# US 2018/0323067 A1 · Narrowed feature formation during a double patterning process

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- Number: US 2018/0323067 A1
- Document ID: US20180323067A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/587,597
- Filed: 2017-05-05
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-05
- Assignees: Globalfoundries Inc.
- Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
- Inventors: Jiehui Shu; Xusheng Yu; John H. Zhang; Xiaoqiang Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323067A1

## CPC

- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10W 20/089: {using processes for implementing desired shapes or dispositions of the openings, e.g. double patterning}
- H10W 20/491: {Antifuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from non-conductive to conductive}
- H10W 20/493: {Fuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from conductive to non-conductive}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Interconnect structures and methods of fabricating an interconnect structure. A first mandrel line, a second mandrel line, and a non-mandrel line between the first mandrel line and the second mandrel line are provided. A first sidewall spacer is formed adjacent to a section of the first mandrel line and is arranged between the section of the first mandrel line and the non-mandrel line. A first cut is formed that extends partially across the non-mandrel line adjacent to the first spacer to narrow a section of the non-mandrel line. The section of the first mandrel line is removed selective to the first sidewall spacer to form a second cut. An interconnect is formed using the non-mandrel line. The interconnect includes a narrowed section coinciding with a location of the narrowed section of the non-mandrel line.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming metallization in an interconnect structure, the method comprising:
providing a first mandrel line, a second mandrel line, and a non-mandrel line between the first mandrel line and the second mandrel line;
forming a first sidewall spacer adjacent to a section of the first mandrel line and arranged between the section of the first mandrel line and the non-mandrel line;
forming a first cut extending partially across the non-mandrel line adjacent to the first sidewall spacer to narrow a first section of the non-mandrel line;
removing the section of the first mandrel line selective to the first sidewall spacer to form a second cut; and
forming a first interconnect using the non-mandrel line,
wherein the first interconnect includes a first section coinciding with a location of the first section of the non-mandrel line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the first section of the first interconnect defines a fuse link of an electrical fuse.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the non-mandrel line includes a second section that is wider than the first section, the first interconnect includes a second section coinciding with a location of the second section of the non-mandrel line, and the second section of the first interconnect defines an electrode of the electrical fuse.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the non-mandrel line includes a second section that is wider than the first section, and the first interconnect includes a second section coinciding with a location of the second section of the non-mandrel line.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the first interconnect is comprised of copper, aluminum, or cobalt.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the first mandrel line and the second mandrel line are located on a hardmask layer, the non-mandrel line comprises a section of the hardmask layer between the first mandrel line and the second mandrel line, and further comprising:
depositing a conformal layer that extends across the first mandrel line, the second mandrel line, and the section of the hardmask layer,
wherein the conformal layer is etched with a first etching process to form the first sidewall spacer and to remove the conformal layer from the section of the hardmask layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising:
after the conformal layer is etched with the first etching process, depositing a first section of a dielectric layer on the first section of the hardmask layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
after the first section of the dielectric layer is deposited, etching the conformal layer with a second etching process to form a second sidewall spacer adjacent to the second mandrel line,
wherein the first section of the non-mandrel line is arranged between the first sidewall spacer and the second sidewall spacer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
after the second sidewall spacer is formed, removing the second mandrel line selective to the second sidewall spacer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein a space is opened when the second mandrel line is removed, and further comprising:
filling the space with a second section of the dielectric layer concurrent with the deposition of the first section of the dielectric layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the conformal layer and the first section of the dielectric layer are comprised of the same dielectric material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming a cut mask with an opening that is aligned with the first cut,
wherein the cut mask masks a second section of non-mandrel line when the first cut is formed.

### Claim 13

An interconnect structure comprising:
a first interconnect having a first width and a first cut extending through the first interconnect across the first width; and
a second interconnect having a first section with the first width and a second cut extending partially through the second interconnect across a second section of the second interconnect,
wherein the second section of the second interconnect has a second width that is less than the first width.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The interconnect structure of claim 13 wherein the second section of the second interconnect defines a fuse link of an electrical fuse.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The interconnect structure of claim 14 wherein the second section of the second interconnect defines an electrode of the electrical fuse, and the electrode is connected with the fuse link.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The interconnect structure of claim 15 wherein the second interconnect includes a third section having the first width, and the second section of the second interconnect is arranged between the first section and the third section.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The interconnect structure of claim 13 wherein the first interconnect and the second interconnect are comprised of copper, aluminum, or cobalt.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The interconnect structure of claim 13 wherein the second width is less than or equal to 50 percent of the first width, and the second width is greater than or equal to 25 percent of the first width.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The interconnect structure of claim 13 wherein the first interconnect is located adjacent to the second interconnect, the first interconnect includes an end surface at the first cut, the first section of the second interconnect includes an end surface at the second cut, and the end surface of the second interconnect is contained in the same plane as the end surface of the first section of the first interconnect.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The interconnect structure of claim 13 further comprising:
an interlayer dielectric layer in which the first interconnect and the second interconnect are embedded, and the second interconnect is spaced from the first interconnect by a line of the interlayer dielectric layer.