Structure and method for interconnection with self-alignment
US11640924B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 2021 |
| Grant date | May 2, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L23/53257
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a method of forming an integrated circuit structure. The method includes depositing a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask on the first metal layer; patterning the first metal layer to form first metal features using the hard mask as an etch mask; depositing a dielectric layer of a first dielectric material on the first metal features and in gaps among the first metal features; performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to both the dielectric layer and the hard mask; removing the hard mask, thereby having portions of the dielectric layer extruded above the metal features; forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer of the second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material; and patterning the ILD layer to form openings that expose the first metal features and are constrained to be self-aligned with the first metal features by the extruded portions of the first dielectric layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.