Patent · US Active

Multiheight contact via structures for a multilevel interconnect structure

US9401309B2 · kind B2 · utility

19Cited by
21References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 2014
Grant dateJul 26, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 26, 2034

Classification

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

Abstract

Contact openings extending to sacrificial layers located at different depths can be formed by sequentially exposing a greater number of openings in a mask layer by iterative alternation of trimming of a slimming layer over the mask layer and an anisotropic etch that recesses pre-existing contact openings by one level. In one embodiment, pairs of an electrically conductive via contact and electrically conductive electrodes can be simultaneously formed as integrated line and via structures. In another embodiment, encapsulated unfilled cavities can be formed in the contact openings by non-conformal deposition of a material layer, electrically conductive electrodes can be formed by replacement of portions of the sacrificial layers, and the electrically conductive via contacts can be subsequently formed on the electrically conductive electrodes. Electrically conductive via contacts extending to electrically conductive electrodes located at different level can be provided with self-aligned insulating liner.

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