US5861676A — Method of forming robust interconnect and contact…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of forming an interconnect and/or contact structure in a semiconductor or integrated circuit, comprising: forming a trough in a structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, gates on said substrate, an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of said substrate, and a dielectric layer on at least a second portion of said substrate, wherein portions of said etch stop layer and a plurality of substrate regions are exposed in said trough; and depositing a conductor in said trough, thereby forming a conducting trench; wherein said conducting trench electrically connects at least two of said substrate regions, and said conducting trench contacts portions of said etch stop layer.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 110 words

A method of forming an interconnect and/or contact structure in a semiconductor or integrated circuit, comprising: forming a trough in a structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, gates on said substrate, an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of said substrate, and a dielectric layer on at least a second portion of said substrate, wherein portions of said etch stop layer and a plurality of substrate regions are exposed in said trough; and depositing a conductor in said trough, thereby forming a conducting trench; wherein said conducting trench electrically connects at least two of said substrate regions, and said conducting trench contacts portions of said etch stop layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate, said gates, said etch stop layer, and said dielectric layer, are prepared by a process comprising: etching a trough through said dielectric layer, thereby exposing said portions of said etch stop layer and said plurality of substrate regions.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said process further comprises, prior to said etching of said trough: depositing said etch stop layer, followed by exposing said plurality of substrate regions by etching said etch stop layer.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 2, wherein said process further comprises, prior to said etching of said trough: exposing said plurality of substrate regions by etching said etch stop layer, followed by depositing said dielectric layer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer comprises a glass, and said etch stop layer comprises a nitride.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said gates are encapsulated with caps and spacers comprising a nitride.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 6, wherein said conducting trench comprises tungsten, a tungsten alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting trench electrically connects at least three of said substrate regions.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said conducting trench has a minimum depth of 0.3-5 μm between two of said substrate regions electrically connected by said conducting trench.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of forming an interconnect and/or contact structure in a semiconductor or integrated circuit, comprising: etching a pattern through an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of a substrate, thereby exposing a plurality of substrate regions; followed by depositing a dielectric layer on said substrate; wherein gates are on said substrate, and said etch stop layer is on a portion of said gates.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 67 words

A method of forming an interconnect and/or contact structure in a semiconductor or integrated circuit, comprising: etching a pattern through an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of a substrate, thereby exposing a plurality of substrate regions; followed by depositing a dielectric layer on said substrate; wherein gates are on said substrate, and said etch stop layer is on a portion of said gates.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 10, further comprising etching a trough through a dielectric layer on at least a second portion of said substrate, thereby exposing portions of said etch stop layer and said plurality of substrate regions.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 11, further comprising deposition a conductor in said trough, thereby forming a conducting trench; wherein said conducting trench electrically connects at least two of said substrate regions, and said conducting trench contacts portions of said etch stop layer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 12, wherein said conducting trench has a minimum depth of 0.3-5 μm between two of said substrate regions electrically connected by said conducting trench.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer comprises a glass, said etch stop layer comprises a nitride, and said conducting trench comprises tungsten, a tungsten alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

A semiconductor device, comprising: (i) a substrate, (ii) gates on said substrate, (iii) an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of said substrate, (iv) a dielectric layer on at least a second portion of said substrate, and (v) a conducting trench in said dielectric layer, electrically connecting at least two substrate regions and contacting portions of said etch stop layer.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 63 words

A semiconductor device, comprising: (i) a substrate, (ii) gates on said substrate, (iii) an etch stop layer on at least a first portion of said substrate, (iv) a dielectric layer on at least a second portion of said substrate, and (v) a conducting trench in said dielectric layer, electrically connecting at least two substrate regions and contacting portions of said etch stop layer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein said conducting trench electrically connects at least three substrate regions.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 38 words

The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein a ratio of (a) the depth of said conducting trench over one of said substrate regions to (b) the depth of said conducting trench over one of said gates, is 1:1-1:20.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein a ratio of (a) the depth of said conducting trench over said gate to (b) the depth of insulation between said conducting trench and said gate is 1:1-1:100.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 34 words

The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein said dielectric layer comprises a glass, said etch stop layer comprises a nitride, and said conducting trench comprises tungsten, a tungsten alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 9 words

A product produced by the method of claim 1.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-01-18	2002-07-20	2003-01-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-01-18	2006-07-20	2007-01-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-01-18	2010-07-20	2011-01-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of forming robust interconnect and contact structures in a semiconductor and/or integrated circuit

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag