Copper pellet for reducing electromigration effects associated with a conductive via in a semiconductor device
US5639691A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 17, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/927
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multilayer semiconductor structure includes a conductive via. The conductive via includes a pellet of metal having a high resistance to electromigration. The pellet is made from a conformal layer of copper or gold deposited over the via to form a copper or gold reservoir or contact located in the via. A barrier layer is provided between the reservoir and an insulating layer to prevent the pellet from diffusing into the insulating layer. The pellet can be formed by selective deposition or by etching a conformal layer. The conformal layer can be deposited by sputtering, collimated sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), dipping, evaporating, or by other means. The barrier layer and pellet may be etched by anisotropic dry etching, plasma-assisted etching, or other layer removal techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.