US 11,901,229 B2
Barrier-free approach for forming contact plugs
Ching-Yi Chen, Hsinchu (TW); Sheng-Hsuan Lin, Zhubei (TW); Wei-Yip Loh, Hsinchu (TW); Hung-Hsu Chen, Tainan (TW); and Chih-Wei Chang, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on May 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/664,495.
Application 17/664,495 is a division of application No. 16/527,389, filed on Jul. 31, 2019, granted, now 11,342,225.
Prior Publication US 2022/0277997 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 29/66 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 29/78 (2006.01); H01L 27/092 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/8238 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/76897 (2013.01) [H01L 21/02123 (2013.01); H01L 21/02269 (2013.01); H01L 21/02274 (2013.01); H01L 21/76802 (2013.01); H01L 21/76877 (2013.01); H01L 21/823821 (2013.01); H01L 21/823871 (2013.01); H01L 27/0924 (2013.01); H01L 29/66795 (2013.01); H01L 29/785 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated circuit structure comprising:
a dielectric layer;
a metal ring contacting sidewalls of the dielectric layer;
a metal region encircled by the metal ring; and
a silicon-and-nitrogen rich layer between the metal ring and the metal region, wherein a silicon atomic percentage in the silicon-and-nitrogen rich layer is higher than silicon atomic percentages in both of the metal ring and the metal region, and a first nitrogen atomic percentage in the silicon-and-nitrogen rich layer is higher than second nitrogen atomic percentages in the metal ring and the metal region.