Patent · US Expired

Method of fabricating metal interconnect structure having outer air spacer

US6329279A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 2000
Grant dateDec 11, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/7682
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An outer air spacer structure, applicable to multilevel interconnects technologies, and the method of making the same are disclosed. The outer air spacer is adjacent to a metal line to provide a lower dielectric constant in a metal interconnect structure. The outer air spacer is formed by initially forming a first spacer adjacent to the metal line, followed by forming a second spacer on the first spacer. The first spacer is then removed to form an air gap between the second spacer and the metal line. The air gap is closed to form the outer air spacer by partially sealing the air gap with a portion of passivation layer that is deposited subsequently.

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