Dual damascene patterned conductor layer formation method without etch stop layer

Claim 1

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a trench contiguous with a via comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the patterned first dielectric layer; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer, the patterned photoresist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater than an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; etching, while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; and etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough, the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma.

Claim 2

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a trench contiguous with a via comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the patterned first dielectric layer; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer, the patterned photoresist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater than an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; etching, while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; and etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough, the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma.

Claim 10

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a patterned conductor interconnect layer contiguous with a patterned conductor stud layer comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the patterned first dielectric layer; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photo resist layer, the patterned photo resist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater that an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; etching while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photo resist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough, the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma; and forming within the aperture a patterned conductor interconnect layer within the second trench contiguous with a patterned conductor stud layer within at least the portion of the via.

Claim 11

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a patterned conductor interconnect layer contiguous with a patterned conductor stud layer comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the patterned first dielectric layer; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photo resist layer, the patterned photo resist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater that an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; etching while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photo resist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough, the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma; and forming within the aperture a patterned conductor interconnect layer within the second trench contiguous with a patterned conductor stud layer within at least the portion of the via.

Claim 44

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a trench contiguous with a via comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a FLARE 2.0 blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the blanket first dielectric layer; the blanket second dielectric layer having an etch rate ratio within the oxygen containing plasma with respect to the patterned first dielectric layer of greater than about 20:1; the blanket second dielectric layer having a thickness of about 5000 Å; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer having a thickness of from about 500 to 2000 Å, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer having a thickness from about 7000 to 15,000 Å, the patterned photoresist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater than an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; the implanted ions being selected from the group comprising boron difluoride ions, phosphorus ions, and arsenic ions; the ion implant dosage being from about 1E15 to 1E16 at an ion implantation energy of from about 30 to 200 keV; etching, while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; and etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough; the second plasma etch method including an oxygen containing etchant gas selected from the group comprising oxygen, ozone, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide; the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma.

Claim 45

A method for forming through a dielectric layer a trench contiguous with a via comprising: providing a substrate having a contact region formed therein; forming upon the substrate a patterned first dielectric layer, the patterned first dielectric layer defining a via accessing the contact region, the patterned first dielectric layer being formed of a first dielectric material which is not susceptible to etching with an oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the patterned first dielectric layer a FLARE 2.0 blanket second dielectric layer, the blanket second dielectric layer completely covering the patterned first dielectric layer and filling the via, the blanket second dielectric layer being formed of a second dielectric material which is susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; there not being employed a hard mask layer formed upon the blanket first dielectric layer; the blanket second dielectric layer having an etch rate ratio within the oxygen containing plasma with respect to the patterned first dielectric layer of greater than about 20:1; the blanket second dielectric layer having a thickness of about 5000 Å; forming upon the blanket second dielectric layer a blanket hard mask layer having a thickness of from about 500 to 2000 Å, the blanket hard mask layer being formed from a hard mask material which is not susceptible to etching within the oxygen containing plasma; forming upon the blanket hard mask layer a patterned photoresist layer having a thickness from about 7000 to 15,000 Å, the patterned photoresist layer providing an exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer greater than an areal dimension of the via and at least partially overlapping the areal dimension of the via; implanting into the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer and into a portion of the blanket second dielectric layer aligned beneath the exposed portion of the blanket hard mask layer a dose of an ion to form an ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer and an ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer, where the ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer has an enhanced etch rate within the oxygen containing plasma in comparison with a non ion implanted portion of the blanket second dielectric layer; the implanted ions being selected from the group comprising boron difluoride ions, phosphorus ions, and arsenic ions; the ion implant dosage being from about 1E15 to 1E16 at an ion implantation energy of from about 30 to 200 keV; etching, while employing a first plasma etch method, the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer to form a patterned hard mask layer defining a first trench formed through the patterned hard mask layer while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a first etch mask layer, the first plasma etch method employing a first etchant gas composition appropriate to the ion implanted portion of the blanket hard mask layer; and etching, while employing a second plasma etch method, the blanket second dielectric layer to form a patterned second dielectric layer having an aperture formed therethrough; the second plasma etch method including an oxygen containing etchant gas selected from the group comprising oxygen, ozone, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide; the aperture comprising: a second trench corresponding with the first trench; and at least a portion of the via, the second plasma etch method employing the oxygen containing plasma.