International business machines corporation (20240128331). BOTTOM ENHANCED LINER-LESS VIA CONTACT FOR REDUCED MOL RESISTANCE simplified abstract

BOTTOM ENHANCED LINER-LESS VIA CONTACT FOR REDUCED MOL RESISTANCE

Organization Name

international business machines corporation

Inventor(s)

Ruilong Xie of Niskayuna NY (US)

Chanro Park of Clifton Park NY (US)

Kangguo Cheng of Schenectady NY (US)

Julien Frougier of Albany NY (US)

BOTTOM ENHANCED LINER-LESS VIA CONTACT FOR REDUCED MOL RESISTANCE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240128331 titled 'BOTTOM ENHANCED LINER-LESS VIA CONTACT FOR REDUCED MOL RESISTANCE

Simplified Explanation

A contact structure with reduced middle-of-the-line (MOL) resistance is described in the patent application. The structure includes a liner in the source/drain contact and a liner-less via contact. The via contact consists of a first via portion with a smaller critical dimension and a second via portion with a larger critical dimension. The larger critical dimension maximizes the via contact bottom critical dimension over the source/drain contact, while the smaller critical dimension ensures there is enough space between the via contact and neighboring conductive structures to prevent shorts.

• Source/drain contact includes a liner for reduced resistance.
• Via contact is liner-less for improved performance.
• Via contact has two portions with different critical dimensions for optimized contact bottom dimension and spacing from neighboring structures.

Potential Applications

The technology can be applied in semiconductor manufacturing processes to improve the performance and reliability of contact structures in integrated circuits.

Problems Solved

1. Reduced middle-of-the-line (MOL) resistance in contact structures. 2. Prevention of shorts between via contacts and neighboring conductive structures.

Benefits

1. Improved performance of integrated circuits. 2. Enhanced reliability of contact structures. 3. Increased efficiency in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Potential Commercial Applications

Optimized contact structures can be utilized in the production of advanced semiconductor devices for various industries such as electronics, telecommunications, and automotive.

Possible Prior Art

Prior art may include patents or publications related to contact structures in semiconductor devices, particularly focusing on reducing resistance and preventing shorts in MOL regions.

What are the specific dimensions of the first and second via portions in the via contact structure?

The first via portion has a smaller critical dimension, while the second via portion has a larger critical dimension.

How does the liner in the source/drain contact contribute to reducing resistance in the contact structure?

The liner in the source/drain contact helps to improve the overall performance and reliability of the contact structure by reducing resistance and enhancing electrical conductivity.

Original Abstract Submitted

a contact structure having reduced middle-of-the-line (mol) resistance is provided that includes a source/drain contact which includes a liner and a via contact that is liner-less. the via contact includes a first via portion having a first critical dimension and a second via portion having a second critical dimension that is greater than the first critical dimension. the second critical dimension provides a maximized via contact bottom critical dimension over the source/drain contact, while the first critical dimension provides sufficient area between the first via portion of the via contact and a neighboring electrically conductive structure thus avoiding any shorts between those two elements.