EFFICIENCY EVALUATION OF POSTETCH METAL STACK ANTICORROSION TREATMENTS USING CHEMICAL-ANALYSES BY X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY AND WIDEDISPERSIVE-X-RAY FLUORESCENCE

Chemical analyses by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined w ith wide dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) have been used to evalu ate the efficiency of metal stack anticorrosion treatments previously etched in a low-pressure high-density plasma source. Analyses demonstr ate that residual chlorine is still present in the metal stack showing that corrosion could occur in the subsequent technological steps of t he process. In particular, XPS analyses have shown that, after anticor rosion treatment, residual chlorine species are located on the aluminu m sidewalls of the features. Combining the results obtained by WDXRF a nd XPS has allowed a better understanding of the action of anticorrosi on treatments. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.