Patent · US Expired

Methods for making semiconductor devices having air dielectric interconnect structures

US6057224A · kind A · utility

46Cited by
9References
28Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1997
Grant dateMay 2, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2017

Classification

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

Abstract

A method of making an integrated circuit interconnect structure having air as the effective dielectric between metallization layers includes the steps of: a) providing an air dielectric formation layer of a sacrificial material over a substrate; b) forming a pillar holes in the air dielectric formation layer; c) filling the pillar holes with a non-sacrificial material; d) constructing a metallization layer over the sacrificial air dielectric formation layer and non-sacrificial material pillars; and e) applying an isotropic etchant to the interconnect structure to remove the sacrificial material, leaving the non-sacrificial material pillars for mechanical support of the metallization layer. An interconnect structure having an air dielectric includes a bottom metallization layer, a top metallization layer, and a plurality of pillars separating the bottom and top metallization layers and mechanically supporting the top metallization layer. Additional similar interconnect structures can be stacked over a base interconnect structure.

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