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:
Jun. 13, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2016
Applicant:
Globalfoundries Inc., Grand Cayman, KY;
Inventors:
Guillaume Bouche, Albany, NY (US);
Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Queensbury, NY (US);
Mark A. Zaleski, Galway, NY (US);
Assignee:
GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC., Grand Cayman, KY;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 23/48 (2006.01); H01L 23/52 (2006.01); H01L 21/768 (2006.01); H01L 23/528 (2006.01); H01L 23/522 (2006.01); H01L 23/532 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/76834 (2013.01); H01L 21/31144 (2013.01); H01L 21/768 (2013.01); H01L 21/76802 (2013.01); H01L 21/76807 (2013.01); H01L 21/76816 (2013.01); H01L 21/76832 (2013.01); H01L 21/76838 (2013.01); H01L 23/52 (2013.01); H01L 23/528 (2013.01); H01L 23/5226 (2013.01); H01L 23/53228 (2013.01); H01L 2924/0002 (2013.01);
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for self-aligned metal cuts in a back end of line structure. Sacrificial Mx+1 lines are formed above metal Mx lines. Spacers are formed on each Mx+1 sacrificial line. The gap between the spacers is used to determine the location and thickness of cuts to the Mx metal lines. This ensures that the Mx metal line cuts do not encroach on vias that interconnect the Mx and Mx+1 levels. It also allows for reduced limits in terms of via enclosure rules, which enables increased circuit density.