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US 8,138,607 B2Granted
Metal fill structures for reducing parasitic capacitance
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid S. Collins, Howard S. Landis, Anthony K. Stamper, Janet M. Wilson
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Abstract
Vertically-staggered-level metal fill structures include inner contiguous metal fill structures and outer contiguous metal fill structures. A dielectric material portion is provided between each contiguous metal fill structure. Vertical extent of each contiguous metal fill structure is limited up to three vertically adjoining metal interconnect levels, thereby limiting the capacitance of each contiguous metal fill structure. Capacitive coupling between the contiguous metal fill structures and the metal interconnect structures is minimized due to the fragmented structure of contiguous metal fill structures.
Claims20
A semiconductor structure including:
- a first dielectric material portion located directly on a semiconductor substrate;
- a set of metal interconnect structures embedded within, and not extending outside, said first dielectric material portion and providing a least one electrically conductive path between a top surface of said semiconductor substrate to a topmost surface of said first dielectric material portion;
- a second dielectric material portion laterally surrounding, and located on an outer periphery of, said first dielectric material portion and not in contact with said set of metal interconnect structures;
- an inner metal fill structure group embedded in, and not extending out of, an inner portion of said second dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each inner contiguous metal fill structure includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another;
- and
- an outer metal fill structure group embedded in, and not extending out of, an outer portion of said second dielectric material portion that laterally surrounds said inner portion of said second dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each outer contiguous metal fill structures includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another, wherein each of said at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures comprises a different set of metal interconnect levels than any set of metal interconnect levels that constitute an entirety of any of said at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures.
3 more elements
A semiconductor structure including:
- a first dielectric material portion located directly on a semiconductor substrate;
- an inner metal fill structure group located on a periphery of said first dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each inner contiguous metal fill structure includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another;
- a second dielectric material portion located on an outer periphery of said inner metal fill structure group;
- and
- an outer metal fill structure group embedded in said second dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each outer contiguous metal fill structures includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another, wherein each of said at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures comprises a different set of metal interconnect levels than any set of metal interconnect levels that constitute an entirety of any of said at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures, wherein said at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures include an inner contiguous metal fill structure having a first line-level metal structure, a via-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said first line-level metal structure, and an second line-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said via-level metal structure, and wherein said inner contiguous metal fill structure consists of said first line-level metal structure, said via-level metal structure, and said second line-level metal structure, and wherein said at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures include an outer contiguous metal fill structure having a third line-level metal structure, another via-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said third line-level metal structure, and a fourth line-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said another via-level metal structure, wherein said third line-level metal structure is located at a same level as said second line-level metal structure.
2 more elements
A semiconductor structure including:
- a first dielectric material portion located directly on a semiconductor substrate;
- an inner metal fill structure group located on a periphery of said first dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each inner contiguous metal fill structure includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another;
- a second dielectric material portion located on an outer periphery of said inner metal fill structure group;
- and
- an outer metal fill structure group embedded in said second dielectric material portion and including at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures that are vertically separated, wherein each outer contiguous metal fill structures includes no more than 3 metal interconnect levels and separated among one another, wherein each of said at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures comprises a different set of metal interconnect levels than any set of metal interconnect levels that constitute an entirety of any of said at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures, wherein said at least two sets of inner contiguous metal fill structures include an inner contiguous metal fill structure having a first line-level metal structure, a via-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said first line-level metal structure, and an second line-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said via-level metal structure, and wherein said inner contiguous metal fill structure consists of said first line-level metal structure, said via-level metal structure, and said second line-level metal structure, and wherein said at least two sets of outer contiguous metal fill structures include an outer contiguous metal fill structures having a third line-level metal structure, another via-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said third line-level metal structure, and a fourth line-level metal structure vertically abutting a top surface of said another via-level metal structure, wherein said fourth line-level metal structure is located at a same level as said first line-level metal structure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.