Patent · US Expired

Optimized structures for dummy fill mask design

US5861342A · kind A · utility

46Cited by
17References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 26, 1995
Grant dateJan 19, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 26, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S438/926
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of improving the planarity of spin-on-glass layers in semiconductor wafer processing is disclosed. Gaps in between active conductive traces in a trace layer that exceed a predetermined distance are provided with dummy lines having a specific geometry in order to improve the planarity achieved in subsequently applied spin-on glass layers. In some embodiments, the predetermined distance is greater than approximately 1 micrometer, as for example in the range of approximately 3 to 6 micrometers. In some applications, both the active conductive traces and the dummy lines are formed from a metallic material that is deposited in one single step with a passivation layer being deposited over both the conductive traces and the raised lines prior to application of the spin-on glass layer.

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