# US 10,504,840 B2 · Reducing tip-to-tip distance between end portions of metal lines formed in an interconnect layer of an integrated circuit (IC)

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- Number: US 10,504,840 B2
- Document ID: US10504840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/271,995
- Filed: 2019-02-11
- Published: 2019-06-20
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-09
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Jeffrey Junhao Xu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504840B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/43: Layouts of interconnections
- H10F 30/10: the devices being sensitive to infrared radiation, visible or ultraviolet radiation, and having no potential barriers, e.g. photoresistors
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- H10W 20/4403: {based on metals, e.g. alloys, metal silicides (H10W20/4484 takes precedence)}
- H10W 72/00: Interconnections or connectors in packages
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

## Abstract

Aspects for reducing tip-to-tip distance between end portions of metal lines formed in an interconnect layer of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. In one aspect, a method includes exposing a photoresist layer disposed over a hardmask layer to a light to form a metal line pattern on the photoresist layer. The metal line pattern includes metal line templates corresponding to tracks substantially parallel to an axis. The sections of the photoresist layer corresponding to the metal line pattern are removed to expose the hardmask layer according to the metal line pattern. The exposed portions of the hardmask layer are etched such that trenches are formed corresponding to the metal line pattern. The hardmask layer is directionally etched such that at least one trench is extended in a first direction along the axis. This allows the trenches to be spaced with a reduced pitch and reduced tip-to-tip distance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
one or more interconnect layers, each interconnect layer of the one or more interconnect layers comprising a plurality of extreme ultra-violet (EUV) exposure formed metal lines corresponding to a plurality of tracks and formed with a defined pitch;
wherein a tip of a metal line corresponding to a track is separated from a tip of another metal line corresponding to the track by a distance that is less than one-half of the defined pitch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein the plurality of EUV exposure formed metal lines does not comprise a dummy metal line not electrically coupled to another metal line, the interconnect layer, or an active area in the IC.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1 integrated into a semiconductor die.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1 integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a global positioning system (GPS) device; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a smart phone; a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone; a tablet; a phablet; a server; a computer; a portable computer; a mobile computing device; a wearable computing device; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; a portable digital video player; an automobile; a vehicle component; avionics systems; a drone; and a multicopter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein the plurality of EUV exposure formed metal lines has no dummy metal lines.