Interdiffusion in Cu/Capping Layer/NiSi Contacts

The interdiffusion characteristics of Cu-plug/Capping Layer/NiSi contacts were investigated. Capping layers were deposited on Ni/Si to form thermally -stable NiSi and then were utilized as diffusion barriers between Cu/NiSi contacts. Four different capping layers such as Ti, Ta, TiN, and TaN with varying thickness from 20 to 100 nm were employed. When Cu/NiSi contacts without barrier layers were furnace -annealed at 400 degrees C for 40 min., Cu diffused to the NiSi layer and formed Cu3Si, and thus the NiSi layer was dissociated. But for Cu/Capping Layers/NiSi, the Cu diffusion was completely suppressed for all cases. But Ni was found to diffuse into the Cu layer to form the Cu-Ni(30at.%) solid solution, regardless of material and thickness of capping layers. The source of Ni was attributed to the unreacted Ni after the silicidation heat-treatment, and the excess Ni generated by the transformation of Ni2Si to NiSi during long furnace-annealing.