# US 12,002,709 B2 · Interconnect structure and manufacturing method for the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,709 B2 - Document ID: US12002709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/459,961 - Filed: 2021-08-27 - Published: 2021-12-16 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-11 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. - Inventors: Hsiang-Wei Liu; Wei-Chen Chu; Chia-Tien Wu; Tai-I Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002709B2 ## CPC - H10W 20/084: {for dual-damascene structures} - H10W 20/088: {involving partial etching of via holes} - H10P 50/283: {by chemical means} - H10P 50/73: {using masks for insulating materials} - H10W 20/042: {the barrier, adhesion or liner layers being seed or nucleation layers} - H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches} - H10W 20/075: {of multilayered thin functional dielectric layers} - H10W 20/077: {on sidewalls or on top surfaces of conductors (H10W20/076 takes precedence)} - H10W 20/082: {the openings being tapered via holes} - H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs - H10W 20/435: {Cross-sectional shapes or dispositions of interconnections} - H10W 20/48: Insulating materials thereof - H10P 76/2043: {using an anti-reflective coating} - H10W 20/0886: {involving forming a via in a via-level dielectric prior to deposition of a trench-level dielectric} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The present disclosure provides an interconnect structure, including a first metal line, a second metal line spaced away from the first metal line, a conductive contact over the first metal line, including a first portion, a second portion over the first portion, wherein a bottom width of the second portion is greater than a top width of the first portion, wherein a shortest distance between the second portion and the second metal line is in a range from 50 Angstrom to 200 Angstrom, and a third portion over the second portion, wherein a bottom width of the third portion is greater than a top width of the second portion, the entire first portion and the entire second portion are under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion, a first layer, and a second layer over the first layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interconnect structure, comprising: a first metal line; a second metal line spaced away from the first metal line; a conductive contact over the first metal line, comprising: a first portion; a second portion over the first portion, wherein a bottom width of the second portion is greater than a top width of the first portion; and a third portion over the second portion, wherein a bottom width of the third portion is greater than a top width of the second portion, the entire first portion and the entire second portion are under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion; a first layer, wherein a first portion of the first layer is under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the first portion of the conductive contact; a second layer over the first layer; a dielectric layer over the second layer, wherein a portion of the second layer that is sandwiched between a bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact and the first layer has a uniformed thickness profile; and a seed layer, conformally formed on the first metal line, the first layer, the second layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the third portion of the conductive contact is in direct contact with a horizontal portion of the seed layer, and the seed layer is in direct contact with the portion of the second layer having the uniformed thickness profile. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first layer is free from being under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the second layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a first part at a position between the first metal line and the second metal line from a top view perspective, wherein the first part of the first layer has a uniformed top surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein the entire first layer is at a level below the entire second layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein the entire first layer is above a top surface of the first metal line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein the first layer is in direct contact with a top surface of the first metal line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The interconnect structure of claim 1, wherein the entire second layer is below a bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact. ### Claim 8 An interconnect structure, comprising: a first metal line; a second metal line spaced away from the first metal line; a conductive contact over the first metal line, wherein at least a portion of the first metal line and at least a portion of the second metal line are under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the conductive contact, the conductive contact comprises: a first portion; a second portion over the first portion, wherein a bottom width of the second portion is greater than a top width of the first portion; and a third portion over the second portion, wherein a bottom width of the third portion is greater than a top width of the second portion, the entire first portion and the entire second portion are under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion; a first layer, wherein a first portion of the first layer is under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the first portion of the conductive contact; a second layer over the first layer, wherein a portion of the second layer sandwiched between a bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact and the first layer has a uniformed thickness; a dielectric layer over atop surf ace of the second layer, and comprises a first portion under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion of the conductive contact; and a seed layer, conformally formed on the first metal line, the first layer, the second layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the third portion of the conductive contact is in direct contact with a horizontal portion of the seed layer, and the seed layer is in direct contact with the portion of the second layer having the uniformed thickness profile. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein a portion of the first layer is free from being under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the second layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein the entire first layer is at a level below the entire second layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein the entire first layer is above a top surface of the first metal line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The interconnect structure of claim 8, wherein the entire second layer is below a bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact. ### Claim 13 An interconnect structure, comprising: a first metal line; a second metal line spaced away from the first metal line along a first direction; a conductive contact over the first metal line, comprising: a first portion; a second portion over the first portion, wherein a bottom width of the second portion is greater than a top width of the first portion; and a third portion over the second portion, wherein a bottom width of the third portion is greater than a top width of the second portion, the entire first portion and the entire second portion are under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion; a first layer, wherein a first portion of the first layer is under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the first portion of the conductive contact; a second layer over the first layer, wherein a first portion of the second layer is under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the first portion of the conductive contact, a portion of the first layer is free from being covered by the second layer, wherein the second layer has a second portion between a bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact and the first layer, the second portion of the second layer having a uniform thickness, the entire second layer is below the bottom of the second portion of the conductive contact; and a dielectric layer over a top surface of the second layer, and the dielectric layer comprises: a first portion under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the third portion of the conductive contact; and a second portion at least laterally surrounding the third portion of the conductive contact, wherein: the first portion of the dielectric layer extends along the first direction and in direct contact with the second portion of the dielectric layer; and a seed layer, conformally formed on the first metal line, the first layer, the second layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the third portion of the conductive contact is in direct contact with a horizontal portion of the seed layer, and the seed layer extends horizontally over a top surface of the second layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the dielectric layer is in direct contact with the second layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the entire second layer is above a top surface of the second metal line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the second layer is a silicon-derivative layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the second layer comprises oxide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, further comprising an inter-metal dielectric layer adjacent to the first metal line, wherein a top surface of the inter-metal dielectric layer is in direct contact with a bottom surface of the first layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the first layer is in direct contact with a top surface of the first metal line. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The interconnect structure of claim 13, wherein the first layer comprises a first part at a position between the first metal line and the second metal line from a top view perspective, wherein the first part of the first layer has a uniformed top surface.