Observation of Reduced Oxidation Rates for Plasmaassisted CVD Copper Films

Abstract

AbstractOxidation kinetics of plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposited (PA-CVD) copper films were investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The PA-CVD copper films were deposited using hydrogen plasma reduction of bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato) copper(II), Cu(hfa)2, precursor. Under identical experimental conditions, PA-CVD copper films oxidize more slowly than sputtered copper films. This decrease in oxidationis manifested both as a time delay at the beginning of the oxidation of the PA-CVD copper films and as a decrease in the rate of oxide growth at oxidation temperatures of 200ºC and below. The possivation appears to be caused by the hydrogen plasma present during depostion.