PROCESSES AND INTEGRATED SYSTEMS FOR ENGINEERING A SUBSTRATE SURFACE FOR METAL DEPOSITION

THE EMBODIMENTS PROVIDE PROCESSES AND INTEGRATED SYSTEMS THAT PRODUCE A METAL-TO-METAL OR A SILICON-TO-METAL INTERFACE TO ENHANCE ELECTRO-MIGRATION PERFORMANCE, TO PROVIDE LOWER METAL RESISTIVITY, AND TO IMPROVE METAL-TO-METAL OR SILICON-TO-METAL INTERFACIAL ADHESION FOR COPPER INTERCONNECTS. AN EXEMPLARY METHOD OF PREPARING A SUBSTRATE SURFACE TO SELECTIVELY DEPOSIT A THIN LAYER OF A COBALT-ALLOY MATERIAL ON A COPPER SURFACE OF IN AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM TO IMPROVE ELECTROMIGRATION PERFORMANCE OF A COPPER INTERCONNECT IS PROVIDED. THE METHOD INCLUDES REMOVING CONTAMINANTS AND METAL OXIDES FROM THE SUBSTRATE SURFACE IN THE INTEGRATED SYSTEM, AND RECONDITIONING THE SUBSTRATE SURFACE USING A REDUCING ENVIRONMENT AFTER REMOVING CONTAMINANTS AND METAL OXIDES IN THE INTEGRATED SYSTEM. THE METHOD ALSO INCLUDES SELECTIVELY DEPOSITING THE THIN LAYER OF COBALT-ALLOY MATERIAL ON THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE COPPER INTERCONNECT IN THE INTEGRATED SYSTEM AFTER RECONDITIONING THE SUBSTRATE SURFACE. SYSTEM TO PRACTICE THE EXEMPLARY METHOD DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE ALSO PROVIDED.