Characteristic of Through Silicon Via’s Seed Layer Deposition and Via Filling

Abstract

As continued scaling becomes increasingly difficult, 3D integration has emerged as a viable solution to achieve higher bandwidths and good power efficiency. 3D integration can be defined as a technology involving the stacking of multiple processed wafers containing integrated circuits on top of each other with vertical interconnects between the wafers. This type of 3D structure can improve performance levels, enable the integration of devices with incompatible process flows, and reduce form factors. Through silicon vias (TSVs), which directly connect stacked structures die-to-die, are an enabling technology for future 3D integrated systems. TSVs filled with copper using an electro-plating method are investigated in this study. DC and pulses are used as a current source for the electro-plating process as a means of via filling. A TiN barrier and Ru seed layers are deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with thicknesses of 10 and 30 nm, respectively. All samples electroplated by the DC current showed defects, even with additives. However, the samples electroplated by the pulse current showed defect-free super-filled via structures. The optimized condition for defect-free bottom-up super-filling was established by adjusting the additive concentrations in the basic plating solution of copper sulfate. The optimized concentrations of JGB and SPS were found to be 10 and 20 ppm, respectively.