Interconnect via with grown graphitic material

Abstract

An integrated circuit has a substrate and an interconnect region disposed on the substrate. The interconnect region includes a plurality of interconnect levels. Each interconnect level includes interconnects in dielectric material. The integrated circuit includes a graphitic via in the interconnect region. The graphitic via vertically connects a first interconnect in a first interconnect level to a second interconnect in a second, higher, interconnect level. The graphitic via includes a cohered nanoparticle film of nanoparticles in which adjacent nanoparticles cohere to each other, and a layer of graphitic material disposed on the cohered nanoparticle film. The nanoparticles include one or more metals suitable for catalysis of the graphitic material. The cohered nanoparticle film is formed by a method which includes an additive process. The graphitic via is electrically coupled to an active component of the integrated circuit.