# US 2021/0280352 A1 · Integrated circuit structure with dielectric material to cover horizontally separated metal layers, and related method

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- Number: US 2021/0280352 A1
- Document ID: US20210280352A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/809,689
- Filed: 2020-03-05
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05
- Assignees: GlobalFoundries Dresden Module One Limited Liability Company & Co. KG
- Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Dresden Module One Limited Liability Company & Co. KG
- Inventors: Frank G. Küchenmeister; Marcel B. Wieland; Hartmuth Daniel Kunze; Lothar E. Lehmann; Sven Bedürftig; Patrick Rohlfs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210280352A1

## CPC

- H01F 27/2804: {Printed windings}
- H01F 17/0006: {Printed inductances (printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K)}
- H01F 27/32: Insulating of coils, windings, or parts thereof
- H01F 27/323: {Insulation between winding turns, between winding layers}
- H01F 41/041: {Printed circuit coils (apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00)}
- H01F 41/12: Insulating of windings ({impregnating or encapsulating of transformers H01F41/005} ; of conductors in general H01B13/06)
- H10D 1/20: Inductors
- H10P 14/683: {carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC}
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/497: {Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers}
- H01F 27/2809: {on stacked layers}
- H01F 2017/0073: {with a special conductive pattern, e.g. flat spiral}
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- 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

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) structure. The IC structure may include a first metal layer on a substrate, and a second metal layer on the substrate that is horizontally separated from the first metal layer. A dielectric material may include a first portion on the first metal layer, and having a first upper surface, a second portion on the second metal layer, and having a second upper surface, and a third portion on the substrate between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The third portion of the dielectric material includes a third upper surface above the first upper surface of the first portion and the second upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated circuit (IC) structure, comprising:
a first metal layer on a substrate;
a second metal layer on the substrate, and horizontally separated from the first metal layer; and
a dielectric material including:
a first portion on the first metal layer, and having a first upper surface,
a second portion on the second metal layer, and having a second upper surface, and
a third portion on the substrate between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the third portion of the dielectric material includes a third upper surface above the first upper surface of the first portion and the second upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer each include laterally connected turns of a single metal coil on the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material includes a polymer material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material includes a first polymer material and a second polymer material on the first polymer material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material includes a fourth portion on the substrate adjacent the first metal layer or the second metal layer, and having a fourth upper surface is below the first upper surface of the first portion, the second upper surface of the second portion, and the third upper surface of the third portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic material on the dielectric material over the first metal layer or the second metal layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, wherein the third upper surface of the third portion of the dielectric material is positioned at most approximately 1.5 micrometers (μm) above the first upper surface of the first portion and the second upper surface of the second portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The IC structure of claim 1, further comprising a via to the first metal layer or the second metal layer, wherein a sidewall of the via includes a horizontally stepped portion adjacent the second upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 9

An inductor structure, comprising:
a metal coil including a plurality of linearly connected metal layers on a substrate, the plurality of linearly connected metal layers including a first metal layer on the substrate and a second metal layer on the substrate having a portion horizontally separated from the first metal layer;
a dielectric material including:
a first portion on the first metal layer of the metal coil, and having a first upper surface,
a second portion on the second metal layer of the metal coil, and having a second upper surface, and
a third portion on the substrate between the first metal layer and the second metal layer of the metal coil, wherein the third portion of the dielectric material includes a third upper surface above the first upper surface of the first portion and the second upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material;
a magnetic material on the dielectric material above the first metal layer of the metal coil; and
a via contacting an upper surface of the second metal layer of the metal coil, and extending through the second portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The inductor structure of claim 9, wherein the dielectric material includes a polymer material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The inductor structure of claim 9, wherein the dielectric material includes a first polymer material and a second polymer material on the first polymer material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The inductor structure of claim 9, wherein the dielectric material includes a fourth portion on the substrate adjacent an outer perimeter of the metal coil, and having a fourth upper surface is below the first upper surface of the first portion, the second upper surface of the second portion, and the third upper surface of the third portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The inductor structure of claim 9, wherein the third upper surface of the third portion of the dielectric material is positioned at most approximately 1.5 micrometers (μm) above the upper surface of the first metal layer and the upper surface of the second metal layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The inductor structure of claim 9, wherein a sidewall of the via includes a horizontally stepped metal layer adjacent the upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 15

A method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) structure, the method comprising:
forming a first metal layer and a second metal layer on a substrate, wherein the second metal layer is horizontally separated from the first metal layer;
forming a first dielectric material on the substrate between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the first dielectric material includes an upper surface above the first metal layer and the second metal layer; and
forming a second dielectric material on the first metal layer, the second metal layer, and the first dielectric material, wherein the second dielectric material includes a first portion having a first upper surface over the first metal layer, a second portion having a second upper surface over the second metal layer, and third portion having a third upper surface over the substrate between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third upper surface is above the first upper surface of the first portion and the second upper surface of the portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein forming the first metal layer and the second metal layer includes forming a metal coil on the substrate, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer each include linearly connected turns of the metal coil.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein forming the second dielectric material includes forming the second dielectric material directly on an upper surface of the substrate adjacent an outer perimeter of the metal coil.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising forming a magnetic material on the second dielectric material above the first metal layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
removing a portion of the second dielectric material to expose the second metal layer; and
forming a via to the exposed second metal layer, wherein the via includes a horizontally stepped portion adjacent the second upper surface of the second portion of the dielectric material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first dielectric material comprises a first polymer material, and wherein the second dielectric material comprises a second polymer material different from the first polymer material.