International business machines corporation (20240194587). Interconnects with Sidewall Barrier Layer Divot Fill simplified abstract
Contents
Interconnects with Sidewall Barrier Layer Divot Fill
Organization Name
international business machines corporation
Inventor(s)
Koichi Motoyama of Clifton Park NY (US)
Oscar Van Der Straten of Guilderland Center NY (US)
Chih-Chao Yang of Glenmont NY (US)
Interconnects with Sidewall Barrier Layer Divot Fill - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240194587 titled 'Interconnects with Sidewall Barrier Layer Divot Fill
The patent application describes a dual-damascene fully-aligned via interconnect structure with divot fill.
- Metal lines are embedded in interlayer dielectric with their top surface recessed below the dielectric's top surface.
- Conductive vias are aligned with the metal lines in a second interlayer dielectric.
- Barrier and protective layers fully separate the metal lines from the interlayer dielectric.
- A method for fabricating this interconnect structure is also provided.
Potential Applications: - Semiconductor manufacturing - Integrated circuits - Electronic devices
Problems Solved: - Improving interconnect reliability - Enhancing signal transmission efficiency - Reducing crosstalk between metal lines
Benefits: - Increased performance of electronic devices - Enhanced durability of interconnect structures - Improved overall functionality of integrated circuits
Commercial Applications: Title: Advanced Interconnect Structures for High-Performance Electronics This technology can be utilized in the production of advanced microprocessors, memory chips, and other high-performance electronic devices. It can also benefit the telecommunications industry by improving the efficiency and reliability of data transmission.
Prior Art: Prior art related to this technology can be found in patents and research papers discussing dual-damascene interconnect structures, via alignment techniques, and materials for interlayer dielectrics.
Frequently Updated Research: Researchers are constantly exploring new materials and fabrication techniques to further enhance the performance and reliability of interconnect structures in semiconductor devices.
Questions about Dual-Damascene Fully-Aligned Via Interconnects with Divot Fill:
1. How does the divot fill technique improve the reliability of interconnect structures?
- The divot fill technique helps to reduce voids and improve the adhesion between the metal lines and the surrounding dielectric materials, enhancing the overall reliability of the interconnect structure.
2. What are the key challenges in aligning vias with metal lines in semiconductor manufacturing?
- Achieving precise alignment between vias and metal lines requires advanced lithography and etching processes, as well as careful control of material deposition and planarization techniques.
Original Abstract Submitted
dual-damascene fully-aligned via interconnects with divot fill are provided. in one aspect, an interconnect structure includes: a first interlayer dielectric disposed on a wafer; a metal line(s) embedded in the first interlayer dielectric, where a top surface of the metal line(s) is recessed below a top surface of the first interlayer dielectric; a second interlayer dielectric disposed on the first interlayer dielectric; a conductive via(s) embedded in the second interlayer dielectric and aligned with the metal line(s); a barrier layer along a bottom and a first portion of a sidewall of the metal line(s); and a protective dielectric layer along a second portion of the sidewall of the metal line(s), where the barrier layer and the protective dielectric layer fully separate the metal line(s) from the first interlayer dielectric. a metal cap can be disposed on the metal line(s). a method of fabricating an interconnect structure is also provided.
