Methods and devices for metal filling processes

Abstract

Metal filling processes for semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices. One method includes, for instance: obtaining a wafer with at least one contact opening; depositing a metal alloy into at least a portion of the at least one contact opening; separating the metal alloy into a first metal layer and a second metal layer; depositing a barrier stack over the wafer; forming at least one trench opening; forming at least one via opening; and depositing at least one metal material into the trench openings and via openings. An intermediate semiconductor device is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intermediate semiconductor device comprising:
 a substrate;   at least one contact opening in the substrate;   a first material in a bottom portion of the at least one contact opening; and   at least one second material over the first material in a top portion of the at least one contact opening.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is tungsten. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second material comprises:
 a first metal layer over the first material; and   a second metal layer over the first metal layer.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the first metal layer is copper and the second metal layer is manganese. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an etch stop layer over the substrate and second metal layer;   an interlayer dielectric layer over the etch stop layer;   a first dielectric hard mask over the interlayer dielectric layer;   a metal hard mask layer over the first dielectric hard mask;   a second dielectric hard mask over the metal hard mask layer; and   a first lithography stack over the second dielectric hard mask.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second material is one metal layer. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the one metal layer is copper. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an etch stop layer over the substrate and the one metal layer;   an interlayer dielectric layer over the etch stop layer;   a first dielectric hard mask over the interlayer dielectric layer;   a metal hard mask layer over the first dielectric hard mask;   a second dielectric hard mask over the metal hard mask layer; and   a first lithography stack over the second dielectric hard mask.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contact opening comprises:
 two sidewalls; and   a bottom surface.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the first material extends between the two sidewalls and from the bottom surface of the at least one contact opening to a point below a top surface of the intermediate semiconductor device filling a portion of the at least one contact opening. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one second material is directly over the first material and the at least one second material extends between the two sidewalls. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one second material comprises:
 a first metal layer over the first material; and   a second metal layer over the first metal layer.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first metal layer is directly over the first material and the second metal layer is directly over the first metal layer. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first material includes a first thickness, the at least one second material includes a second thickness, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an etch stop layer over the substrate and second metal layer;   an interlayer dielectric layer over the etch stop layer;   a first dielectric hard mask over the interlayer dielectric layer;   a metal hard mask layer over the first dielectric hard mask; and   at least one via opening extending through the metal hard mask layer, the first dielectric hard mask, the interlayer dielectric layer, and at least a portion of the etch stop layer and wherein the at least one via opening is positioned directly over the at least one second material.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein at least one metal is in the at least one via opening. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one second material comprises:
 a first metal layer over the first material; and   a second metal layer over the first metal layer; and   wherein the at least one metal of the at least one via opening directly contacts the second metal layer.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an etch stop layer over the substrate and second metal layer;   an interlayer dielectric layer over the etch stop layer; and   at least one via opening extending through the interlayer dielectric layer and at least a portion of the etch stop layer and wherein the at least one via opening is positioned directly over the at least one second material.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein at least one metal is in the at least one via opening. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one second material comprises:
 a first metal layer over the first material; and   a second metal layer over the first metal layer; and   wherein the at least one metal of the at least one via opening directly contacts the second metal layer.