Patent US5428251A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5428251A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multi-layer wiring structure having continuous grain boundaries
Assignee: Yamaha Corp
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Filing: 1994-04-14
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Granted: 1995-06-27
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Expires: 2014-04-14
Abstract
Abstract In a multi-layer wiring structure of an integrated circuit device, occurrence of voids due to electromigration in the vicinity of an interface between upper and lower wiring layers is suppressed. The interface is cleaned in vacuum and grain size of the wiring layers is controlled. After an interlayer insulating film (16) having a connection hole (16A) is formed to cover a first wiring layer (14) of Al or an Al alloy, a second wiring layer (18) of Al or an Al alloy is formed and connected to the first wiring layer through the connection hole. When the second wiring layer is formed, grains (G2) of the second wiring layer are formed so as to be :respectively continuously adjacent to and substantially equal in size to grains (G1) of the first wiring layer which appear at the interface. This control may be done by suitably controlling the condition of sputter-etching the surface of the first wiring layer through the connection hole and the condition of sputtering the Al or Al alloy of tile second wiring layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaru Naito
- 👤 Takahisa Yamaha
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; H10W20/4403; H10W20/4405
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
An integrated circuit device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film overlying at least a portion of said semiconductor substrate; a first wiring layer of Al or an Al alloy overlying said first insulating film, said first wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries; a second insulating film formed on said first wiring layer, said second insulating film having a connection hole formed therein and wherein said first wiring ,layer has a cleaned surface within said connection hole; and a second wiring layer of Al or an Al alloy formed on said second insulating film and in at least a portion of said connection hole to connect with said first wiring layer at said cleaned surface as an interface, said second wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries, the average size of the grains of the first wiring layer and the average size of the grains of the second wiring layer being the same in the vicinity of said interface, and the grain boundaries of the first and second wiring layers being continuous across said interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
An integrated circuit device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film overlying at least a portion of said semiconductor substrate; a first wiring layer of Al or an Al alloy overlying said first insulating film, said first wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries; a second insulating film formed on said first wiring layer, said second insulating film having a connection hole formed therein and wherein said first wiring ,layer has a cleaned surface within said connection hole; and a second wiring layer of Al or an Al alloy formed on said second insulating film and in at least a portion of said connection hole to connect with said first wiring layer at said cleaned surface as an interface, said second wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries, the average size of the grains of the first wiring layer and the average size of the grains of the second wiring layer being the same in the vicinity of said interface, and the grain boundaries of the first and second wiring layers being continuous across said interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein said first wiring layer has a surface indentation within said connection hole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein said cleaned surface has been sputter etched to remove a natural oxide or contaminants from the surface of the first wiring layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein grains of said first wiring layer at said interface have identical cross sectional shapes and areas in the plane of said interface to corresponding grains of said second wiring layer at said interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein grain boundaries of the first wiring layer at said interface are each characterized by a first set of grain boundary directions extending toward the interface and the grain boundaries of the second wiring layer at said interface are each characterized by a second set of grain boundary directions extending away from said interface, wherein the first set of grain boundary directions and the second set of grain boundary directions are the same along each of the grain boundaries at said interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
225 words
An integrated circuit device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film overlying at least a portion of said semiconductor substrate; a first metal wiring layer of Al or Al alloy overlying said first insulating film, said first metal wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries; a second insulating film formed on said first metal wiring layer, said second insulating film having a plurality of connection holes formed therein, wherein said first metal wiring layer has a cleaned surface within each of said plurality of connection holes; and a second metal wiring layer of Al or Al alloy formed on said second insulating film and in at least a portion of each of said connection holes to connect with said first metal wiring layer, wherein each of said cleaned surfaces of said first wiring layer is an interface between said first metal wiring layer and said second metal wiring layer within said plurality of connection holes, said second metal wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries, the average size of the grains of the first metal wiring layer and the average size of the grains of the second metal wiring layer being the same in the vicinity of said interface, and the grain boundaries of the first and second metal wiring layers being continuous across said interface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
225 words
An integrated circuit device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film overlying at least a portion of said semiconductor substrate; a first metal wiring layer of Al or Al alloy overlying said first insulating film, said first metal wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries; a second insulating film formed on said first metal wiring layer, said second insulating film having a plurality of connection holes formed therein, wherein said first metal wiring layer has a cleaned surface within each of said plurality of connection holes; and a second metal wiring layer of Al or Al alloy formed on said second insulating film and in at least a portion of each of said connection holes to connect with said first metal wiring layer, wherein each of said cleaned surfaces of said first wiring layer is an interface between said first metal wiring layer and said second metal wiring layer within said plurality of connection holes, said second metal wiring layer having grains of an average size and grain boundaries, the average size of the grains of the first metal wiring layer and the average size of the grains of the second metal wiring layer being the same in the vicinity of said interface, and the grain boundaries of the first and second metal wiring layers being continuous across said interface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein said first metal wiring layer has a surface indentation within each of said plurality of connection holes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein said cleaned surfaces have been sputter etched to remove a natural oxide or contaminants from the surface of the first wiring layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein grains of said first wiring layer at each of said interfaces have identical cross sectional shapes and areas in the plane of said each of said interfaces to corresponding grains of said second wiring layer at said each of said interfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
An integrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein grain boundaries of the first wiring layer at each of said interfaces are each characterized by a first set of grain boundary directions extending toward said each of said interfaces and the grain boundaries of the second wiring layer at said each of said interfaces are each characterized by a second set of grain boundary directions extending away from said each of said interfaces, wherein the first set of grain boundary directions and the second set of grain boundary directions are the same along each of the grain boundaries at said each of said interfaces.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-06-26 | 1998-12-26 | 1999-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-06-26 | 2002-12-26 | 2003-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-06-26 | 2006-12-26 | 2007-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |