Method for forming a dual damascene aperture while employing a peripherally localized intermediate etch stop layer
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsLawrence MH Lui, Mei-Hui Sung
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Abstract
Within a dual damascene method for forming a dual damascene aperture within a microelectronic fabrication there is employed an etch stop layer interposed between a first dielectric layer and second dielectric layer within a non active product region of a substrate, but not within an active product region of the substrate. Within the dual damascene method, an endpoint for forming a trench within a dual damascene aperture within the active product region is sensed by reaching the etch stop layer when forming a dummy trench within the non active product region.
Claims15
A method for forming a dual damascene aperture comprising:
- providing a substrate having an active product region adjacent a non active product region;
- forming over the substrate a first dielectric layer in turn having formed thereover a second dielectric layer;
- forming over the substrate and interposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer an etch stop layer formed in the non active product region, but not in the active product region;
- forming through the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer in the active product region a dual damascene aperture comprising a trench contiguous with a via wherein the trench's width is greater than the via's width, wherein when forming the trench within the dual damascene aperture there is employed an etch method which forms a dummy trench within the non active product region, further where the dummy trench reaches the etch stop layer and the etch method is terminated upon sensing the etch stop layer for end point detection when forming the trench within the dual damascene aperture within the active product region.
A method for forming a dual damascene aperture comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate having an active product region adjacent a non active product region;
- forming over the semiconductor substrate a first dielectric layer in turn having formed thereover a second dielectric layer;
- forming over the semiconductor substrate and interposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer an etch stop layer formed in the non active product region, but not in the active product region;
- forming through the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer in the active product region a dual damascene aperture comprising a trench contiguous with a via wherein the trench's width is greater than the via's width, wherein when forming the trench within the dual damascene aperture there is employed an etch method which forms a dummy trench within the non active product region, further where the dummy trench reaches the etch stop layer and the etch method is terminated upon sensing the etch stop layer for end point detection when forming the trench within the dual damascene aperture within the active product region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.