Dielectric with sidewall passivating layer
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorHyun-Mog Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polymer dielectric material includes a sidewall passivating layer on the opposing sidewall surfaces of an opening in the dielectric layer for a via or trench. The sidewall passivating layer may be deposited on the sidewall surfaces, as well as the bottom surface of an opening having a first depth in the polymer dielectric layer. After the sidewall passivating layer is added, the depth of the opening may be increased to a second depth. The sidewall passivating layer provides a barrier to removal of the polymer dielectric from the sidewalls, preventing or reducing undercutting below a hard mask.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- forming an opening in a polymer dielectric layer to a depth that is spaced from an underlying barrier layer, the opening having a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces;
- forming a passivating layer over at least the sidewall surfaces of the polymer dielectric layer;
- and
- removing the remaining polymer dielectric layer on the bottom surface of the opening.
A device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer, a barrier layer over the conductive layer, and a polymer dielectric layer over the barrier layer;
- an opening in the polymer dielectric layer having a bottom surface and substantially vertical opposing sidewall surfaces;
- and
- a passivating layer on at least the opposing sidewall surfaces of the opening.
A method comprising:
- etching a polymer dielectric material over a barrier layer on a substrate to provide an opening having a first depth, the opening having a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces;
- forming a passivating layer over the bottom surface and sidewall surfaces of the opening, the passivating layer providing a barrier layer;
- and
- etching the polymer dielectric material at the bottom of the opening to remove the passivating layer and the polymer dielectric material from the bottom surface of the opening and increase the depth of the opening to a second depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.