International Business Machines Corporation

John Fritche

Daniel C Edelstein

John Anthony Fitzsimmons

Jeffrey Curtis Hedrick

Shahab Siddiqui

William J Cote

Darryl D Restaino

Christy Sensenich Tyberg

William C Wille

Peter E Biolsi

Allan Ward Upham

Delores A Bennett

Chih-Chien Liu

Allan Ibm United Kingdom Limited Upham

This invention relates to the manufacture of dual damascene interconnect structures in integrated circuit devices. Specifically, a method is disclosed for forming a single or dual damascene structure in a low-k dielectric thin film utilizing a planarizing material and a diffusion barrier material. In a preferred dual damascene embodiment of this method, the vias are formed first in the dielectric material, then the planarizing material is deposited in the vias and on the dielectric material, and the barrier material is deposited on the planarizing material. The trenches are then formed lithographically in the imaging material, etched through the barrier material into the planarizing material, and the trench pattern is transferred to the dielectric material. During and following the course of these etch steps, the imaging, barrier and planarizing materials are removed. The resultant dual damascene structure may then be metallized. With this method, the problem of photoresist poisoning by the interlevel dielectric material is alleviated.

Method for forming damascene structure utilizing planarizing material coupled with diffusion barrier material

A method for removing a dielectric layer formed upon a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes subjecting the dielectric layer to a dry etch process and subjecting an adhesion promoter layer underneath the dielectric layer to a wet etch process.

Method for reworking low-k polymers used in semiconductor structures

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New Paltz, NY, United States of America

John Fritche