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AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsThomas Werner, Peter Hubler, Frank Koschinsky
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The invention provides a technique of monitoring the void formation in a damascene interconnection process. According to the invention, a test structure is provided that includes at least two damascene structures that have at least one different cross-sectional geometric parameter. To monitor the void formation, the test structure is cut to expose a cross-sectional view to the damascene structures. The cross-sectional view is then inspected and the void formation is investigated in each of the damascene structures. The invention is particularly applicable to multi-level copper-based dual-damascene interconnection processes to monitor the voiding at the interface between barrier layers and bottom metal trenches. The invention allows monitoring of the void formation by locating only one structure on the chip and performing only one cut.
A method of monitoring the void formation in a damascene interconnection process, the method comprising:
A method of monitoring the formation of voids in a copper-based dual-damascene interconnection process, the method comprising:
A method of monitoring the formation of interface voids in a copper-based damascene interconnection process, the method comprising:
An integrated circuit chip comprising a semiconductor substrate carrying a test structure including at least two damascene structures, said at least two damascene structures differing in at least one cross-sectional geometric parameter value, said test structure being cuttable to expose a cross-sectional view to said at least two damascene structures for monitoring the void formation in a damascene interconnection process.
Computer-readable storage medium storing data defining a test structure including at least two damascene structures, said at least two damascene structures differing in at least one cross-sectional geometric parameter, said test structure being cuttable to expose a cross-sectional view to said at least two damascene structures for monitoring the void formation in a damascene interconnection process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.