Semiconductor recessed mask interconnect technology

• Main Authors: FITZSIMMONS JOHN ANTHONY, COHEN STEPHEN ALAN, WHITEHAIR STANLEY JOSEPH, DALTON TIMOTHY JOSEPH, PURUSHOTHAMAN SAMPATH, GATES STEPHEN MCCONNELL, HERBST BRIAN WAYNE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.12.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A metal plus low dielectric constant (low-k) interconnect structure is provided for a semiconductor device wherein adjacent regions in a surface separated by a dielectric have dimensions in width and spacing in the sub 250 nanometer range, and in which reduced lateral leakage current between adjacent metal lines, and a lower effective dielectric constant than a conventional structure, is achieved by the positioning of a differentiating or mask member that is applied for the protection of the dielectric in subsequent processing operations, at a position about 2-5 nanometers below a, to be planarized, surface where there will be a lower electric field. The invention is particularly useful in the damascene type device structure in the art wherein adjacent conductors extend from a substrate through an interlevel dielectric material, connections are made in a trench, a diffusion barrier liner is provided in the interlevel dielectric material and masking is employed to protect the dielectric material between conductors during processing operations.