Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor device and associated fabrication method

US5786273A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
6References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 14, 1996
Grant dateJul 28, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 14, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/768
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Formed in a second interlayer dielectric are a first contact hole and a second contact hole. The first and second contact holes each extend to a first-level interconnect line. Tungsten is formed on the entirety of a substrate to form a first plug, a second plug, and a tungsten layer. A silicon oxide layer is formed. Thereafter, a patterning process is carried out to form a second-level interconnect line which is connected with the first plug and a top protective layer, and the top of the second plug remains exposed. A sidewall is formed on the side surfaces of the second-level interconnect line and the top protective layer. Subsequently, a third-level interconnect line, which is connected with the exposed second plug, is formed. Such arrangement not only reduces the number of contact hole formation masks, it also cuts down the number of fabrication steps. Further, the aspect ratio of the second contact hole becomes lower thereby achieving highly reliable semiconductor devices.

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