Method of forming an air gap intermetal layer dielectric (ILD) by utilizing a dielectric material to bridge underlying metal lines
US6908829B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jun 21, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of forming an air gap intermetal layer dielectric (ILD) to reduce capacitive coupling between electrical conductors in proximity. The method entails forming first and second electrical conductors over a substrate, wherein the electrical conductors are laterally spaced apart by a gap. Then, forming a gap bridging dielectric layer that extends over the first electrical conductor, the gap, and the second electrical conductor. In order to form a bridge from one electrical conductor to the other electrical conductor, the gap bridging dielectric materials should have poor gap filling characteristics. This can be attained by selecting and/or modifying a dielectric material to have a sufficiently high molecular weight and/or surface tension characteristic such that the material does not substantially sink into the gap. An example of such a material is a spin-on-polymer with a surfactant and/or other additives.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.