US 6,472,719 B1Granted

Method of manufacturing air gap in multilevel interconnection

AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.

InventorsShih-Chi Lin, Yen-Ming Chen, Juin-Jie Chang, Kuei-Wu Huang

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Abstract

A method for forming a semiconductor device having air regions, the method comprises providing a base, forming a pattern of metal leads, depositing a layer of oxide over the metal leads, forming a layer of nitride over said layer of oxide, opening and etching a trench down to the base layer of material, and depositing and planarizing a dielectric layer. An alternate approach teaches the deposition of a layer of SOG over the layer of oxide that has been deposited over the metal leads, planarizing this layer of SOG down to the top of the metal leads, depositing a layer of PECVD oxide, patterning and etching this layer of PECVD oxide thereby creating openings that are in between the metal leads. The SOG that is between the metal leads can be removed thereby creating air gaps as the Intra-level dielectric for the metal leads.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A structure over a semiconductor wafer comprising:

a base layer;
a pattern of conductive leads over said base layer;
a layer of oxide having a first surface deposited between and overlying said pattern of conductive leads;
an air gap in said layer of oxide deposited between said conductive leads, separating said layer of oxide between said conductive leads;
an opening in said layer of oxide deposited overlying said conductive leads, said opening being located over said air gap;
a layer of nitride covering sidewalls of said opening, said layer of nitride symmetrically extending from sidewalls of said opening over a measurable distance in a plane comprising an interface between said air gap and said opening over said air gap;
and
a first layer of dielectric having a second surface overlying said layer of nitride and overlying said air gap, a plane of said first surface of said layer of oxide coinciding with a plane of said second surface of said first layer of dielectric.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/624,024Filed 24 Jul 2000 · continuation
Priority: 7 May 1999
Granted: 29 Oct 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H10W 20/483
For individual devices provided for in groups H10D8/00 - H10D48/00, e.g. for power transistors: interconnections over air gaps, e.g. air bridges
H10W 10/021
Manufacture or treatment: of air gaps
H10W 10/20
Isolation regions in semiconductor bodies between components of integrated devices: air gaps
H10W 20/072
Of dielectric parts thereof: of dielectric parts comprising air gaps