Patent · US Expired

Methods for improved encapsulation of thick metal features in integrated circuit fabrication

US6472307B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
6References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 2000
Grant dateOct 29, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2020

Classification

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

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit having a capping layer over a thick metal feature. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming first and second oxide layers over the thick metal feature, forming a composite oxide layer including an oxide spacer by etching the first and second oxide layers, and forming a capping layer over the composite oxide layer. More specifically, forming the first oxide layer involves using a high density plasma (HDP) process, forming the second oxide layer involves using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, and forming the composite oxide layer preferably involves etching with a reactive ion etch.

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