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:
Sep. 23, 2025
Filed:
May. 31, 2024
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu, TW;
Guan-Xuan Chen, Hsinchu, TW;
Sheng-Liang Pan, Hsinchu, TW;
Chia-Yang Hung, Hsinchu, TW;
Po-Chuan Wang, Hsinchu, TW;
Huan-Just Lin, Hsinchu, TW;
TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu, TW;
Abstract
A method for making a semiconductor device includes patterning at least one dielectric layer disposed over a conductive cap layer to form a via opening penetrating through the at least one dielectric layer to expose the conductive cap layer and to form a top portion of the conductive cap layer into a metal oxide layer; converting the metal oxide layer to a metal oxynitride layer by a soft ashing process using a processing gas containing nitrogen gas; removing the metal oxynitride layer from a remaining portion of the conductive cap layer; and forming a via contact in the via opening to electrically connect the remaining portion of the conductive cap layer.