing Si and N composition. The Cu diffusion barrier property of Ta-Si-N films with more than sixty compositions was investigated. The Cu(100 nm)/Ta-Si-N(30 nm)/Si structure was used to investigate the Cu diffusion barrier property of Ta-Si-N films. The microstructure of all Cu/Ta-Si-N/Si structures after heat treatment for 1 hour at various temperatures was examined by XRD. A contour map that shows the diffusion barrier failure temperature for Cu as a function of Si and N composition was completed. At Si compositions ranging from 0 to 15 at.%, the Cu diffusion barrier property was best when the composition ratio of Ta + Si and N was almost identical.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.226-230
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• 2005

In this research, magnetic properties and annealing effects of the spin valve structures were investigated, which have Ta underlayer deposited with Ar and $N_2$ gas mixture. Also, TaN underlayer as a diffusion barrier and the substrate were investigated. The structure of the spin valve was Si($SiO_2$)/Ta(TaN)/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/FeMn/Ta. Deposition rate was decreased and resistivity and roughness of the TaN films were increased as the $N_2$ gas flow was increased. The XRD results after high temperature annealing showed that Silicides were created in Si/Ta layer, but not in Si/TaN layer. Magnetoresistance ratio (MR) and exchange coupling field ($H_{ex}$) were decreased when the $N_2$ gas flow was increased over 4.0 sccm. The MR of the spin valves with Ta and TaN films deposited with up to 4.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow was increased about $0.5\%$ until the annealing temperature of up to $200^{\circ}C$ and then, decreased. TaN film deposited with 8.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow showed twice the adhesion of the Ta film. The above results indicate that with 3.0 sccm of $N_2$ gas flow during the Ta underlayer deposition, the magnetic properties of the spin valves are maintained, while the underlayer may be used as a diffusion barrier and the adhesion between the Si substrate and the underlayer is increased.