Metal Hard Masks for Reducing Line Bending
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChun-Kai Chen, JeiMing Chen, Tze-Liang Lee
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Abstract
A method includes forming a metal-containing hard mask layer over a dielectric layer, wherein the metal-containing hard mask layer has a Young's modulus greater than about 400 MPa and a tensile stress greater than about 600 MPa, patterning the metal-containing hard mask layer to form an opening in the metal-containing hard mask layer, and etching the dielectric layer using the metal-containing hard mask layer as an etching mask. The opening extends into the dielectric layer. The opening is filled with a conductive material to form a conductive feature. The metal-containing hard mask layer is then removed.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a metal-containing hard mask layer over a dielectric layer, wherein the metal-containing hard mask layer has a Young's modulus greater than about 400 MPa, and a tensile stress greater than about 600 MPa;
- patterning the metal-containing hard mask layer to form a first opening in the metal-containing hard mask layer;
- etching the dielectric layer using the metal-containing hard mask layer as an etching mask, wherein the first opening extends into the dielectric layer;
- filling the first opening with a conductive material to form a conductive feature;
- and
- removing the metal-containing hard mask layer.
A method comprising:
- depositing a metal-containing hard mask layer over a dielectric layer, wherein the metal-containing hard mask layer has a tensile stress greater than about 600 MPa;
- forming a plurality of mandrels over the metal-containing hard mask layer;
- forming a plurality of spacers on sidewalls of the plurality of mandrels;
- etching the metal-containing hard mask layer to form a first trench in the metal-containing hard mask layer, wherein the first trench is overlapped by a first space between two of the plurality of spacers;
- etching one of the plurality of mandrels to leave a second space;
- etching the metal-containing hard mask layer to form a second trench in the metal-containing hard mask layer, wherein the second trench is overlapped by the second space;
- and
- etching the dielectric layer to extend the first trench and the second trench into the dielectric layer.
A method comprising:
- depositing a low-k dielectric layer;
- depositing a first mask layer over the low-k dielectric layer;
- depositing a tungsten-containing hard mask layer over the first mask layer;
- depositing a second mask layer over the tungsten-containing hard mask layer;
- forming a patterned photo resist over the second mask layer;
- using the patterned photo resist to etch the second mask layer and the tungsten-containing hard mask layer, so that a trench is formed in the tungsten-containing hard mask layer, wherein a top surface of the first mask layer is underlying and exposed to the trench;
- and
- transferring the trench in the tungsten-containing hard mask layer into the low-k dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.