The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming an ILD layer over a memory device over a substrate. A hard mask structure is formed over the ILD layer and a patterning structure is formed over the hard mask structure. The hard mask structure has sidewalls defining a first opening directly over the memory device and centered along a first line perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate. The patterning structure has sidewalls defining a second opening directly over the memory device and centered along a second line parallel to the first line. The second line is laterally offset from the first line by a non-zero distance. The ILD layer is etched below an overlap of the first and second openings to define a top electrode via hole. The top electrode via hole is with a conductive material.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming an insulating layers on a substrate, forming a plurality of holes in an upper portion of the insulating layer, forming a mask layer having openings exposing at least a first set of the plurality of holes, etching a lower portion of the insulating layer exposed by one of the plurality of holes which is exposed by the mask layer to form a through hole in the insulating layer in combination with the one of the plurality of holes, and forming a conductive structure in the through hole.

A method includes, for example, providing an intermediate semiconductor structure comprising a metallic layer, a patternable layer disposed over the metallic layer, and a hard mask disposed over the patternable layer, the intermediate semiconductor structure comprising a plurality of vias extending through the hard mask onto the metallic layer, depositing a sacrificial barrier layer over the intermediate semiconductor structure and in the plurality of vias, removing a portion of the sacrificial barrier layer between the plurality of vias while maintaining a portion of the sacrificial barrier layer in the plurality of vias, forming a trench in the patternable layer between the removed portion of the sacrificial barrier layer and the plurality of vias, and removing the remaining portions of the sacrificial barrier layer from the plurality of vias.

Subtractive self-aligned via and plug patterning for back end of line (BEOL) interconnects is described. In an example, an interconnect structure for an integrated circuit includes a first layer of the interconnect structure disposed above a substrate. The first layer includes a first grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a first direction. The dielectric lines have an uppermost surface higher than an uppermost surface of the metal lines. The interconnect structure further includes a second layer of the interconnect structure disposed above the first layer of the interconnect structure. The second layer includes a second grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction. The dielectric lines have a lowermost surface lower than a lowermost surface of the metal lines. The dielectric lines of the second grating overlap and contact, but are distinct from, the dielectric lines of the first grating. The metal lines of the first grating are spaced apart from the metal lines of the second grating.

An embodiment semiconductor device includes a first conductive feature in a dielectric layer and a second conductive feature over the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the first conductive feature. The second conductive feature includes a dual damascene structure and further includes a top portion within both a line portion and a via portion of the second conductive feature and a bottom portion in the via portion of the second conductive feature. The bottom portion comprises a different conductive material than the top portion, and a thickness of the bottom portion is at least about twenty percent of a total thickness of the via portion of the second conductive feature.

A method of forming a dual damascene metal interconnect for a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a layer of low-k dielectric, forming vias through the low-k dielectric layer, depositing a sacrificial layer, forming trenches through the sacrificial layer, filling the vias and trenches with metal, removing the sacrificial layer, then depositing an extremely low-k dielectric layer to fill between the trenches. The method allows the formation of an extremely low-k dielectric layer for the second level of the dual damascene structure while avoiding damage to that layer by such processes as trench etching and trench metal deposition. The method has the additional advantage of avoiding an etch stop layer between the via level dielectric and the trench level dielectric.

Techniques relate to contacts for semiconductors. First gate contacts are formed on top of first gates, second gate contacts are on second gates, and terminal contacts are on silicide contacts. First gate contacts and terminal contacts are recessed to form a metal layer on top. Second gate contacts are recessed to be separately on each of the second gates. Filling material is formed on top of the recessed second gate contacts and metal layer. An upper layer is on top of the filling material. First metal vias are formed through filling and upper layers down to metal layer over first gate contacts. Second metal vias are formed through filling and upper layers down to metal layer over terminal contacts. Third metal vias are formed through filling and upper layers down to recessed second gate contacts over second gates. Third metal vias are taller than first.

An etching method including: (a) providing a workpiece including a first region made of a first material and a second region made of a second material defining a recess, the first region filling the recess of the second region while covering the second region; (b) generating plasma of a first fluorocarbon gas to etch the first region until before exposing the second region; (c) generating plasma of a second fluorocarbon gas to form fluorocarbon deposits on the first region; (d) generating plasma of an inert gas to etch the first region by fluorocarbon radicals contained in the fluorocarbon deposits; and (e) repeating step (c) and step (d) one or more times until after exposing the second region. An etching rate of the first material of the first region is higher than that of the second material of the second region with respect to the second fluorocarbon gas.

Dual damascene interconnect structures with fully aligned via integration schemes are formed using different dielectric materials having different physical properties. A low-k dielectric material having good fill capabilities fills nanoscopic trenches in such structures. Another dielectric material forms the remainder of the dielectric portion of the interconnect layer and has good reliability properties, though not necessarily good trench filling capability. The nanoscopic trenches may be filled with a flowable polymer using flowable chemical vapor deposition. A further dielectric layer having good reliability properties is deposited over the metal lines and dual damascene patterned to form interconnect line and via patterns. The patterned dielectric layer is filled with interconnect metal, thereby forming interconnect lines and fully aligned via conductors. The via conductors are electrically connected to previously formed metal lines below.

A method of reducing defects in and improving reliability of Back-End-Of-Line (BEOL) metal fill includes providing a starting metallization structure for semiconductor device(s), the metallization structure including a bottom layer of contact(s) surrounded by a dielectric material. The starting metallization structure further includes an etch-stop layer over the bottom layer, a layer of dielectric material over the etch-stop layer, a first layer of hard mask material over the dielectric layer, a layer of work function hard mask material over the first hard mask layer, a second layer of hard mask material over the work function hard mask layer, via(s) to the first hard mask layer and other via(s) into the etch-stop layer. The method further includes protecting the other via(s) while removing the second hard mask layer and the layer of work function hard mask material, and filling the vias with metal. Protecting the other via(s) may include, prior to the removing, filling the other via(s) with an Energy Removal Film (ERF) up to a top surface of the first hard mask layer, and, after the removing, removing the ERF material.