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. 23, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1998
Dureseti Chidambarrao, Weston, CT (US);
Munir-ud-Din Naeem, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A process for making metal lines in BEOL semiconductor devices. The process reduces metal voids in the metal lines. In one embodiment, metal lines, including a top barrier blanket are formed over an interlevel dielectric. An insulating layer having tensile stress is formed over the metal lines. A first compressive oxide layer is formed over the insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer provides a tensile stress on the metal lines and the compressive oxide layer provides a compressive stress on the metal lines resulting in reduction of metal voids. The compressive oxide layer is etched with a first type of gas until the insulating layer is reached. The insulating layer is etched with addition of gases to facilitate end-point detection. This second type of gas is monitored for an emission of species at an intensity level having a specific wavelength optical emission, and the etching is stopped when the intensity level is reached.