US5087589A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Selectively programmable interconnections in multilayer integrated circuits
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1989-06-26
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Granted: 1992-02-11
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Expires: 2009-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A method of fabricating programmable interlayer conductive links in a multilayer integrated circuit structure, comprising the steps of forming elements of either a conductive or semiconductive material as a lower layer, depositing an insulative layer on top of the lower layer elements, implanting ions into one or more link regions of the insulative layer, forming at least one upper conductor over the implanted regions and selectively applying sufficient energy to at least one of the implanted regions of the integrated circuit structure to render the selected link region conductive. The invention also embraces customized integrated circuit structures with interlayer conductive paths made in accordance with this method.
Inventors
- 👤 Glenn H. Chapman
- 👤 Terry O. Herndon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:54
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; H10W20/4403; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/056; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/921
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for selectively activating interlayer conductive paths in an integrated circuit structure, the method comprising the steps of: depositing an insulative layer upon a lower element of an integrated circuit structure; implanting ions into at least one region of the insulative layer; depositing an upper layer of conductive material over the implant region of the insulative layer; and selectively applying energy to at least one of said implant regions of said integrated circuit structure to locally diffuse material from the upper conductive layer into the selected region of the insulative layer, thereby forming a discrete conductive path in the selected region between the upper conductive layer and the lower element.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for selectively activating interlayer conductive paths in an integrated circuit structure, the method comprising the steps of: depositing an insulative layer upon a lower element of an integrated circuit structure; implanting ions into at least one region of the insulative layer; depositing an upper layer of conductive material over the implant region of the insulative layer; and selectively applying energy to at least one of said implant regions of said integrated circuit structure to locally diffuse material from the upper conductive layer into the selected region of the insulative layer, thereby forming a discrete conductive path in the selected region between the upper conductive layer and the lower element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an insulative layer further includes depositing a material selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, polyimide and diamond-structure carbon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an insulative layer further includes depositing a silicon dioxide layer and the step of implanting ions further includes implanting silicon ions into the selected regions of the silicon dioxide layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an insulative layer further includes depositing a layer of silicon nitride, and the step of implanting ions further includes implanting silicon ions into the selected regions of the silicon nitride layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of depositing an insulative layer further includes depositing a layer of polyimide and the step of implanting ions further includes implanting silicon ions into selected regions of the polyimide layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an insulative layer further includes plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of the insulative layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of implanting ions into the selected region of the insulated layer further includes masking the insulative layer so as to expose only the selected region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the implanting step comprises photo-lithographically patterning a resist on said insulative layer, etching the resist to create the selected exposed regions, and removing the resist after implanting said ions into the selected region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of implanting ions further includes controlling a narrow beam of ions to provide direct maskless ion implantation into the selected region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of implanting ions further includes implanting ions selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, carbon, boron, arsenic, phosphorous, titanium, molybdenum, aluminum, beryllium and gold.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of implanting ions further includes implanting ions at a dose ranging from about 1.0×10 16 /cm 2 to about 1.0×10 19 /cm 2 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an upper conductive layer further includes depositing a material selected from a group consisting of alloys of aluminum, gold and platinum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of depositing the upper conductive layer further includes sputtering a conductive metal alloy onto the insulative layer and patterning said upper conductive layer to form at least one conductive metal line as the upper layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the diffusion step is performed by selective application of electrical energy.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the diffusion step is performed by selective exposure to directed electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the resulting interlayer conductive path in the selected region is characterized by a resistivity of less than about 10 -3 ohm-cm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lower element is a lower conductive layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lower element is a semiconductive element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the method further includes the steps of substantially evacuating a chamber and performing the implantation step in the substantially evacuated chamber.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of selectively activating an interlayer conductive path in a multilayer integrated circuit comprising the steps of forming a first layer and a second, generally insulative, layer thereon; implanting silicon atoms into at least one region of the insulative layer; forming a third layer on at least a portion of the insulative layer overlying the implant region, wherein one of said first or third layers is made of a conductive material, selectively applying sufficient energy to the selected implant region to convert the selected implant region into a generally conductive composite material and thereby locally forming a discrete conductive path through the second layer, said path vertically interconnecting the first and third layers.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of selectively activating an interlayer conductive path in a multilayer integrated circuit comprising the steps of forming a first layer and a second, generally insulative, layer thereon; implanting silicon atoms into at least one region of the insulative layer; forming a third layer on at least a portion of the insulative layer overlying the implant region, wherein one of said first or third layers is made of a conductive material, selectively applying sufficient energy to the selected implant region to convert the selected implant region into a generally conductive composite material and thereby locally forming a discrete conductive path through the second layer, said path vertically interconnecting the first and third layers.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of selectively activating a link for interconnecting multi-level integrated circuit conductors, including the steps of: plasma depositing an interlayer material essentially consisting of a generally insulative silicon compound directly on a lower layer essentially of a generally conductive aluminum alloy; implanting silicon atoms into the interlayer material through a mask having at least one opening at a selected via site; depositing an upper layer essentially consisting of aluminum alloy directly over said implanted via sites; and locally diffusing aluminum from said upper and lower layers into the implanted via site of the interlayer material, and thereby producing a discrete low resistance interconnection between the upper and lower layers.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of selectively activating a link for interconnecting multi-level integrated circuit conductors, including the steps of: plasma depositing an interlayer material essentially consisting of a generally insulative silicon compound directly on a lower layer essentially of a generally conductive aluminum alloy; implanting silicon atoms into the interlayer material through a mask having at least one opening at a selected via site; depositing an upper layer essentially consisting of aluminum alloy directly over said implanted via sites; and locally diffusing aluminum from said upper and lower layers into the implanted via site of the interlayer material, and thereby producing a discrete low resistance interconnection between the upper and lower layers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the step of implanting ions further includes implanting ions at a dose ranging from about 1.0×10 16 /cm 2 to about 1.0×10 19 /cm 2 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the diffusion step further includes selective application of electrical energy.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the diffusion step further includes selective application of directed electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the step of implanting ions further includes implanting ions at multiple implantation energies.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-10 | 1995-08-12 | 1996-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-10 | 1999-08-12 | 2000-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-10 | 2003-08-12 | 2004-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |