Adhesion between dielectric materials

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method including: determining whether a surface of a dielectric layer is reactive; activating the surface if the surface is not reactive; performing a cycle on the surface, the cycle including: reacting the surface with a metal; and activating the metal. The present invention also discloses a structure including: a substrate; a first interlayer dielectric located over the substrate; a first adhesion promoter layer located over the first interlayer dielectric; an etch stop layer located over the first adhesion promoter layer; a second adhesion promoter layer located over the etch stop layer; and a second interlayer dielectric located over the second adhesion promoter layer.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 determining whether a surface of a dielectric layer is reactive;    activating said surface if said surface is not reactive;    performing a cycle on said surface, said cycle comprising: 
 reacting said surface with a metal; and  
 activating said metal.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein activating involves formation of a hydroxyl bond.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein activating is done with Hydrogen (H 2 ).  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein activating is done with water (H 2 O).  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said metal is Titanium.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said metal is Tantalum.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said metal is Aluminum.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said cycle is performed with Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD).  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising repeating said cycle until a total of 5-10 cycles has been performed.  
     
     
         10 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first dielectric layer;    forming a first hydroxyl bond at a surface of said first dielectric layer;    reacting said first hydroxyl bond with a metal;    forming a second hydroxyl bond at a surface of said metal; and    forming a second dielectric layer over said second hydroxyl bond.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said first dielectric layer is Carbon-doped Oxide (CDO) and said second dielectric layer is Silicon Nitride or Silicon Carbide.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said first dielectric layer is Silicon Nitride or Silicon Carbide and said second dielectric layer is Carbon-doped Oxide (CDO).  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said metal is Titanium, Tantalum, or Aluminum.  
     
     
         14 . A structure comprising: 
 a substrate;    a first interlayer dielectric disposed over said substrate;    a first adhesion promoter layer disposed over said first interlayer dielectric;    an etch stop layer disposed over said first adhesion promoter layer;    a second adhesion promoter layer disposed over said etch stop layer; and    a second interlayer dielectric disposed over said second adhesion promoter layer.    
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein said first and second interlayer dielectric layers each comprises Carbon-doped Oxide (CDO).  
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein said first and second adhesion promoter layers each comprises an activated layer and a buffer layer.  
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein said first and second adhesion promoter layers each comprises about one monolayer.  
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein said first and second adhesion layers each comprises a thickness of about 4-20 Angstroms.  
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 14  wherein said first and second adhesion promoter layers each comprises a metal.