Advanced crack stop structure

A method for creating an integrated circuit (IC) structure comprising:

• forming an interconnection structure comprised of a plurality of levels, having an interconnect structure section and a crack stop section;
• in a first set of levels of the interconnection structure, forming an interconnection recess and a crack stop recess, and forming a high modulus layer in the crack stop recess but not the interconnect recess;
• forming a barrier layer and a conductive metal layer in both the interconnection recess and the crack stop recess of the first set of levels;
• in a second set of levels of the interconnection structure and the crack stop structure, providing an interconnection recess and a crack stop recess, and forming a second high modulus layer in the crack stop recess but not in the interconnect recess;
• and
• forming a barrier layer and a conductive metal layer in both the interconnection recess and the crack stop recess of the second set of levels;
• wherein the barrier layers and high modulus layers are deposited in different steps.