Creating different width lines and spaces in a metal layer
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsChristopher J Penny, Ekmini Anuja De Silva, Ashim Dutta, Abraham Arceo de la Pena
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An approach provides a semiconductor structure with a semiconductor layer that has a plurality of metal lines on the semiconductor layer where a first line of the plurality of metal lines on the semiconductor layer has a different line width than a second line of the plurality of metal lines on the semiconductor layer and a low-k dielectric material covers the plurality of metal lines and the semiconductor layer between the plurality of metal lines.
Claims20
A semiconductor structure, the structure comprising:
- a semiconductor layer;
- a plurality of metal lines on the semiconductor layer, wherein a first line of the plurality of metal lines on the layer has a different line width than a second line of the plurality of metal lines on the layer;
- and
- a low-k dielectric material on the plurality of metal lines and on the semiconductor layer between the plurality of metal lines.
A method of forming metal lines on a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor structure, wherein a first metal line has a different width than a second metal line, the method comprising:
- patterning a plurality of mandrels on a dielectric layer that is over a metal layer;
- depositing a layer of spacer material over the dielectric layer and the plurality of mandrels;
- removing the spacer material from horizontal surfaces of the dielectric layer and the plurality of mandrels;
- depositing an optical planarization layer over exposed surfaces of the dielectric layer, the plurality of mandrels, and the spacer material remaining on the plurality of mandrels;
- patterning the optical planarization layer;
- depositing a hardmask material in a plurality of gaps formed during the patterning of the optical planarization layer;
- removing the optical planarization layer remaining after the patterning of the optical planarization layer;
- performing an etch process to remove the spacer material remaining;
- and
- removing exposed portions of the dielectric layer and portions of the metal layer under the removed exposed portions of the dielectric layer, wherein one or more metal lines are formed by one or more remaining portions of the metal layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.