Globalfoundries Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Ryan Scott Smith

Xunyuan Zhang

Errol Todd Ryan

Nicholas V Licausi

Shao Beng Law

James Jay McMahon

Roger Allan Quon

Joseph R Johnson

Kai Wu

Vikrant Kumar Chauhan

Raghav Sreenivasan

Jaime Bravo

Nicolas Louis Gabriel Breil

J Jay McMahon

David Collins

George Odlum

Exemplary semiconductor processing methods include forming a via in a semiconductor structure. The via may be defined in part by a bottom surface and a sidewall surface formed in the semiconductor structure around the via. The methods may also include depositing a tantalum nitride (TaN) layer on the bottom surface of the via. In embodiments, the TaN layer may be deposited at a temperature less than or about 200° C. The methods may still further include depositing a titanium nitride (TiN) layer on the TaN layer. In embodiments, the TiN layer may be deposited at a temperature greater than or about 300° C. The methods may additionally include depositing a fill-metal on the TiN layer in the via. In embodiments, the metal may be deposited at a temperature greater than or about 300° C.

Formation of metal vias on metal lines

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide nanopore devices, such as nanopore sensors and/or other nanofluidic devices. In one or more embodiments, a nanopore device contains a substrate, an optional lower protective oxide layer disposed on the substrate, a membrane disposed on the lower protective oxide layer, and an optional upper protective oxide layer disposed on the membrane. The membrane has a pore and contains silicon nitride. The silicon nitride has a nitrogen to silicon ratio of about 0.98 to about 1.02 and the membrane has an intrinsic stress value of about &#x2212;1,000 MPa to about 1,000 MPa. The nanopore device also contains a channel extending through at least the substrate, the lower protective oxide layer, the membrane, the upper protective oxide layer, and the upper protective silicon nitride layer.

Nanofluidic device with silicon nitride membrane

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to via and skip via structures and methods of manufacture. The method includes: forming a first metallization layer with a first capping layer over the first metallization layer; forming a second metallization layer with a second capping layer over the second metallization layer; forming a partial skip via structure to the first metallization layer by removing a portion of the first capping layer and the second capping and depositing conductive material in an opening formed in the second metallization layer; forming a third capping layer over the filled partial skip via and the second capping layer; and forming a remaining portion of a skip via structure in alignment with the partial skip via structure by opening the third capping layer to expose the conductive material of the partial skip via.

Via and skip via structures

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to dielectric repair for via and skip via structures and methods of manufacture. The method includes: etching a via structure in a dielectric layer; repairing sidewalls of the via structure with a repair agent; and extending the via structure with an additional etching into a lower dielectric layer to form a skip via structure exposing a metallization layer.

Structures for a skip via and methods of forming a skip via in an interconnect structure. A metallization level is formed that includes a dielectric layer with a top surface. An opening is formed that extends vertically from the top surface of the dielectric layer into the dielectric layer. A dielectric cap layer is deposited on a bottom surface of the opening. A fill layer is formed inside the opening and extends from the top surface of the dielectric layer to the dielectric cap layer on the bottom surface of the opening. A via opening is etched that extends vertically through the fill layer to the dielectric cap layer on the bottom surface of the opening.

Etch profile control during skip via formation

Three reference resistors of the same resistance and a test structure are connected in a circuit having a Wheatstone Bride design. The circuit is electrically coupled between an input and ground. A voltage applied at the input resulting in an electrical characteristic difference between two midpoints of the circuit indicates the need for corrective action with respect to a design of the test structure for either OPC or etch bias.

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Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Ryan Scott Smith