Abstract:
A semiconductor device having wiring levels on opposite sides and a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure having contacts to devices and wiring levels on opposite sides. The method including fabricating a device on a silicon-on-insulator substrate with first contacts to the devices and wiring levels on a first side to the first contacts, removing a lower silicon layer to expose the buried oxide layer, forming second contacts to the devices through the buried oxide layer and forming wiring levels over the buried oxide layer to the second contacts.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing an interconnect structure in an organo-silicate glass based dielectric layer. SOLUTION: The method for forming a damascene interconnect structure in an organo-silicate glass layer without damaging an organo-silicate glass material comprises: a step for forming a stack of a hard mask layer over the organo-silicate glass layer; a step for defining an openings in the hard mask layer and the organo-silicate glass layer by using combination of plasma etching and a plasma photo resist removing process; and a step for executing one or a plurality of additive plasma etching processes containing no oxygen-containing species to etch the openings to the depth required for forming the damascene interconnect structure, to remove all organo-silicate materials damaged by the combination of the plasma etching and the plasma photo resist removing process. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a phase change memory element connected to the edge part of a thin film electrode, and to provide a method of manufacturing the same. SOLUTION: A phase change memory (PCM) cell structure includes a first electrode 60E, a phase change element 70E, and a second electrode 80E, wherein the phase change element 70E is inserted between the first electrode 60E and the second electrode 80E, and only an edge part 75 of the first electrode 60E is contacted with the phase change element 70E, thereby reducing a contact area between the phase change element 70E and the first electrode 60E to increase a current density flowing through the phase change element 70E and effectively cause a phase change by a first programming power by a comparatively small current. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure which reduces the dielectric constant between conductive lines by providing an air dielectric. SOLUTION: In a multilevel microelectronic integrated circuit, air comprises a permanent line level dielectric, and an ultra-low-k material constitutes a via level dielectric. In the IC structure, air is supplied to the line level after removal of a sacrificial material by clean thermal decomposition and auxiliary diffusion of byproducts through porosities. Optionally, air is also included within porosities in the via level dielectric. By incorporating air into the extension produced in the invention, intralevel and interlevel dielectric values are minimized. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
A semiconductor structure and method of fabricating the structure. The method includes removing the backside silicon (110A and 110B) from two silicon-on- insulator wafers (110A and 100B), respectively, having devices (130A and 130B), respectively, fabricated therein and bonding them back to back utilizing the buried oxide layers (115). Contacts (210) are then formed in the upper wafer (I00B) to devices (130A) in the lower wafer (100A) and wiring levels (170) are formed on the upper wafer (100B). The lower wafer (100A) may include wiring levels (170). The lower wafer (100A) may include landing pads (230) for the contacts. Contacts to the silicon layer (120) of the lower wafer (100A) may be silicided.
Abstract:
A method for forming a porous dielectric material layer (14) in an electronic structure (70) and the stricture (70) formed are disclosed. In the method, a porous dielectric layer (14) in a semiconductor device (70) can be formed by first forming (10) a non-porous dielectric layer (14),- then partially curing (20), patterning (30) by reactive ion etching, and final curing (40) the non-porous dielectric layer (14) at a higher temperature than the partial curing (20) temperature to transform the non-porous dielectric material (14) into a porous dielectric material (14), thus achieving 'a dielectric material that has significantly improved dielectric constant, i.e. smaller than 2.6. The non-porous dielectric material (14) may be formed by embedding a thermally stable dielectric material such as methyl silsesquioxane, hydrogen silsesquioxane, benzocyclobutene or aromatic thermoset polymers with a second phase polymeric material therein such that, at the higher curing temperature, the second phase polymeric material substantially volatilizes to leave voids behind forming a void-filled dielectric material.
Abstract:
Methods of forming a metal line and/or via critical dimension (CD) in a single or dual damascene process on a semiconductor substrate, and the resist scheme implemented, are disclosed. The method includes forming a multiple layer resist scheme including a first planarizing layer of a first type material over the substrate, a second dielectric layer of a second type material over the planarizing layer, and a third photoresist layer of a third type material over the dielectric layer. The types of material alternate between organic and inorganic material. The third layer is patterned for the metal line and/or via CD. Sequential etching to form the metal line and/or via critical dimension using a tailored etch recipe particular to each of the first photoresist layer, the second dielectric layer and the third planarizing layer as each layer is exposed is then used. Accurate CD formation and adequate resist budget are provided.
Abstract:
A permanent protective hardmask 40 protects the dielectric properties of a main bulk dielectric layer 30 having a desirably low dielectric constant in a semiconductor device from undesirable increases in the dielectric constant, undesirable increases in current leakage, and low device yield from surface scratching during subsequent processing steps. The protective hardmask 40 further includes a single layer 50 or dual layer 50,60 sacrificial hardmask particularly useful when interconnect structures such as via openings and/or lines are formed in the low dielectric material during the course of making the final product. The sacrificial hardmask layers 50,60 and the permanent hardmask layer 40 may be formed in a single step from a same precursor wherein process conditions are altered to provide films of differing dielectric constants. Most preferably, a dual damascene structure has a tri-layer hardmask comprising silicon carbide, PECVD silicon nitride, and PECVD silicon dioxide, respectively, formed over a bulk low dielectric constant interlevel dielectric prior to forming the interconnect structures in the interlevel dielectric. The protective hardmask 40 has a low dielectric constant k which may be the same or similar to that of the bulk dielectric layer 30.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device containing a diffusion barrier layer is provided. The semiconductor device includes at least a semiconductor substrate containing conductive metal elements; and, a diffusion layer applied to at least a portion of the substrate in contact with the conductive metal elements, the diffusion barrier layer having an upper surface and a lower surface and a central portion, and being formed from silicon, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen with the nitrogen being non-uniformly distributed throughout the diffusion barrier layer. Thus, the nitrogen is more concentrated near the lower and upper surfaces of the diffusion barrier layer as compared to the central portion of the diffusion barrier layer. Methods for making the semiconductor devices are also provided.