International Business Machines Corporation

Dinesh A Badami

Baozhen Li

Christopher David Muzzy

Tom C Lee

William Thomas Motsiff

Kimball M Watson

Jean E Wynne

Gerald Matusiewicz

Chih-Chao Yang

Wen Liu

Mark Charles Hakey

Holger Moritz

Christopher D c/o Ibm United Kingdom Ltd Muzzy

An interconnect structure includes a dielectric layer with one or more trenches extending therein, one or more interconnect lines, and one or more first liner layers. Each interconnect line is positioned within a trench. At least one first liner layer is affixed between the trench bottom surface and the interconnect bottom surface. The interconnect structure further includes one or more second liner layers. At least one of the second liner layers is affixed directly to the interconnect top surface and at least one interconnect side surface. The interconnect structure further includes at least one air gap. Each air gap is positioned between the trench side surface and the interconnect side surface. A corresponding method of manufacture and product of a method of manufacture are also disclosed.

Interconnect structure

A method for programming a laser fuse. The laser fuse has a fuse link including a material having a characteristic of changing its electrical resistance after being exposed to a laser beam. The laser beam is directed to the fuse link, the laser beam being controlled such that, in response to the impact of the laser beam upon the fuse link, the electrical resistance of the fuse link changes but the fuse link is not blown off.

Programming of laser fuse

A method and structure for fabricating a laser fuse and a method for programming the laser fuse. The laser fuse includes a dielectric layer having two vias filled with a first self-passivated electrically conducting material. A fuse link is on top of the dielectric layer. The fuse link electrically connects the two vias and includes a second material having a characteristic of changing its electrical resistance after being exposed to a laser beam. Two mesas are over the fuse link and directly over the two vias. The two mesas each include a third self-passivated electrically conducting material. The laser fuse is programmed by directing a laser beam to the fuse link. The laser beam is controlled such that, in response to the impact of the laser beam upon the fuse link, the electrical resistance of the fuse link changes but the fuse link is not blown off. Such electrical resistance change is sensed and converted to digital signal.

Structure and programming of laser fuse

A method and structure for fabricating a laser fuse and a method for programming the laser fuse. The laser fuse includes a first dielectric layer having two vias filled with a first self-passivated electrically conducting material. A fuse link is on top of the first dielectric layer. The fuse link electrically connects the two vias and includes a second material having a characteristic of changing its electrical resistance after being exposed to a laser beam. Two mesas are over the fuse link and directly over the two vias. The two mesas each include a third self-passivated electrically conducting material. The laser fuse is programmed by directing a laser beam to the fuse link. The laser beam is controlled such that, in response to the impact of the laser beam upon the fuse link, the electrical resistance of the fuse link changes but the fuse link is not blown off. Such electrical resistance change is sensed and converted to digital signal.

An optical photolithographic process in which resist lines having widths in the micron and sub-micron range are produced without the use of a fine line photomask. A positive photoresist having an additive for image reversal is applied to the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The photoresist is exposed through a photomask to ultraviolet light. The edges of the opaque sections of the mask diffract the ultraviolet light, forming partially exposed areas between the exposed and unexposed areas formed in the photoresist. After development in a solvent to remove the exposed areas, the photoresist undergoes an image reversal process. The photoresist is first baked at 100.degree. C. for 30 minutes. During this bake step, the photoactive decomposition products present in the partially exposed areas react, freezing the solubility of the partially exposed areas with respect to that of the unexposed areas. The photoresist is then blanket exposed and developed in a solvent, leaving the partially exposed areas on the substrate. The resulting thin resist lines can be used to form narrow isolation trenches by coating the substrate with a quartz film and lifting off the resist lines.

Growing community of inventors

Essex Junction, VT, United States of America

Dinesh A Badami