Patent · US Expired

Method for forming openings in low dielectric constant material layer

US6638871B2 · kind B2 · utility

21Cited by
8References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 10, 2002
Grant dateOct 28, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/31144
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention is directed towards a method for forming openings in low-k dielectric layers. A cap layer, a low-k dielectric layer, a metal hard mask layer and a hard mask layer are formed in sequence on a provided substrate with metal wires. After patterning the metal hard mask layer and the hard mask layer to form a first opening, a fluid filling material layer is formed on the hard mask layer and fills the first opening. Using a patterned photoresist layer as a mask to define the filling material layer and the low-k dielectric layer, a second opening is obtained. After removing the photoresist layer along with the filling material layer, a damascene opening is formed by using the metal hard mask and the hard mask layers as a mask and the cap layer as an etching stop layer.

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