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US4352239A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for suppressing electromigration in conducting lines formed on integrated circuits by control of crystalline boundary orientation

Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1980-04-17
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Granted: 1982-10-05
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Expires: 2000-04-17
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Abstract

Abstract A process for suppressing electromigration in conducting lines formed on integrated circuit structures includes the steps of forming the conducting lines on the integrated circuit structure and heat treating the lines to cause the average grain size in the lines to become larger than the width of the conducting lines.

Inventors

  • 👤 John M. Pierce

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 09:17
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; H10W20/4403; H10W20/4405; H10P; H10P95/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/064; H10W20/065; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/927

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 125 words
A method for fabricating a polycrystalline interconnection on a semiconductor structure, which interconnection resists electromigration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a polycrystalline interconnection on the semiconductor structure by depositing a line of aluminum to create a line having grain boundaries extending both along the length of the line and across the width of the line, and (b) reorienting the grain boundaries of the interconnection to extend only across the width of the line by heating the interconnection at approximately 480° C. for approximately 50 minutes in order to expand the grains to a width greater than the width of the line, whereby electromigration along the length of the line is suppressed by removing boundaries that extend along the length of the line.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 125 words
A method for fabricating a polycrystalline interconnection on a semiconductor structure, which interconnection resists electromigration, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a polycrystalline interconnection on the semiconductor structure by depositing a line of aluminum to create a line having grain boundaries extending both along the length of the line and across the width of the line, and (b) reorienting the grain boundaries of the interconnection to extend only across the width of the line by heating the interconnection at approximately 480° C. for approximately 50 minutes in order to expand the grains to a width greater than the width of the line, whereby electromigration along the length of the line is suppressed by removing boundaries that extend along the length of the line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the interconnection is heated in oxygen.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3848330A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-10-04 1986-04-05 1986-10-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-10-04 1990-04-05 1990-10-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-10-04 1994-04-05 1994-10-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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