Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Minghsing Tsai

Hung-Wen Su

Jyu-Horng Shieh

Chih-Yuan Ting

Jeng-Shiou Chen

Chien-Hsueh Shih

Syun-Ming Jang Jang

Shau-Lin Shue

Chen-Hua Douglas Yu

Chun-Chieh Lin

Chen-Yuan Kao

Hsien-Ming Lee

Ming-Shih Yeh

Ting-Chu Ko

Shih-Wei Chou

Chung-Hsien Chen

Wen-Jiun Liu

Chun-Hong Chen

Winston Shue

Ching-Hua Hsieh

Mong-Song Liang

Yung-Cheng Lu

Hua-Tai Lin

Chien-An Chen

Yi-Li Hsiao

Ya-Lien Lee

Huang-Yi Huang

Szu-Ping Tung

Ken-Yu Chang

Jye-Yen Cheng

Chih-Hsiang Yao

Rueijer Lin

Sheng Hsiung Chen

Jeng-Shiun Ho

Chun Chieh Lin

Cheng Cheng Kuo

Luke Lo

Chia Ying Lee

Jui Jen Huang

Cheng Lin Huang

A method of plating a metal layer on a work piece includes exposing a surface of the work piece to a plating solution, and supplying a first voltage at a negative end of a power supply source to an edge portion of the work piece. A second voltage is supplied to an inner portion of the work piece, wherein the inner portion is closer to a center of the work piece than the edge portion. A positive end of the power supply source is connected to a metal plate, wherein the metal plate and the work piece are spaced apart from each other by, and are in contact with, the plating solution.

Electro-plating and apparatus for performing the same

An interconnect structure and a method of forming an interconnect structure are disclosed. The interconnect structure includes a lower etch stop layer (ESL); an upper low-k (LK) dielectric layer over the lower ESL; a first conductive feature in the upper LK dielectric layer, wherein the first conductive feature has a first metal line and a dummy via contiguous with the first metal line, the dummy via extending through the lower ESL; a first gap along an interface of the first conductive feature and the upper LK dielectric layer; and an upper ESL over the upper LK dielectric layer, the first conductive feature, and the first gap.

Interconnect structure and method of forming the same

A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate. A patterned adhesion layer is formed on the substrate. A metal layer is deposited on the patterned adhesion layer. An elevated temperature thermal process is applied to agglomerate the metal layer to form a self-forming-metal-feature (SFMF) and a dielectric layer is deposited between SFMFs.

Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication

An interconnect structure and a method of forming an interconnect structure are disclosed. The interconnect structure includes a first metal line and a second metal line over a substrate; a portion of a first low-k (LK) dielectric layer between the first metal line and the second metal line; and a second LK dielectric layer over the portion of the first LK dielectric layer. A top surface of the second LK dielectric layer is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the first metal line or the second metal line, and a thickness of the second LK dielectric layer is less than a thickness of the first metal line or a thickness of the second metal line.

The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a patterned dielectric layer having a plurality of first openings. The method includes forming a conductive liner layer over the patterned dielectric layer, the conductive liner layer partially filling the first openings. The method includes forming a trench mask layer over portions of the conductive liner layer outside the first openings, thereby forming a plurality of second openings, a subset of which are formed over the first openings. The method includes depositing a conductive material in the first openings to form a plurality of vias and in the second openings to form a plurality of metal lines. The method includes removing the trench mask layer.

Gap filling method for dual damascene process

A semiconductor device, an interconnect structure, and methods of forming the same are disclosed. An embodiment is a method of forming a semiconductor device, the method including forming a first dielectric layer over a substrate, forming a first conductive layer in the first dielectric layer, and removing a first portion of the first conductive layer to form at least two conductive lines in the first dielectric layer, the at least two conductive lines being separated by a first spacing. The method further includes forming a capping layer on the at least two conductive lines, and forming an etch stop layer on the capping layer and the first dielectric layer.

Interconnect structures and methods of forming same

Disclosed is a method to form a titanium nitride (TiN) hard mask in the Damascene process of forming interconnects during the fabrication of a semiconductor device, while the type and magnitude of stress carried by the TiN hard mask is controlled. The TiN hard mask is formed in a multi-layered structure where each sub-layer is formed successively by repeating a cycle of processes comprising TiN and chlorine PECVD deposition, and N/Hplasma gas treatment. During its formation, the stress to be carried by the TiN hard mask is controlled by controlling the number of TiN sub-layers and the plasma gas treatment duration such that the stress may counter-balance predetermined external stress anticipated on a conventionally made TiN hard mask, which causes trench sidewall distortion, trench opening shrinkage, and gap filling problem.

Stress-controlled formation of tin hard mask

The present disclosure provides a method including providing a semiconductor substrate and forming a first layer and a second layer on the semiconductor substrate. The first layer is patterned to provide a first element, a second element, and a space interposing the first and second elements. Spacer elements are then formed on the sidewalls on the first and second elements of the first layer. Subsequently, the second layer is etched using the spacer elements and the first and second elements as a masking element.

Method of forming pattern for semiconductor device

A method for fabricating an integrated circuit structure and the resulting integrated circuit structure are provided. The method includes forming a low-k dielectric layer; form an opening in the low-k dielectric layer; forming a barrier layer covering a bottom and sidewalls of the low-k dielectric layer; performing a treatment to the barrier layer in an environment comprising a treatment gas; and filling the opening with a conductive material, wherein the conductive material is on the barrier layer.

Approach for reducing copper line resistivity

Growing community of inventors

Chu-Pei, Taiwan

Minghsing Tsai