Appeal No. 97-3530
Application No. 08/418,122
This is a decision on appeal from the final rejection of
claims 15 through 25, 27 through 39, 41 through 53, 55 and 56,
all of the claims pending in the application.
The invention pertains to a method for forming a metal
contact in an integrated circuit. More particularly, an
improved interlevel contact is said to be achieved by
improving the coverage in contact vias through the manner in
which aluminum is deposited therein.
Representative independent claim 15 is reproduced as
follows:
15. A method for forming an aluminum contact in an
integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
forming an insulating layer over a conducting layer;
forming an opening through the insulating layer to expose
a portion of the conducting layer;
forming a barrier layer over the insulating layer, in the
opening, and over the exposed portion of the conducting layer;
raising the temperature of the integrated circuit from
below approximately 350°C to a value between approximately
400°C and approximately 500°C;
during said temperature raising step, beginning to
deposit aluminum on the barrier layer, and continuing to
deposit aluminum on the integrated circuit during the
remainder of the temperature raising step;
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