Globalfoundries Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries U.S. Inc.

Intermolecular, Inc.

Sean Xuan Lin

Xunyuan Zhang

Errol Todd Ryan

Ming He

Larry Zhao

Nicholas V Licausi

Ruilong Xie

John A Iacoponi

Shao Beng Law

Kunaljeet Tanwar

Christian Witt

James Jay McMahon

Paul Raymond Besser

Mark V Raymond

Moosung M Chae

Ailian Zhao

Valli Arunachalam

Chanro Park

Muthumanickam Sankarapandian

Guoxiang Ning

Lei Sun

John S Foster

Rui Chen

Yuping Ren

Minghao Tang

Genevieve Beique

Xun Xiang

An approach for forming a semiconductor device is provided. In general, the device is formed by providing a metal layer, a cap layer over the metal layer, and an ultra low k layer over the cap layer. A via is then formed through the ultra low k layer and the cap layer. Once the via is formed, a barrier layer (e.g., cobalt (Co), tantalum (Ta), cobalt-tungsten-phosphide (CoWP), or other metal capable of acting as a copper (CU) diffusion barrier) is selectively applied to a bottom surface of the via. A liner layer (e.g., manganese (MN) or aluminum (AL)) is then applied to a set of sidewalls of the via. The via may then be filled with a subsequent metal layer (with or without a seed layer), and the device may the then be further processed (e.g., annealed).

Semiconductor device having a self-forming barrier layer at via bottom

A method of fabricating interconnects in a semiconductor device is provided, which includes forming a metallization layer and depositing a hardmask layer over the metallization layer. A dielectric layer is deposited over the hardmask layer and an opening is formed in the dielectric layer to expose the hardmask layer. The exposed hardmask layer in the opening is etched to form an undercut beneath the dielectric layer. A metal shoulder is formed at the undercut, wherein the metal shoulder defines an aperture dimension used for forming a via opening extending to the metallization layer.

Controlling back-end-of-line dimensions of semiconductor devices

Structures for interconnects and methods of forming interconnects. An interconnect opening in a dielectric layer includes a first portion and a second portion arranged over the first portion. A first conductor layer composed of a first metal is arranged inside the first portion of the interconnect opening. A second conductor layer composed of a second metal is arranged inside the second portion of the interconnect opening. The first metal is ruthenium.

Interconnects formed by a metal displacement reaction

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to metal interconnect structures for super (skip) via integration and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a first wiring layer with one or more wiring structures; a second wiring layer including an interconnect and wiring structure; and at least one upper wiring layer with one or more via interconnect and wiring structures located above the second wiring layer. The one or more via interconnect and wiring structures partially including a first metal material and remaining portions with a conductive material over the first metal material. A skip via passes through the second wiring layer and extends to the one or more wiring structures of the first wiring layer. The skip via partially includes the metal material and remaining portions of the skip via includes the conductive material over the first metal material.

Metal interconnects for super (skip) via integration

Methods of self-aligned multiple patterning. A mandrel line is formed over a hardmask layer, and forming a block mask is formed over a first portion of the mandrel line that is linearly arranged between respective second portions of the mandrel line. After forming the first block mask, the second portions of the mandrel line are removed with an etching process to cut the mandrel line and expose respective portions of the hardmask layer. A second portion of the mandrel line is covered by the block mask during the etching process to define a mandrel cut in the mandrel line.

Multiple patterning with mandrel cuts formed using a block mask

Methods of forming interconnects. An interconnect opening is formed in a dielectric layer. A first conductor layer composed of a first metal is formed in the interconnect opening. A second conductor layer is formed inside the interconnect opening by displacing the first metal of the first conductor layer and replacing the first metal with a second metal different from the first metal.

Interconnects formed by a metal replacement process

Devices and methods of fabricating devices are provided. One method includes: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device having a dielectric layer, an insulating layer, and a plurality of metal lines, including a liner material and a first metal material; recessing the metal material of each metal line forming a set of cavities; filling the cavities with a protective cap; etching the protective cap and the liner material in the set of cavities; depositing a plurality of dielectric caps in the set of cavities; depositing an interlayer dielectric layer over the insulating layer and the plurality of dielectric caps; patterning a via in the interlayer dielectric layer; and depositing a lining and a second metal material in the interconnect area; wherein the second metal material is electrically insulated from the first metal in at least one of the plurality of metal lines.

Liner recess for fully aligned via

Structures for metallization levels of integrated circuits and associated fabrication methods. A first metallization level with a metallization line is formed. A second metallization level is formed over the first metallization level, having two metallization lines and two conductive vias extending from the two metallization lines to the metallization line in the first metallization level. The first metallization line is separated into a first section and a second section disconnected from the first section, so that the first section is connected by one conductive via to one metallization line in the second metallization level, and the second section is connected by the other conductive via to the other metallization line in the second level.

Metallization levels and methods of making thereof

Methods for forming interconnects that include cobalt. An interconnect opening is formed in a dielectric layer that penetrates from a top surface of the dielectric layer into the dielectric layer. A first cobalt layer is formed at a bottom of the interconnect opening and partially fills the interconnect opening. A second cobalt layer is selectively deposited on the first cobalt layer and grows upwardly from the first cobalt layer at the bottom of the interconnect opening.

Cobalt interconnects formed by selective bottom-up fill

One illustrative method disclosed includes, among other things, forming a gate contact opening in a layer of insulating material, performing at least one etching process through the gate contact opening to remove a gate cap layer and to expose the gate structure, selectively growing a metal material that is conductively coupled to an upper surface of the gate structure such that the grown metal material contacts all of the sidewalls of the gate contact opening and an air space is formed between a bottom of the grown metal material and a conductive source/drain structure, and forming one or more conductive materials in the gate contact opening above the grown metal material.

Method of forming a gate contact structure for a semiconductor device

Provided are methods for fabricating transistors using a gate last approach. These methods involve etching of titanium nitride and titanium carbide structures while preserving high k-dielectric structures. The titanium carbide structures may also include aluminum. Etching may be performed in one or more etching solutions, each including hydrogen peroxide. Titanium nitride and titanium carbide structures can be etched simultaneously (non-selectively) in the same etching solution that also includes hydrochloric acid, in addition to hydrogen peroxide, and maintained at about 25&#xb0; C. and 85&#xb0; C. In some embodiments, titanium nitride structures and titanium carbide structures may be etched separately (selectively) in different operations and using different etching solutions. The titanium nitride structures may be etched in a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution maintained at about 25&#xb0; C. and 85&#xb0; C. The titanium carbide structures may be etched in a solution that also includes ammonium hydroxide, in addition to hydrogen peroxide, and maintained at about 25&#xb0; C.

Solution based etching of titanium carbide and titanium nitride structures

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to skip via structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a first wiring layer with one or more wiring structures; an upper wiring layer with one or more wiring structures, located above the first wiring layer; a blocking material which contacts at least one of the wiring structures of the upper wiring layer; a skip via with metallization, the skip via passes through the upper wiring layer and makes contact with the one or more wiring structures of the first wiring layer; and a conductive material in the skip via above the metallization and in a via interconnect above the blocking material.

Skip via structures

Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits with self-aligned vias are disclosed. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming a first conductive interconnect line overlying a semiconductor substrate. The method forms an insulator cap defining a gap overlying the first conductive interconnect line. An upper interlayer dielectric material is deposited over the insulator cap and in the gap over the first conductive interconnect line. A via is etched through the upper interlayer dielectric material and into the gap to expose the first conductive interconnect line. The method deposits a conductive material into the via to form a conductive via in contact with the first conductive interconnect line.

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Watervliet, NY, United States of America

Sean Xuan Lin