Cmp safe alignment mark
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHuang-Jen HSU, Jheng-Si SU, Kun-Ming LIU, Tzi-Yi SHIEH, Feng-Inn WU
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Abstract
The current disclosure describes techniques for making an alignment mark on a wafer. A recess is etched in a first surface region of a wafer. A device structure is formed in a second surface region of the wafer. A dielectric layer is deposited on the first surface of the wafer and filling the recess. A first planarization procedure is conducted to planarize the dielectric layer. After the first planarization procedure, a second planarization procedure is conducted to device structures on the second surface region of the wafer.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- forming a recess in a first region of a first surface of a wafer, the first region designated for an alignment mark;
- forming a device structure in a second region of the first surface of the wafer;
- depositing a first layer on the first surface of the wafer, the first layer completely filling the recess;
- conducting a first planarization procedure to remove the first layer to a first level;
- after the first planarization procedure, treating the first layer with oxygen plasma;
- and
- after the treating the first layer with oxygen plasma, conducting a second planarization procedure to remove the device structure to a second level.
A structure, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface;
- a first device structure on a first region of the first surface;
- an alignment mark on a second region of the first surface, the alignment mark including a filling material in a recess;
- and
- a dielectric layer directly on the alignment mark, a material composition of the filling material of the alignment mark being different from a material composition of the dielectric layer.
A method, comprising:
- forming a recess in a first region of a first surface of a wafer, the first region designated for an alignment mark;
- depositing a first layer completely filling the recess;
- and
- forming the alignment mark by treating the first layer with oxygen plasma.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.