Appeal 2006-2353
Application 09/785,858
INTRODUCTION
Appellant invented a method of forming an aluminum comprising line
having a titanium nitride layer thereon by using physical vapor deposition
(PVD) (claim 35, Specification 3, ll. 18-20). The method includes
physically vapor depositing a first layer of aluminum or aluminum alloy
over an insulating layer on a substrate such that the outermost portion of the
aluminum or aluminum alloy is deposited at a temperature of at least 400°C
(claim 35). The insulating layer has a hole that is filled by the aluminum or
aluminum alloy (claim 35). The outermost portion of the aluminum or
aluminum alloy is maintained at a temperature of at least 360°C between the
depositing of the aluminum or aluminum alloy layer and the depositing of
the titanium on the first layer (claim 35). A titanium layer is deposited atop
the aluminum or aluminum alloy layer while the outer portion is at a
temperature of at least 360°C (claim 35). The titanium layer and the
aluminum layer react to form a titanium-aluminum alloy layer (claim 35,
Specification 9, ll. 1-6). A titanium nitride layer is coated atop the titanium-
aluminum alloy and photopatterning the layered structure to form the
aluminum comprising line (claim 35).
Claim 35 is illustrative:
35. A method of forming an aluminum comprising line having a
titanium nitride comprising layer thereon, the method comprising:
providing a substrate having an opening extending through an
insulating layer to a diffusion region;
in a processing tool, physical vapor depositing a first layer comprising
at least one of elemental aluminum or an aluminum alloy over the substrate
in a first chamber, the first layer being formed over the insulating layer and
filling the opening, at least an outermost portion of the first layer being
deposited at a first deposition temperature of at least 400ºC;
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