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:
Apr. 26, 2016
Filed:
Aug. 15, 2014
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Daniel C. Edelstein, White Plains, NY (US);
Nicholas C. Fuller, North Hills, NY (US);
Elbert E. Huang, Carmel, NY (US);
Satyanarayana V. Nitta, Cross River, NY (US);
David L. Rath, Stormville, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of forming a fully aligned via connecting two metal lines on different Mx levels by forming a recessed opening above a first metal line in a first ILD; forming a cap on the first ILD and in the recessed openings; forming a second ILD on the cap; forming a metal trench hardmask above the second ILD, forming a metal trench pattern in the metal trench hardmask; forming a via pattern that is self aligned to the metal trench pattern and above a portion of the first metal line; forming a via opening exposing the first metal line by transferring the via pattern and metal trench pattern to lower levels, the via pattern is self-aligned to the recessed opening; and forming a via and a third metal line in the via opening and the transferred metal trench pattern, respectively.