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US6534403B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of making a contact and via structure

Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
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Filing: 2001-08-24
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Granted: 2003-03-18
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Expires: 2021-08-24
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention is a contact/via comprising and its method of fabrication. The contact/via of the present invention includes a conductive film. An opening having a top and bottom is formed on the conductive film. The opening has a first sidewall and a second sidewall wherein the first sidewall is opposite the second sidewall. The first sidewall has a stair step configuration such that the first sidewall is closer to the second sidewall at the bottom of the opening than at the top of the opening. A conductive film is then formed on the first sidewall in the opening and on the bottom of the opening on the conductive film.

Inventors

  • 👤 James M. Cleeves

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 13:28
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/081; H10W20/082; H10D; H10D1/00; H10W20/031; H10W20/0698; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/42; H10W20/49; H10W20/491

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 85 words
A method of forming a contact comprising: forming a first film stack having a first vertical end; after forming said first film stack having a first vertical end forming a second film stack on said first film stack said second film stack having a second vertical end laterally offset from said first vertical end so as to expose a portion of said first film stack; and forming a conductive film on said second film stack and on said exposed portion of said first film stack.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 85 words
A method of forming a contact comprising: forming a first film stack having a first vertical end; after forming said first film stack having a first vertical end forming a second film stack on said first film stack said second film stack having a second vertical end laterally offset from said first vertical end so as to expose a portion of said first film stack; and forming a conductive film on said second film stack and on said exposed portion of said first film stack.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising forming said conductive film onto an interconnection formed beneath a dielectric wherein said interconnection is formed beneath said first vertical end of said first film stack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said conductive film is formed by sputter deposition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said sputter deposited film is an aluminum or aluminum alloy.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of forming an electrical contact between multiple layers comprising: forming a first film stack having a top conductive layer on an insulating layer, said first film stack having a first vertical end; forming a second film stack having a top conductive layer on said first film stack, said second film stack having a second end offset from said first end of said first film stack so as to expose the top conductive film of said first film stack; and forming a continuous conductive contact film on said top conductive film of said second film stack and on said exposed portion of said top conductive film of said first film stack and through said insulating layer to an interconnection located beneath said first vertical end.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of forming an electrical contact between multiple layers comprising: forming a first film stack having a top conductive layer on an insulating layer, said first film stack having a first vertical end; forming a second film stack having a top conductive layer on said first film stack, said second film stack having a second end offset from said first end of said first film stack so as to expose the top conductive film of said first film stack; and forming a continuous conductive contact film on said top conductive film of said second film stack and on said exposed portion of said top conductive film of said first film stack and through said insulating layer to an interconnection located beneath said first vertical end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said top conductive film of said first film stack and said top conductive film of said second film stack are doped silicon films.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said continuous conductive contact film is a silicide film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said silicide film is titanium silicide.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 249 words
A method of forming a contact comprising: forming a first interconnection; forming an interlayer dielectric over said first interconnection; forming a first film stack having a first top silicon film on said interlayer dielectric wherein said first film stack has a first edge above said interconnection; forming a first fill dielectric on said interlayer dielectric and adjacent to said first edge of said first film stack; forming a second film stack having a second top silicon film, wherein said second film stack is formed on said first film stack and has a second edge on said first film stack; forming a second fill dielectric on said first film stack and over said first fill dielectric; forming a third film stack having a third top silicon film and a lower oxide film on said second film, and on said second fill dielectric; etching an opening through said top silicon film of said third film stack to form an opening in said silicon film above said edge of said second film stack and above said edge of said first film stack; and etching an opening through said lower oxide layer to reveal said second top silicon film of said second film stack, through said second fill dielectric on said first film stack to reveal said first top silicon film of said first film stack and through said first fill dielectric adjacent to said edge of said first film stack and through said interlayer dielectric above said interconnection to reveal said interconnection.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 249 words
A method of forming a contact comprising: forming a first interconnection; forming an interlayer dielectric over said first interconnection; forming a first film stack having a first top silicon film on said interlayer dielectric wherein said first film stack has a first edge above said interconnection; forming a first fill dielectric on said interlayer dielectric and adjacent to said first edge of said first film stack; forming a second film stack having a second top silicon film, wherein said second film stack is formed on said first film stack and has a second edge on said first film stack; forming a second fill dielectric on said first film stack and over said first fill dielectric; forming a third film stack having a third top silicon film and a lower oxide film on said second film, and on said second fill dielectric; etching an opening through said top silicon film of said third film stack to form an opening in said silicon film above said edge of said second film stack and above said edge of said first film stack; and etching an opening through said lower oxide layer to reveal said second top silicon film of said second film stack, through said second fill dielectric on said first film stack to reveal said first top silicon film of said first film stack and through said first fill dielectric adjacent to said edge of said first film stack and through said interlayer dielectric above said interconnection to reveal said interconnection.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 48 words
The method of 9 further comprising forming a silicide film on said exposed top silicon film of said first film stack and on said exposed top silicon film of said first film stack and on said interconnection and on said top silicon film of said third film stack.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 48 words
The method of 9 further comprising forming a silicide film on said exposed top silicon film of said first film stack and on said exposed top silicon film of said first film stack and on said interconnection and on said top silicon film of said third film stack.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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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) 2006-03-17 2006-09-16 2007-03-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2010-03-17 2010-09-16 2011-03-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2014-03-17 2014-09-16 2015-03-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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