Process and design of production-ready equipment for Cu line-pillar/low-k STP interconnect technology

Cu line-pillar/low-k STP technology for the fabrication of Cu/low-k interconnects has been developed; and the key equipment, namely a production-ready STP system, has been designed. The technology does not employ CMP, and is based on Cu line/pillar formation in combination with STP (spin coating, film transfer, and hot pressing). Cu lines in L/S patterns as fine as 0.12 /spl mu/m were successfully fabricated by the line/pillar process and integrated with an organic low-k dielectric (k = 2.9) by STP. The system for the novel STP process, which can handle 200-mm wafers, is described; and the benefits of this process with regard to environmental safety and health are explained.