Air bridge process for forming air gaps
US6265321A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/76807
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for reducing RC delay in integrated circuits by lowering the dielectric constant of the intermetal dielectric material between metal interconnects or metal damascene interconnects is described. The dielectric constant of the intermetal dielectric is lowered by introducing air into the intermetal dielectric between metal interconnections. An air bridge comprising a porous material, preferably amorphous silicon, porous silicon oxide, or porous silsesquioxane, is deposited over a layer containing a reactive organic material. An oxygen plasma treatment or an anisotropic etching through the pores in the air bridge layer removes at least a portion of the reactive material, leaving air plugs within the intermetal dielectric.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.