Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

James Cheng-Ming Wu

Yu-Hua Lee

Min-Hsiung Chiang

Jenn Ming Huang

Ming-Hsiung Chiang

Huan-Just Lin

Yung-Lung Hsu

Cheng-Tung Lin

Wen-Chuan Chiang

Cheng-Yeh Shih

Jenn-Ming Huang

Kuo Ching Huang

An electrical monitor comprising a via array and method for determining and reducing an electrically charged state of a semiconductor process wafer the method including providing a metal filled via array including a plurality of interspersed electrically isolated dummy metal portions to form a via array monitor; exposing the semiconductor process wafer including the via array monitor to an electrical charge altering process including to produce an electrically charged state over at least a portion of the semiconductor wafer; carrying out electrical measurements of the via array monitor to determine a level of the electrically charged state; and, carrying out an electrically charge neutralizing process to reduce a level of the electrically charged state to a predetermined acceptable level prior to carrying out a subsequent process.

Via array monitor and method of monitoring induced electrical charging

A method to form contacts in an integrated circuit device comprising to eliminate shorting between adjacent contacts due to dielectric layer voids is achieved. A substrate is provided. Narrowly spaced conductive lines are provided on the substrate. A dielectric layer is deposited overlying the conductive lines and the substrate. The dielectric layer is etched through to the top surface of the substrate in areas defined by lithographic mask to form contact openings between adjacent narrowly spaced conductive lines. An insulating layer is deposited overlying the dielectric layer and filling the contact openings wherein the insulating layer forms a lining layer inside the contact openings and fills any voids in the dielectric layer extending out of the contact openings. The insulating layer is etched through to expose the top surface of the substrate. A conductive layer is deposited overlying the dielectric layer and filling the contact openings. The conductive layer is etched as defined by lithographic mask. A passivation layer is deposited overlying the conductive layer and the dielectric layer. The integrated circuit device is completed.

Method to eliminate shorts between adjacent contacts due to interlevel dielectric voids

A method for fabricating a microelectronic layer. There is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a target layer. There is then formed upon the target layer a patterned photoresist layer which defines a first aperture, where the first aperture has a first aperture width which exposes a first portion of the target layer. There is then reflowed thermally the patterned photoresist layer to form a reflowed patterned photoresist layer which defines a substantially straight sided second aperture. The second aperture has a second aperture width less than the first aperture width, and the second aperture thus exposes a second portion of the blanket target layer of areal dimension less than the first portion of the blanket target layer. Finally, there is then fabricated the target layer to form a fabricated target layer while employing the reflowed patterned photoresist layer as a mask layer. The method is useful insofar as it allows the target layer to be fabricated while avoiding the use of advanced microelectronic fabrication photolithographic tooling when forming the patterned photoresist layer.

Aperture width reduction method for forming a patterned photoresist layer

A modified method for forming cylinder-shaped stacked capacitors for DRAMs which circumvents oxide erosion due to misalignment is described. A planar silicon oxide (SiO,) first insulating layer is formed over device areas. A silicon nitride (Si,N,) etch-stop layer is deposited and first openings are etched for capacitor node contacts. A polysilicon layer is deposited and etched back to form node contacts in the first openings. A Si,N,second etch-stop layer is deposited and etched back to form protective sidewall spacers in the first openings when the polysilicon node contact is inadvertently overetched. A second SiO,insulating layer is deposited and second openings for bottom electrodes are etched over the node contacts. A conformal second polysilicon layer is deposited and chemically/mechanically polished back to form the bottom electrodes in the second openings. The second insulating layer is removed by wet etching to the first etch-stop layer. When the second openings are misaligned over the node contact openings, the Si,N,sidewall spacers protect the SiO,first insulating layer from being eroded over the devices on the substrate. The capacitors are now completed by forming an interelectrode dielectric layer on the bottom electrodes, and depositing and patterning a third polysilicon layer for top electrodes.

Modified method for forming cylinder-shaped capacitors for dynamic random access memory (DRAM)

A new method of maintaining good control of the dielectric thickness over a top capacitor plate during planarization by CMP by introducing a CMP stop layer under the topmost dielectric layer is described. Semiconductor device structures, including a node contact region, are provided in and on a semiconductor substrate. A bottom plate electrode is formed contacting the node contact region through an opening in a first insulating layer. A capacitor dielectric layer is deposited overlying the bottom plate electrode. A second conducting layer is deposited overlying the capacitor dielectric to form a top plate electrode of the capacitor. A second insulating layer is deposited overlying the second conducting layer. A silicon nitride polish stop layer is deposited overlying the second insulating layer. The polish stop layer, second insulating layer, second conducting layer, and capacitor dielectric layer are patterned to form the DRAM integrated circuit device. A third insulating layer is deposited overlying the first insulating layer and the polish stop layer of the DRAM integrated circuit device. The third insulating layer is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing stopping at the polish stop layer. The polish stop layer protects the top capacitor plate from damage.

Well-controlled CMP process for DRAM technology

A method for forming protection layers completely around a metal fuse to protect the metal fuse 74A and metal lines 74B from moisture corrosion from fuse opening and micro-cracks in dielectric layers. The invention surrounds the fuse on all sides with two protection layers: a bottom protection layer 70 and a top protection layer 78. The top protection layer 78 is formed over the fuse metal, the sidewalls of the metal fuse and the bottom protection layer 70. The protection layers 70 78 of the invention form a moisture proof seal structure around the metal fuse 74A and protect the metal fuse 74A and metal lines 74B from moisture and contaminates.

Method to form a protected metal fuse

A method for increasing the surface area, and thus the capacitance of a DRAM, stacked capacitor structure, has been developed. A storage node electrode, incorporating branches of polysilicon, is created via use of multiple polysilicon and insulator depositions, as well as via the use of dry anisotropic, and wet isotropic, etching procedures. The use of polysilicon spacers, created on the sides of silicon oxide mesas, adds a vertical component to the polysilicon branches. Removal of a portion of insulator layer from between polysilicon branches, results in exposure of the increased storage node electrode surface area. Unetched portions of the insulator layers, between polysilicon branches, supply structural support for the storage node electrode, comprised of polysilicon branches.

Capacitor structure for a dynamic random access memory cell

A method to form capacitance node contacts with improved isolation in a DRAM process is described. An isolation layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first contact hole is formed and filled with a polysilicon plug and the top surface of the isolation layer and of the polysilicon plug are polished to a planar surface. A first interpoly isolation layer is deposited. A stopping layer is deposited. A capping layer is deposited. A first polysilicon layer is deposited. The first polysilicon layer is etched to form features. A second interpoly isolation layer is deposited. The second interpoly isolation layer is planarized. The second contact hole is etched through the second interpoly isolation layer and the capping layer. The exposed first polysilicon material is etched back to the vertical sides of the second contact hole. The stopping layer and the first interpoly isolation layer are etched through to the top surface of the polysilicon plug. A lining layer of silicon nitride is deposited and etched to remain only on the vertical interior surfaces of the second contact hole. A second polysilicon layer is deposited to fill the second contact hole. The second polysilicon layer and the second interpoly isolation layer are planarized. The fabrication of the integrated circuit device is completed.

Method to form capacitance node contacts with improved isolation in a

A process of opening, a stack of large diameter via holes, in a multiple levels of insulator layers, to be used for access of a laser repair procedure, applied to underlying integrated circuit shapes, while simultaneously opening small diameter via holes, in the same multiple levels of insulator layers, to be used to accommodate metal plug structures, has been developed. The process features the use of a polysilicon stop layer, used at the bottom of the stack of large diameter via holes, protecting underlying components of the underlying integrated circuit, from the dry and wet etching procedures used for the creation of the stack of large diameter via holes. The process also features the formation of metal spacers, on the sides of the large diameter via holes, created simultaneously during the formation of metal plug structures, and used again to protect the multiple levels of insulator layer, that would have been exposed, if left unprotected, during a wet etching procedure.

Passivation etching procedure, using a polysilicon stop layer, for

A process for forming a crown shaped storage node structure, for a DRAM capacitor structure, has been developed. The process features the patterning of a top portion, of a storage node contact plug structure, after patterning of the crown shaped storage node structure, and after removal of a silicon oxide layer, used for the definition of the crown shaped storage node structure. The sequence of patterning steps allows mis-alignment between the crown shaped storage node structure, and the underlying storage node contact hole, to occur without vulnerability to insulator layers used to passivate the transfer gate transistors, of the DRAM cell. This process also features the use of a photoresist plug, used to protect a bottom shape, of the crown shaped storage node structure during the crown shaped storage node, and the storage node contact plug structure, patterning procedures.

Method to define a crown shaped storage node structure, and an

A method of forming a capacitor for DRAM or other circuits is described which avoids the problem of weak spots or gaps forming between a polysilicon contact plug and the first capacitor plate. A layer of first dielectric is formed on a substrate, A layer of second dielectric is formed on the layer of first dielectric. A layer of third dielectric is formed on the layer of second dielectric. A first hole is formed in the first, second, and third dielectrics exposing a contact region of the substrate. The first hole is then filled with a protective material and a second hole is formed in the layer of third dielectric using the layer of second dielectric as an etch stop. The first hole lies within the periphery of the second hole. The protective material prevents re-deposition of the third dielectric. The remaining protective material is then removed and a layer of conducting material is formed on the top surface of the layer of third dielectric, the sidewalls of the second hole, the sidewalls of the first hole, and the contact region of the substrate thereby forming a first capacitor plate.

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Kao-Hsiung, Taiwan

James Cheng-Ming Wu