INTEGRATED CIRCUITS WITH LINE BREAKS AND LINE BRIDGES WITHIN A SINGLE INTERCONNECT LEVEL

• Main Authors: Lin, Kevin, Jezewski, Christopher J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.03.2022
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Integrated circuit (IC) interconnect lines having line breaks and line bridges within one interconnect level that are based on a single lithographic mask pattern. Multi-patterning may be employed to define a grating structure of a desired pitch in a first mask layer. Breaks and bridges between the grating structures may be derived from a second mask layer through a process-based selective occlusion of openings defined in the second mask layer that are below a threshold minimum lateral width. Portions of the grating structure underlying openings defined in the second mask layer that exceed the threshold minimum lateral width are removed. Trenches in an underlayer may then be etched based on a union of the remainder of the grating structure and the occluded openings in the second mask layer. The trenches may then be backfilled to form the interconnect lines.