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:
Mar. 28, 2017
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2015
Applicant:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Inventor:
Chien-Chih Chiu, Xinying, TW;
Assignee:
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 21/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/3205 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/76802 (2013.01); H01L 21/31116 (2013.01); H01L 21/31144 (2013.01); H01L 21/32 (2013.01); H01L 21/32051 (2013.01); H01L 21/76804 (2013.01); H01L 21/76843 (2013.01); H01L 21/76877 (2013.01);
Abstract
A method embodiment includes forming a hard mask over a dielectric layer, patterning the hard mask to form an opening, forming a passivation layer on sidewalls of the opening, and forming a trench in the dielectric layer by extending the opening into the dielectric layer using an etching process. The sidewalls of the opening are etched to form a rounded profile in the hard mask and a substantially perpendicular profile in the dielectric layer.