Seam-free fabrication of submicrometer copper interconnects by iodine-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition

Kinetic parameters from studies of deposition on planar deposits are used to predict superconformal filling of fine features during iodine-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition. The mechanism behind the superconformal filling is described and the metrology required to predict it is identified and quantified. The dominant effect is the change in coverage of adsorbed catalyst with the surface area during interface evolution. Experimental filling results are described and are shown to be consistent with the predictions. An associated effect on surface roughness of planar deposits is also described.