# US 12,765,343 B2 · Self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure and method of preparing the same

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- Number: US 12,765,343 B2
- Document ID: US12765343B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/618,706
- Filed: 2024-03-27
- Published: 2025-01-02
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2023-06-30
- Assignees: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Applicants: Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Inventors: Xianyu Chen; Huilong Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12765343B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/069: {by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs}
- H10W 20/023: {the interconnections being through-semiconductor vias}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Provided are a self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure and a method of preparing the same. According to the preset range and positions of the first and second trenches, the second preset pattern is formed, and then the first initial blind hole is formed by etching based on the second preset pattern, so that the position of the nanometer through-silicon-via is determined. The depth of the buried power rail may be determined by etching the silicon substrate with the first preset depth, and the depth of the self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via may be determined by etching the silicon substrate with the second preset depth or thinning the fourth structure from a side of the silicon substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of preparing a self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure, comprising:
step S1, providing a silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate comprises a fin structure perpendicular to a surface of the silicon substrate and extending upwardly, growing a first SiO2 layer on the silicon substrate, wherein the first SiO2 layer covers the fin and is located at a same height as the fin, so that a first structure is obtained;
step S2, growing a sacrificial layer on a top surface of the first structure, forming a first preset pattern on a top surface of the sacrificial layer, sequentially etching the sacrificial layer, the first SiO2 layer, and the silicon substrate with a first preset depth downwardly from the top surface of the sacrificial layer according to the first preset pattern so as to form an initial trench parallel to the fin, wherein the initial trench comprises a first trench, a second trench, and a third trench arranged in sequence;
step S3, filling a first filler in the initial trench until the first filler is flush with the top surface of the sacrificial layer, wherein the first filler comprises SiO2;
step S4, forming a second preset pattern on a top surface of the first filler, wherein the second preset pattern is located at positions of the first trench and the second trench, sequentially etching the first filler and the silicon substrate with a second preset depth downwardly from the top surface of the first filler according to the second preset pattern so as to form a first initial blind hole;
step S5, filling a second filler in the first initial blind hole until the second filler is flush with the top surface of the sacrificial layer, removing the sacrificial layer, and the first filler and second filler located within a height range of the sacrificial layer sequentially so as to obtain a second structure, wherein the second filler comprises SiO2;
step S6, growing a second SiO2 layer on a top surface of the second structure, etching the second SiO2 layer corresponding to a position of the remaining first filler and the second SiO2 layer corresponding to a position of the remaining second filler, etching the remaining first filler to form a target trench, and etching the remaining second filler to form a first target blind hole;
step S7, filling a third filler in the target trench and the first target blind hole, wherein the third filler is higher than a root of the fin and lower than a top of the fin, filling a fourth filler on a top surface of the third filler until the fourth filler is flush with the second SiO2 layer so as to obtain a third structure, wherein the third filler comprises tungsten and the fourth filler comprises SiO2;
step S8, forming a third preset pattern on a top surface of the third structure, etching the second SiO2 layer, the fourth filler, and the first SiO2 layer downwardly from the top surface of the third structure according to the third preset pattern until the third filler is exposed, filling a fifth filler in a trench generated by etching until the fifth filler is flush with the second SiO2 layer, so that a fourth structure is obtained, wherein the fifth filler comprises tungsten, and the third preset pattern does not comprise a position corresponding to the first target blind hole; and
step S9, thinning the fourth structure from a side of the silicon substrate until the third filler in the first target blind hole is exposed, so that a self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure is obtained,
wherein an anisotropic etching selective ratio of a material used in the sacrificial layer to the silicon substrate, the first SiO2 layer, the first filler, and the second filler are less than or equal to a preset ratio, and the preset ratio is 1:10;
wherein before filling the third filler in the target trench and the first target blind hole in step S7, the method further comprises:
sequentially growing an electrical isolation layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and an adhesive layer at a bottom and a side wall of the target trench and the first target blind hole.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein after step S9, the method further comprises:
step S10, etching the third filler in the first target blind hole exposed in step S9 so as to form a second target blind hole, wherein the second target blind hole does not exceed a plane where the root of the fin is located; and
step S11, filling a sixth filler in the second target blind hole to obtain another self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure, wherein the sixth filler comprises copper.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein after step S10, the method further comprises:
step S11′, etching the silicon substrate and the third filler at a periphery of the second target blind hole so as to obtain a third target blind hole, wherein a size of the third target blind hole gradually increases from a side of the second SiO2 layer to a thinned side; and
step S12′, filling a seventh filler in the third target blind hole to obtain yet another self-align nanometer through-silicon-via structure, wherein the seventh filler comprises copper or tungsten.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein before etching the silicon substrate at the periphery of the second target blind hole in step S11′, the method further comprises:
sequentially removing the adhesive layer, the diffusion barrier layer, and the electrical isolation layer on a side wall of the second target blind hole.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein before filling the seventh filler in the third target blind hole in step S12′, the method further comprises:
sequentially growing an electrical isolation layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and an adhesive layer on a side wall of the third target blind hole.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first structure is obtained by:
performing a fin field-effect transistor process until an inter fin isolation oxide filling step of the fin field-effect transistor process is completed, so that the first structure is obtained.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the step S2 comprises:
coating a photoresist on an upper surface of the sacrificial layer, forming the first preset pattern through exposure, wherein the first preset pattern is parallel to a direction of the fin and is not located above the fin; and
sequentially etching the sacrificial layer, the first SiO2 layer, and the silicon substrate downwardly from the top surface of the sacrificial layer according to the first preset pattern, and removing the remaining photoresist so as to obtain the initial trench,
wherein the operation of removing the remaining photoresist is performed after the operation of etching the sacrificial layer, or performed after sequentially etching the sacrificial layer, the first SiO2 layer, and the silicon substrate downwardly from the top surface of the sacrificial layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in step S4, the operation of “forming a second preset pattern on a top surface of the first filler, wherein the second preset pattern is located at positions of the first trench and the second trench, sequentially etching the first filler and the silicon substrate with a second preset depth downwardly from the top surface of the first filler according to the second preset pattern so as to form a first initial blind hole” comprises:
coating a photoresist on the top surface of the first filler and the top surface of the sacrificial layer;
exposing the photoresist within a preset range in a direction perpendicular to the fin, and determining a position corresponding to the exposed first filler as the second preset pattern; and
sequentially etching the first filler and the silicon substrate with the second preset depth downwardly from the top surface of the first filler according to the second preset pattern, and removing the remaining photoresist so as to form the first initial blind hole,
wherein the operation of removing the remaining photoresist is performed after the operation of etching the first filler, or performed after sequentially etching the first filler and the silicon substrate with the second preset depth downwardly from the top surface of the first filler.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the step S6 further comprises:
after forming the target trench, continuously etching the silicon substrate with a third preset depth downwardly, and/or
after forming the first target blind hole, continuously etching the silicon substrate with a fourth preset depth downwardly.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure, wherein the self-aligned nanometer through-silicon-via structure is prepared by the method of claim 1.