Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

A semiconductor device comprising:

• an element formed on a substrate in a chip region;
• a multilayer structure including a plurality of dielectric films formed on the substrate;
• an interconnect formed in at least one of the dielectric films in the chip region;
• a plug formed in at least one of the dielectric films in the chip region and connecting either the element and the interconnect or the interconnect and another interconnect;
• a seal ring structure formed through the multilayer structure in a peripheral part of the chip region and surrounding the chip region;
• and
• a protection film formed on the multilayer structure in which the interconnect, the plug and the seal ring are provided,
• wherein a dual damascene interconnect in which the interconnect and the plug connected to the interconnect are integrated is formed in at least one of the dielectric films in the chip region,
• a part of the seal ring structure located in the dielectric film in which the dual damascene interconnect is formed is continuous,
• the seal ring structure includes at least two seal rings surrounding the chip region,
• the protection film has a first opening only on a top of an outermost seal ring out of the seal rings, and
• a cap layer is formed in the first opening to be connected to the outermost seal ring.