Patent · US Expired

Method of fabricating metal interconnect having inner air spacer

US6228763A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
11References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 29, 2000
Grant dateMay 8, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 29, 2020

Classification

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

Abstract

A fabrication method for a metal interconnect having an inner air spacer, applicable to multilevel interconnects technologies, is disclosed. The inner air spacer is formed adjacent to a metal layer to provide a lower dielectric constant in a metal interconnect structure. The inner air spacer is formed by initially forming a dielectric spacer on a sidewall of a second dielectric layer, which sidewall defines a trench opening. The trench opening is then filled with the metal layer. The dielectric spacer is removed to form an air gap between the metal layer and the second dielectric layer. The air gap is sealed off with a portion of a third dielectric layer to form the inner air spacer adjacent to a sidewall of the metal layer.

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