Reliable interconnects
AssigneeChartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd.
InventorsBei Chao Zhang, Chim Seng Seet, Juan Boon Tan, Fan Zhang, Yong Chiang Ee, Bo Tao, Tong Qing Chen, Liang Choo Hsia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a semiconductor device is presented. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer formed thereon. The dielectric layer having a conductive line disposed in an upper portion of the dielectric layer. The substrate is processed to produce a top surface of the dielectric layer that is not coplanar with a top surface of the conductive line to form a stepped topography.
Claims20
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising:
- providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer formed thereon, the dielectric layer includes a trench in an upper portion of the dielectric layer with a conductive line;
- processing the substrate to produce a conductive top surface of the conductive line which is non-coplanar with a dielectric top surface of the dielectric layer to form a stepped topography;
- and
- forming a conformal dielectric cap layer over the substrate covering the dielectric layer and directly contacting the conductive top surface of the conductive line, wherein a cap top surface of the conformal dielectric cap layer over the top conductive surface is non-coplanar with the dielectric top surface of the dielectric layer, wherein forming the stepped topography increases the effective distance between conductive lines to enhance interconnect reliability.
A method for forming a semiconductor device comprising:
- providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer formed thereon, the dielectric layer having a conductive line disposed in an upper portion of the dielectric layer;
- processing the substrate to produce a conductive top surface of the conductive line which is non-coplanar with a dielectric top surface of the dielectric layer to form a stepped topography;
- and
- forming a dielectric cap layer over the dielectric layer, the dielectric cap layer directly contacting the conductive top surface, wherein the stepped topography improves TDDB.
A method for forming a device comprising:
- providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer formed thereon, the dielectric layer having a conductive line disposed in an upper portion of the dielectric layer;
- processing the substrate to produce a conductive top surface of the conductive line which is non-coplanar with a dielectric top surface of the dielectric layer to form a stepped topography;
- and
- forming a conformal dielectric cap layer over the substrate covering the dielectric layer and directly contacting the conductive top surface of the conductive line, wherein the dielectric top surface of the dielectric layer is non-coplanar with a cap top surface over the conductive line to improve TDDB.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.