Electromigration resistant via-to-line interconnect

Abstract

A liner-to-liner direct contact is formed between an upper metallic liner of a conductive via and a lower metallic liner of a metal line below. The liner-to-liner contact impedes abrupt electromigration failures and enhances electromigration resistance of the metal interconnect structure. The at least one dielectric material portion may include a plurality of dielectric material portions arranged to insure direct contact of between the upper metallic liner and the lower metallic liner. Alternatively, the at least one dielectric material portion may comprise a single dielectric portion of which the area has a sufficient lateral overlap with the area of the conductive via to insure that a liner-to-liner direct contact is formed within the range of allowed lithographic overlay variations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.