An ultrathin Zr(Ge) alloy film as an exhaustion interlayer combined with Cu(Zr) seed layer for the Cu/porous SiOC:H dielectric integration

A highly reliable interface of an ultrathin Zr(Ge) exhaustion interlayer between Cu(Zr) film and porous SiOC:H (p -SiOC:H) dielectric has been developed in the present work. After being processed at a moderate elevated temperature (say, 450 °C), a self-formed nanomultilayer of CuGex / ZrOx (ZrSiy Ox) was produced at the interface of Cu(Zr)/ p -SiOC:H film stacks, which showed strong ability to effectively hinder Cu atoms diffusion into p -SiOC:H film and free Si atoms diffusion into Cu film. The mechanism involving the thermal stability of the films system is analyzed based on detailed characterization studies.