International Business Machines Corporation

Jean E Wynne

Christopher J Penny

Christopher David Muzzy

Marc Adam Bergendahl

Christopher Joseph Waskiewicz

James J Demarest

Jonathan R Fry

William Thomas Motsiff

Baozhen Li

Tom C Lee

Kimball M Watson

Gerald Matusiewicz

Dinesh A Badami

Jeffrey P Gambino

Paul Stephen McLaughlin

Jason Paul Gill

Sean William Smith

Chih-Chao Yang

Takeshi Nogami

Timothy Harrison Daubenspeck

Timothy Dooling Sullivan

Andrew Herbert Simon

Thomas M Shaw

Norman Jay Rohrer

Stephen Edward Greco

Erik L Hedberg

Dae Young Jung

Sally J Yankee

Dae-Young Jung

Judith A Wright

Christopher D c/o Ibm United Kingdom Ltd Muzzy

Embodiments of the invention provide a method that includes forming an IC layer having an inactive region and an active region. The active region includes a device-under-fabrication (DUF). The inactive region includes a geometric feature having a geometric shape. A film is deposited over the active DUF and the geometric feature such that a first portion of the film will be part of the active DUF, and such that a second portion of the film is over the geometric feature. A geometric shape of the film over the geometric feature matches the geometric shape of the geometric feature. Determining a thickness of the film is based at least in part a difference between a footprint of the geometric shape of the film and a footprint of the geometric shape of the geometric feature.

Conformal film thickness determination using angled geometric features and vertices tracking

An example operation may include one or more of connecting, by a load leveler, to a blockchain network comprising a plurality of nodes and configured to store a common work item, computing, by the load leveler, loads across the plurality of the nodes that need to execute the common work item upon completion of current tasks, determining, by the load leveler, a network load impact based on execution of a common blockchain consensus checking process on the network nodes, executing, by the load leveler, a work assessment process based on the loads computed across the plurality of the nodes and on the determined network load impact of the blockchain network, and assigning, by the load leveler, new tasks to the nodes based on results of the execution of the work assessment process.

Load leveler

A computer-implemented method executed by a processor for reducing exposure of a plurality of objects to environmental conditions by employing a smart room tracking system is presented. The computer-implemented method includes counting a number of individuals within a space including the plurality of objects via one or more image capture devices and determining whether each individual makes direct eye contact with any of the plurality of objects by evaluating orientation, posture, and eye movement of each individual. The computer-implemented method further includes shielding, via an object viewing controller, an object of the plurality of objects from view when no direct eye contact is determined and making an object of the plurality of objects viewable, via the object viewing controller, when direct eye contact is determined.

Smart display apparatus and control system

A blockchain may be used as a stochastic timer. The posting of a blockchain solution for verification may be a trigger that determines an event schedule. Because the only entity that knows when the solution will be posted is the solving entity, the solving entity may be rewarded with the ability to potentially exploit this knowledge. However, because the solving of a blockchain is a competitive process, there is a risk that if the solving entity retains the solution for greater exploitation, then another entity will post the solution and therefore gain the benefit. A blockchain stochastic timer can thus provide the necessary incentive for entities to invest computational resources into blockchain solutions.

Blockchain stochastic timer transaction synchronization

A method patterns at least one opening in a low-K insulator layer of a multi-level integrated circuit structure, such that a copper conductor is exposed at the bottom of the opening. The method then lines the sidewalls and the bottom of the opening with a first Tantalum Nitride layer in a first chamber and forms a Tantalum layer on the first Tantalum Nitride layer in the first chamber. Next, sputter etching on the opening is performed in the first chamber, so as to expose the conductor at the bottom of the opening. A second Tantalum Nitride layer is formed on the conductor, the Tantalum layer, and the first Tantalum Nitride layer, again in the first chamber. After the second Tantalum Nitride layer is formed, the methods herein form a flash layer comprising a Platinum group metal on the second Tantalum Nitride layer in a second, different chamber.

Method of making a copper interconnect having a barrier liner of multiple metal layers

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

An interconnect structure which includes a metal-containing cap located atop each conductive feature that is present within a dielectric material is provided in which a surface region of the metal-containing cap is oxidized prior to the subsequent deposition of any other dielectric material thereon. Moreover, metal particles that are located on the surface of the dielectric material between the conductive features are also oxidized at the same time as the surface region of the metal-containing cap. This provides a structure having a reduced leakage current. In accordance with the present invention, the oxidation step is performed after electroless plating of the metal-containing cap and prior to the deposition of a dielectric capping layer or an overlying interlayer or intralevel dielectric material.

Low leakage metal-containing cap process using oxidation

The present invention relates to a laser fuse structure for high power applications. Specifically, the laser fuse structure of the present invention comprises first and second conductive supporting elements (), at least one conductive fusible link (), first and second connection elements (), and first and second metal lines (). The conductive supporting elements (), the conductive fusible link (), and the metal lines () are located at a first metal level (), while the connect elements () are located at a second, different metal level () and are connected to the conductive supporting elements () and the metal lines () by conductive via stacks () that extend between the first and second metal levels ().

Laser fuse structures for high power applications

A crack stop void is formed in a low-k dielectric layer between adjacent fuse structures for preventing propagation of cracks between the adjacent fuse structures during a fuse blow operation. The crack stop void is formed simultaneously with the formation of an interconnect structure.

Method of forming a crack stop void in a low-k dielectric layer between adjacent fuses

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.

The present invention relates to dissipating heat from an interconnect formed in a low thermal conductivity dielectric in an integrated circuit apparatus. The integrated circuit apparatus includes integrated circuit devices interconnected by conductive interconnection metallurgy and input/output pads subject to electrostatic discharge events. At least one latent heat of transformation absorber is associated with at least one of the input/output pads for preventing the energy generated by an electrostatic discharge event from damaging the conductive interconnection metallurgy.

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Fair Haven, VT, United States of America

Jean E Wynne