1. A method for constructing an electrical interconnect having enhanced mechanical properties on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
formation of a first recess in an electrically-insulating material;
deposition of a first electrically-conductive material in the first recess, wherein said first electrically-conducting material comprises a metal;
formation of a second recess in the first electrically-conductive material; and
deposition of a second electrically-conductive material in the second recess in direct contact with the first electrically-conductive material, wherein said second electrically-conducting material comprises an alloy of copper and arsenic.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrically-conductive material is deposited by electroless plating.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the depth of the second recess is in the range of about 50 to about 500 Angstroms.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein copper is present in the second electrically-conductive material at a concentration of between about 95 and about 99.9 weight percent.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition of the second electrically-conductive material by a vapor deposition technique.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the formation of the second recess results at least in part from chemically etching the first electrically-conductive material.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the formation of the second recess results at least in part from over polishing during a chemical mechanical polish (\u201cCMP\u201d) step.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first recess comprises a secondary trench overlying a primary trench and wherein the second recess in the first conductive material is located primarily above the primary trench.
9. A method for constructing an electrical interconnect having enhanced mechanical properties on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
formation of a first recess in an electrically-insulating material;
deposition of a thin seed layer of a first electrically-conductive material in the first recess;
deposition of a second electrically-conductive material in the first recess, wherein said second electrically-conductive material comprises a metal;
chemical-mechanical polish of said second electrically-conductive material;
after said chemical-mechanical polish, formation of a second recess in the second electrically-conductive material by etching; and
deposition of a third electrically-conductive material in the second recess in direct contact with said second electrically-conductive material, wherein said third electrically-conductive material comprises an alloy including said metal.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the deposition of the thin seed layer occurs by electroless plating.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the deposition of the third electrically-conductive material occurs by electroless plating.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the thin seed layer has a thickness in the range of about 10 to about 50 Angstroms.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and third electrically-conductive materials comprise copper and a material selected from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, chromium, palladium, tin, magnesium, aluminum, cobalt, and zirconium.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and the third electrically-conductive materials contain an amount of non-copper material in the range of about 0.1 to about 10.0 percent by weight.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second recess has a depth in the range of about 50 to about 500 Angstroms.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the deposition of the thin seed layer occurs by atomic layer growth.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the first recess comprises a secondary trench overlying a primary trench and wherein the second recess is located primarily above the primary trench.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A pump for pumping a liquid that may have gas coming out of solution, comprising:
a manifold having an upper inlet chamber connected to at least one lower valve chamber with first and second ends, the first end adjacent and below the upper inlet chamber and the second end adjacent and above a compression chamber with an inlet valve between the second end of the at least one valve chamber and the compression chamber;
a plunger displaceable in the compression chamber; and
an outlet valve in a lower portion of the compression chamber.
2. The pump of claim 1, further comprising downwardly angling the at least one valve chamber such that the second end of the valve chamber is positioned lower than the first end of the valve chamber to facilitate the upward escape of released vapor and the downward flow of liquid.
3. The pump of claim 1, further comprising the valve chamber having a substantially smooth upper side.
4. The pump of claim 1, wherein the volume of the at least one valve chamber is greater than the volume vacated by the plunger in moving its full stroke in the compression chamber.
5. The pump of claim 1, further comprising:
a downwardly declining inlet conduit in fluid communication with the upper inlet chamber;
an upwardly inclining vapor release conduit in fluid communication with the upper inlet chamber; and
a supply tank containing liquid in liquid communication with the inlet conduit and vapor with the vapor release conduit, wherein the pump is at a lower level than the level of liquid in the supply tank to facilitate the downward flow of liquid and the upward escape of released vapor, the inlet conduit and vapor release conduits being in fluid communication with the upper inlet chamber.
6. A pump, for pumping liquids that may have gas coming out of solution, comprising:
a manifold having an upper inlet chamber connected to at least one lower valve chamber with a substantially smooth upper side and having first and second ends, the first end adjacent to the upper inlet chamber and the second end adjacent and above a compression chamber with an inlet valve between the second end of the at least one valve chamber and the compression chamber, then at least one valve chamber being downwardly angled by positioning the second end of the valve chamber lower than the first end of the valve chamber;
a plunger displaceable in the compression chamber;
an outlet valve in a lower portion of the compression chamber;
a downwardly declining inlet conduit in fluid communication with the upper inlet chamber;
an upwardly inclining vapor release conduit in fluid communication with the upper inlet chamber; and
a supply tank in fluid communication with the inlet conduit and vapor release conduit, the supply tank containing liquid, wherein the pump is at a lower level than the level of liquid in the supply tank.
7. A method for reducing cavitation in a pump, for pumping liquids that may have gas coming out of solution, the method comprising:
locating the upper inlet chamber adjacent to and above the valve chamber;
locating the valve chamber adjacent to and above a compression chamber with an inlet valve therebetween;
locating an outlet valve in a lower portion of the compression chamber;
facilitating the removal of vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber; and
providing an upwardly inclined conduit for vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber to return to the liquid supply tank.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising facilitating the removal of vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber by downwardly angling the valve chamber so that the second end of the valve chamber is lower with respect to the first end of the valve chamber.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising ensuring the upper side of the valve chamber is substantially smooth.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing the pump lower than the level of liquid in the supply tank.
11. A method for reducing cavitation in a pump for pumping a liquid that may have gas coming out of solution, the method comprising:
locating the upper inlet chamber adjacent to and above the valve chamber;
locating the valve chamber above a compression chamber with an inlet valve therebetween, wherein the valve chamber is downwardly angled so that the second end of the valve chamber is lower with respect to the first end of the valve chamber and the upper side of the valve chamber is substantially smooth;
facilitating the removal of vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber; and
providing an upwardly inclined conduit for vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber to return to the supply tank, wherein the pump is placed at a lower level than the liquid in the supply tank.
12. A method for reducing the unswept volume in a pump for pumping a liquid that may have gas coming out of solution, the method comprising:
locating the upper inlet chamber adjacent to and above the valve chamber;
locating the valve chamber above a compression chamber with an inlet valve therebetween;
minimizing the distance between the inlet valve and the compression chamber by downwardly angling the inlet valve;
facilitating the removal of vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber; and
providing an upwardly inclined conduit for vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber to return to the liquid supply tank, wherein the pump is lower than the level of liquid in the supply tank.
13. A method for increasing the efficiency of a pump for pumping liquids a liquid source that may have gas coming out of solution, the method comprising:
locating the upper liquid gas inlet chamber adjacent to and above the valve chamber;
locating the valve chamber above a compression chamber with an inlet valve therebetween, wherein the valve chamber is downwardly angled so that the second end of the valve chamber is lower with respect to the first end of the valve chamber and the upper side of the valve chamber is substantially smooth;
facilitating the removal of vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber;
minimizing the distance between the inlet valve and the compression chamber by downwardly angling the inlet valve; and
providing an upwardly inclined conduit for vapor released by the liquid while held in the upper inlet chamber and valve chamber to return to the supply tank, wherein the pump is placed at a lower level than the liquid in the supply tank.