Patent · US Active

Method of reducing erosion of a metal cap layer during via patterning in semiconductor devices

US7986040B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
6References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 4, 2009
Grant dateJul 26, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 27, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/76883
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

During the patterning of via openings in sophisticated metallization systems of semi-conductor devices, the opening may extend through a conductive cap layer and an appropriate ion bombardment may be established to redistribute material of the underlying metal region to exposed sidewall portions of the conductive cap layer, thereby establishing a protective material. Consequently, in a subsequent wet chemical etch process, the probability for undue material removal of the conductive cap layer may be greatly reduced.

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