Test structures for estimating dishing and erosion effects in copper damascene technology

US7197726B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• PDF SOLUTIONS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Dennis Ciplickas · San Jose, US
• Markus Decker · Munich, DE
• Christopher Hess · Belmont, US
• Brian E. Stine · Los Altos Hills, US
• Larg Weiland · Hollister, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 27, 2002
• Grant date: Mar 27, 2007
• Expiry date: Apr 4, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/3011
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A test structure combines a first structure (1010) for erosion evaluation with a second structure (1000) for extraction of defect size distributions. The first structure (1010) is a loop structure usable determine a resistance value that varies with metal height. The second structure is a NEST structure (1000). Loop lines of the loop structure (1010) are connected on both sides of the NEST structure (1000).