The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 28, 2020
Filed:
Jan. 18, 2018
Stmicroelectronics, Inc., Coppell, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
John H. Zhang, Altamont, NY (US);
Yann Mignot, Slingerlands, NY (US);
Lawrence A. Clevenger, LaGrangeville, NY (US);
Carl Radens, LaGrangeville, NY (US);
Richard Stephen Wise, Ridgefield, CT (US);
Yiheng Xu, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Yannick Loquet, Domene, FR;
Hsueh-Chung Chen, Cohoes, NY (US);
STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., Coppell, TX (US);
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Ultra-low-k dielectric materials used as inter-layer dielectrics in high-performance integrated circuits are prone to be structurally unstable. The Young's modulus of such materials is decreased, resulting in porosity, poor film strength, cracking, and voids. An alternative dual damascene interconnect process incorporates air gaps into a high modulus dielectric material to maintain structural stability while reducing capacitance between adjacent nanowires. Incorporation of an air gap having k=1.0 compensates for the use of a higher modulus film having a dielectric constant greater than the typical ultra-low-k (ULK) dielectric value of about 2.2. The higher modulus film containing the air gap is used as an insulator between adjacent metal lines, while a ULK film is retained to insulate vias. The dielectric layer between two adjacent metal lines thus forms a ULK/high-modulus dielectric bi-layer.