Enhanced Thermal Stability of Ta-based Thin Diffusion Barrier by Ion Implantation

The efficiency as diffusion barrier of RF-Magnetron sputtered Ta-layer modified by ion implantation has been studied using Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Two systems were prepared : 50nm-Ta/500nm-Cu/50nm-Ta/ on SiO2 and 200nm-Cu/50nm-Ta/ on SiO2. The samples were annealed at temperatures from 600 to 850°C in a vacuum of 2 x 10-4 Pa. The thermal stability was determined by interdiffusion of Cu into the diffusion barrier. The as-deposited Ta barriers are polycrystalline. After annealing at 600°C for 1 hour interdifusion of Cu is observed for the non-implanted barrier. Ion implantation of nitrogen into the Ta layer leads to a nanocrystalline or amorphous-like structure with an important improvement of the barrier effect. The nitrogen implanted 50 nm Ta-barrier on Cu is stable up to 750°C for 1h. A higher thermal stability reveals the Ta layers between the Cu and SiO2. Cu/Ta/SiO2 system shows beginning of copper diffusion and a strong interaction between Ta and SiO2 after annealing at 800°C without implantation. The implanted Ta-barriers in this system are still effective, after annealing with 850°C for 3h.