Process for producing high performance interconnects

A method for producing high performance electrical interconnections in a three dimensional semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a stamp substrate;
• (b) etching the stamp substrate to create a stamp pattern with raised areas;
• (c) providing a dielectric film;
• (d) aligning the stamp substrate to the dielectric film;
• (e) imprinting the dielectric film with the stamp pattern on the stamp substrate so as to create via regions and/or trench regions in the dielectric film;
• (f) aligning the dielectric film to a top portion of the three dimensional semiconductor structure;
• (g) bonding the dielectric film to the three dimensional semiconductor structure;
• (h) removing residual film from the via and/or trench regions of the dielectric film;
• and
• (i) metallizing the via and/or trench regions of the dielectric film.

A method for forming coplanar interconnects between layers in a multiple layer three dimensional structure, the method comprising:

• forming one or more lower layer metal lines on a lower layer;
• depositing a polymer layer on top of the metal lines on the lower layer;
• forming via holes in the polymer layer directly above the metal lines on the lower layer;
• metallizing the via holes to provide vertical electrical connections to the lower layer metal lines;
• and,
• forming one or more upper layer metal lines on top of the polymer layer, the one or more upper layer metal lines electrically connecting to the vertical electrical connections.

A method for forming a coaxial connection between layers in a multiple layer three dimensional structure, the method comprising:

• forming a coaxial line structure on a lower layer, the coaxial line structure comprising a pair of lower layer metal shield lines with a lower layer center conductor line disposed between the lower layer metal shield lines and electrically isolated from the lower layer metal shield lines;
• depositing a first polymer layer on top of the coaxial line structure on the lower layer;
• forming a center conductor recess and a ground shield recess in the first polymer layer directly above the coaxial line structure on the lower layer, the center conductor recess formed above the lower layer center conductor line at one end of the lower layer center conductor line and the ground shield recess formed above ends of the pair of lower layer metal shield lines adjacent to the end of the lower layer center conductor line, the ground shield recess substantially surrounding the center conductor recess;
• and,
• metallizing the center conductor recess and the ground shield recess to provide a vertical center conductor and a vertical ground shield, the vertical center conductor being in electrical connection with the lower layer center conductor and the vertical ground shield in electrical connection with the lower layer metal shield lines.

A method for forming shielded horizontal transmission line interconnections between layers in a multiple layer three dimensional structure, the method comprising:

• depositing a lower metal layer on a lower layer containing one or more lower level metal interconnects, each lower level interconnect being electrically connected to the lower metal layer at a lower connect area;
• removing metal from the lower metal layer around each lower connect area to form insulating gaps between each lower connect area and the lower metal layer;
• depositing a first polymer layer on top of the lower metal layer;
• forming vertical shield recesses and horizontal interconnect recesses in the first polymer layer, the vertical shield recesses being formed above and contacting areas of the metal layer adjacent to the insulating gaps and each vertical shield recess projecting in a horizontal direction in the first polymer layer parallel to each other vertical shield recess, and each horizontal interconnect recess having one end formed above and contacting one of the lower contact areas and having a horizontal trench formed between the vertical shield recesses with a first end and a second end, the first end of the horizontal trench at the end of the horizontal interconnect recess above the lower connect area;
• metallizing the vertical shield recesses to form vertical shields in electrical contact with the lower metal layer;
• metallizing the horizontal interconnect recesses to form horizontal interconnects, each horizontal interconnect having a first end in electrical contact with one of the lower contact areas and a second end, the horizontal interconnects having a height less than a height of the horizontal interconnect recesses;
• depositing a second polymer layer to form insulating sections above the horizontal interconnects;
• depositing an upper metal layer on top of the first polymer layer, the upper metal layer being in electrical contact with the vertical shields;
• removing metal from the upper metal layer above the second end of each horizontal interconnect to form upper interconnect holes;
• depositing a third polymer layer on the upper metal layer and in the upper interconnect holes;
• forming upper interconnect recesses in the second polymer layer above the second end of each horizontal interconnect and in the third polymer layer above and through the upper interconnect holes;
• metallizing the upper interconnect recesses to form upper vertical interconnects.