International Business Machines Corporation

Daniel J Vincent

Hsueh-Chung Chen

Yann Mignot

Muthumanickam Sankarapandian

Yongan Xu

James John Kelly

Chanro Park

Su Chen Fan

Christopher Joseph Waskiewicz

Embodiments disclosed herein describe methods of forming semiconductor devices. The methods may include etching vias and trenches in a middle-of-line (MOL) layer that has a low-k dielectric layer, a sacrificial nitride layer, and a hard mask layer. The methods may also include depositing a thin nitride layer within the via trench, depositing a carbon layer on the thin nitride layer within the vias and trenches, etching back the thin nitride layer to expose a portion of the hard mask layer, removing the hard mask layer and the carbon layer, and removing the thin nitride layer and the sacrificial nitride layer.

Hard mask removal without damaging top epitaxial layer

A semiconductor device includes a stack structure having at least first, second and third interconnect levels. Each interconnect level has a patterned metal conductor including a first metallic material. A via spans the second and third interconnect levels and electrically couples with the patterned metal conductor of the first interconnect level. At least a segment of the super via includes a second metallic material different from the first metallic material.

Metal via structure

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming first and second interconnect levels on a substrate with the first and second interconnect levels having respective first and second dielectric layers and first and second patterned metal conductors and where each of the first and second patterned metal conductors includes a first metallic material, depositing a third dielectric layer onto the second first interconnect layer, forming a via opening extending through the third dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer and connecting with the first patterned metal conductor of the first interconnect level and depositing a second metallic material different from the first metallic material into the via opening to form a via The via electrically couples with the patterned metal layer of the first interconnect level.

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Albany, NY, United States of America

Daniel J Vincent