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. 19, 2017
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2015
Globalfoundries Inc., Grand Cayman, KY;
Zhiguo Sun, Halfmoon, NY (US);
Qiang Fang, Ballston Lake, NY (US);
Christian Witt, Woodbridge, CT (US);
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc., Grand Cayman, KY;
Abstract
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a plurality of trenches in a layer of insulating material, performing at least one damage-causing process operation to selectively damage portions of the insulating material adjacent the trenches, forming a conductive line in each of the trenches, after forming the conductive lines, performing a selective etching process to selectively remove at least portions of the damaged portions of the insulating material and thereby define an air gap positioned laterally adjacent each of the conductive lines, and forming a capping layer of material above the conductive lines, the air gap and the undamaged portion of the layer of insulating material.