Highly Thermal-Stable Amorphous TaSi[sub 2]C[sub x] Films as Diffusion Barrier

Abstract

Structural changes at high temperature of amorphous films deposited on Si(100) were evaluated. Increased carbon content remarkably raises crystallization temperature; thus, films ( atom %) sustain amorphous phase at for at least . A preliminary evaluation of such films as a diffusion barrier of Cu metallization in a sandwich scheme showed the stability of ( atom %) or ( atom %) for at least without a sharp increase in sheet resistance nor the formation of . Because Ta, Si, and C are compatible with integrated-circuit processing, these films are readily applicable as diffusion barriers in Cu metallization.