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:
Feb. 08, 2022
Filed:
Jan. 02, 2020
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Tianji Zhou, Albany, NY (US);
Saumya Sharma, Albany, NY (US);
Dominik Metzler, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Chih-Chao Yang, Glenmont, NY (US);
Theodorus E. Standaert, Clifton Park, NY (US);
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods and structures for improving alignment contrast for patterning a metal layer generally includes depositing a metal layer having a plurality of grains, wherein grain boundaries between the grains forms grooves at a surface of the metal layer. The metal layer is subjected to surface treatment to form an oxide or a nitride layer and fill the surface grooves. The metal layer can be patterned using alignment marks in the metal layer and/or underlying layers. Filling the grooves with the oxide or nitride increases alignment contrast relative to patterning the metal layer without the surface treating.