Vertical metal splitting using helmets and wrap-around dielectric spacers

Abstract

Methods for fabricating an IC structure, e.g., for fabricating a metallization stack portion of an IC structure, as well as related semiconductor devices, are disclosed. An example fabrication method includes splitting metal lines that are supposed to be included at a tight pitch in a single metallization layer into two vertically-stacked layers (hence the term 'vertical metal splitting') by using helmets and wrap-around dielectric spacers. Metal lines split into two such layers may be arranged at a looser pitch in each layer, compared to the pitch at which metal lines of the same size would have to be arranged if there were included in a single layer. Increasing the pitch of metal lines may advantageously allow decreasing the parasitic metal-to-metal capacitance associated with the metallization stack.