Titanium monophosphide (TiP) layers as diffusion barriers

Summary form only given. Usually, diffusion barrier layers are fabricated of titanium nitride, deposited either by sputtering or by CVD. We developed a rapid thermal-CVD process with the classical precursor combination TiCl₄/NH₃ for temperatures <450°C. The chlorine content still present in the as-deposited coatings is reduced below a critical threshold of 2 at% by a subsequent in-situ annealing step in NH₃. Such barrier layers were successfully applied in test circuits.