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US 7,741,191 B2Granted
Method for preventing the formation of electrical shorts via contact ILD voids
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsKai Frohberg, Sven Mueller, Frank Feustel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Densely spaced gates of field effect transistors usually lead to voids in a contact interlayer dielectric. If such a void is opened by a contact via and filled with conductive material, an electrical short between neighboring contact regions of neighboring transistors may occur. By forming a recess between two neighboring contact regions, the void forms at a lower level. Thus, opening of the void by contact vias is prevented.
Claims12
A method, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor device having at least two circuit elements, said circuit elements having contact regions;
- and
- forming a recess between two neighboring circuit elements by removing part of a trench isolation located between said neighboring circuit elements, said recess having a predetermined depth with respect to a contact region of said circuit elements such that, in a subsequently formed interlayer dielectric, a void is formed spaced from via paths along which contact vias are formed for contacting said contact regions of said circuit elements through said interlayer dielectric material.
A method, comprising:
- selectively etching insulating material used to fill a trench of a trench isolation which is located between two circuit elements such that, in a subsequently formed interlayer dielectric, a void is formed spaced from via paths along which contact vias are formed for contacting contact regions of said circuit elements through said interlayer dielectric material.
A method, comprising:
- selectively etching a trench isolation which is located between two circuit elements such that, in a subsequently formed interlayer dielectric, a void is formed spaced from via paths along which contact vias are formed for contacting contact regions of said circuit elements through said interlayer dielectric material, wherein said circuit elements are transistors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.