Importance

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Abstract

An improved process is disclosed for depositing a layer of metal on a semiconductor wafer wherein a shadow ring normally engages the end edge of the front surface of the wafer to inhibit deposition of the metal on the backside of the wafer and a barrier or nucleation layer is deposited on the unshielded portion of the front surface of the wafer prior to the deposition of the metal layer thereon, and wherein gases used to form the metal layer may contact and react with underlying materials on the front surface of the wafer beneath the shadow ring. The improvement in the process comprises depositing the barrier layer over the entire front surface of the wafer while the wafer and the shadow ring are spaced apart; and then depositing the metal layer on the front surface of the wafer, while engaging the shadow ring with the wafer to inhibit deposition on the backside of the wafer; whereby the deposition of the barrier layer over the entire front surface of the wafer will shield underlying materials on the front surface of the wafer beneath the shadow ring from reaction with one or more of the gases used in the deposition of the metal layer.

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First Claim