Patent · US Expired

High-reliability damascene interconnect formation for semiconductor fabrication

US6157081A · kind A · utility

53Cited by
9References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 10, 1999
Grant dateDec 5, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 10, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A high-reliability damascene interconnect structure and a method for forming the same are provided. An interlevel dielectric is formed over a semiconductor topography, and trenches for interconnects and/or vias are formed in the interlevel dielectric. A trench liner may then be deposited, followed by deposition of a low-resistance metal such as copper. The low-resistance metal deposition is preferably stopped before the trenches are entirely filled. Portions of the metal and trench liner external to the trenches are subsequently removed, such that low-resistance metal interconnect portions are formed. A high-melting-point metal, such as tungsten, is deposited over upper surfaces of the interconnect portions and interlevel dielectric. Portions of the high-melting-point metal are removed to form interconnects having a low-resistance metal lower portion and a high-melting-point metal upper portion. In one embodiment, the extrusion-prone lowresistance metal is removed from the vicinity of a ready extrusion path between the interlevel dielectric and an overlying dielectric. In another embodiment, the overlying metal is believed to prevent extrusion of the low-resistance metal by bonding…

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