Patent · US Active

Inter-wire cavity for low capacitance

US11551968B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 2020
Grant dateJan 10, 2023
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2221/1063
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated circuit (IC) in which cavities separate wires of an interconnect structure. For example, a conductive feature overlies a substrate, and an intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer overlies the conductive feature. A first wire and a second wire neighbor in the IMD layer and respectively have a first sidewall and a second sidewall that face each other while being separated from each other by the IMD layer. Further, the first wire overlies and borders the conductive feature. A first cavity and a second cavity further separate the first and second sidewalls from each other. The first cavity separates the first sidewall from the IMD layer, and the second cavity separates the second sidewall from the IMD layer. The cavities reduce parasitic capacitance between the first and second wires and hence resistance-capacitance (RC) delay that degrades IC performance.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.