Method for making an interconnect layer and a semiconductor device including the same

A method for making a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• making active regions in a semiconductor substrate;
• making a layout for an interconnect layer comprising the steps of
• determining an active interconnect feature density for each of a plurality of layout regions of the interconnect layout, and
• adding dummy fill features to each layout region to obtain a desired density of active interconnect features and dummy fill features to facilitate uniformity of planarization during manufacturing of the semiconductor device;
• and
• using the layout to make the interconnect layer overlying the semiconductor substrate.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• and
• at least one interconnect layer overlying said semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of layout regions, each layout region comprising an active interconnect feature region and a dummy fill feature region adjacent thereto for facilitating uniformity of planarization during manufacturing of the semiconductor device,
• each of said dummy fill regions having a different density with respect to other dummy fill regions so that a combined density of said active interconnect feature region and said dummy fill feature region for a respective layout region is substantially uniform with respect to a combined density of other layout regions.