US 5,847,462 A · Integrated circuit having conductors of enhanced cross-sectional area with etch stop barrier layer

Abstract

An interconnect structure is provided having a conductor with enhanced thickness. The conductor includes an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion geometry is sufficient to increase the current-carrying capacity beyond that provided by the upper portion. The lower portion is formed by filling a trench within an upper dielectric region, and the upper portion is formed by selectively removing a conductive material from the upper dielectric surface except for regions directly above the lower portion. The upper and lower portions thereby form a conductor of enhanced cross-section which can be produced by modifying a via-etch mask, rather than having to reconfigure and/or move interconnect features formed by a metal mask.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A plurality of interconnect lines, comprising:

a pair of interconnect lines each having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a first interconnect line spaced partially between the pair of interconnect lines, said first interconnect line having a first upper surface and a first lower surface;
said first upper surface is substantially coplanar with said upper surface and said first lower surface is configured below said lower surface;
and
said first interconnect line includes a lower portion comprised of a barrier layer.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Integrated circuit having conductors of enhanced cross-sectional area with etch stop barrier layer

Life of this patent

Integrated circuit having conductors of enhanced cross-sectional area with etch stop barrier layer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15