US 8,299,625 B2 · Borderless interconnect line structure self-aligned to upper and lower level contact vias

Abstract

A metal layer is deposited on a planar surface on which top surfaces of underlying metal vias are exposed. The metal layer is patterned to form at least one metal block, which has a horizontal cross-sectional area of a metal line to be formed and at least one overlying metal via to be formed. Each upper portion of underlying metal vias is recessed outside of the area of a metal block located directly above. The upper portion of the at least one metal block is lithographically patterned to form an integrated line and via structure including a metal line having a substantially constant width and at least one overlying metal via having the same substantially constant width and borderlessly aligned to the metal line. An overlying-level dielectric material layer is deposited and planarized so that top surface(s) of the at least one overlying metal via is/are exposed.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A structure comprising:

an integrated line and via structure of integral construction embedded in an upper portion of a dielectric material layer, said integrated line and via structure including a metal line having a substantially constant width and at least one overlying metal via having said substantially constant width, and sidewalls of said at least one overlying metal via are vertically coincident with sidewalls of said metal line;
and
an underlying metal via including an upper underlying metal via portion and a lower underlying metal via portion, wherein said upper underlying metal via portion has a pair of sidewalls laterally spaced by said substantially constant width and is embedded in a lower portion of said dielectric material layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/899,911Filed 7 Oct 2010

Published

US 2012/0086128 A112 Apr 2012

Granted

30 Oct 2012

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H10W 20/43
Characterised by their conductive parts: layouts of interconnections
H10W 20/063
Of conductive parts of the interconnections: by forming conductive members before forming protective insulating material
H10W 20/0633
By forming conductive members before forming protective insulating material: using subtractive patterning of the conductive members
H10W 20/069
Of conductive parts of the interconnections: by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs

Borderless interconnect line structure self-aligned to upper and lower level contact vias

Life of this patent

Borderless interconnect line structure self-aligned to upper and lower level contact vias

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11