The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip in some embodiments. The integrated chip includes a memory device disposed over a lower interconnect within one or more lower inter-level dielectric (ILD) layers over a substrate. An upper ILD layer laterally surrounds the memory device. An etch stop layer is disposed along a sidewall of the memory device and over an upper surface of the one or more lower ILD layers. An upper interconnect is arranged along opposing sides of the memory device. The upper interconnect rests of an upper surface of the etch stop layer. The upper surface of the etch stop layer is vertically below a top of the memory device.

The present disclosure provides a method of forming an integrated circuit structure. The method includes depositing a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask on the first metal layer; patterning the first metal layer to form first metal features using the hard mask as an etch mask; depositing a dielectric layer of a first dielectric material on the first metal features and in gaps among the first metal features; performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to both the dielectric layer and the hard mask; removing the hard mask, thereby having portions of the dielectric layer extruded above the metal features; forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer of the second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material; and patterning the ILD layer to form openings that expose the first metal features and are constrained to be self-aligned with the first metal features by the extruded portions of the first dielectric layer.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method, and more particularly to forming via rail and deep via structures to reduce parasitic capacitances in standard cell structures. Via rail structures are formed in a level different from the conductive lines. The via rail structure can reduce the number of conductive lines and provide larger separations between conductive lines that are on the same interconnect level and thus reduce parasitic capacitance between conductive lines.

A method of forming an opening pattern including the following steps is provided. An ultra low dielectric constant layer, a dielectric hard mask layer and a patterned metal hard mask layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. A portion of the dielectric hard mask layer is removed to form a patterned dielectric hard mask layer by using the patterned metal hard mask layer as a mask. The patterned metal hard mask layer is removed after forming the patterned dielectric hard mask layer. A portion of the ultra low dielectric constant layer is removed to form a first opening by using the patterned dielectric hard mask layer as a mask.

A method includes depositing a metallic hardmask over a dielectric layer. The method further includes etching a metallic hardmask opening in the metallic hardmask to expose a top surface of the dielectric layer. The method further includes modifying a sidewall of the metallic hardmask opening by adding non-metal atoms into the metallic hardmask. The method further includes depositing a conductive material in the metallic hardmask opening.

A method for patterning a substrate includes: forming a first photoresist etch mask with an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process, the first photoresist etch mask including first through openings, the first photoresist etch mask including a metal-based photoresist material; forming a second photoresist etch mask over the first photoresist etch mask, the second photoresist etch mask including second through openings; and forming first openings, through the first and the second photoresist etch masks, in a region of the substrate that vertically overlaps both the first through openings and the second through openings.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric layer over the substrate. The dielectric layer has a trench. The semiconductor device structure includes a conductive line in the trench. The conductive line has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion faces the substrate. The second end portion faces away from the substrate. A first width of the first end portion is greater than a second width of the second end portion.

A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes depositing a hard mask layer over a substrate. The method further includes depositing a silver precursor layer over the hard mask layer. The method further includes exposing portions of the silver precursor layer to a radiation, the radiation causing a reduction of silver ions in the irradiated portions of the silver precursor layer. The method further includes removing non-irradiated portions of the silver precursor layer, resulting in a plurality of silver seed structures.

For simplifying the dual-damascene formation steps of a multilevel Cu interconnect, a formation step of an antireflective film below a photoresist film is omitted. Described specifically, an interlayer insulating film is dry etched with a photoresist film formed thereover as a mask, and interconnect trenches are formed by terminating etching at the surface of a stopper film formed in the interlayer insulating film. The stopper film is made of an SiCN film having a low optical reflectance, thereby causing it to serve as an antireflective film when the photoresist film is exposed.

An electrical communication structure that includes a plurality of metal line levels, a first metal line in a first metal line level of the plurality of line levels, and a second metal line in an upper metal line level of the plurality of line levels. A base of the second metal line is atop a metal etch stop layer that is aligned with edges of the second metal line. The electrical communication structure further includes a via that extends from the first metal line to the second metal line through the plurality of line levels. the via is not in electrical communication with at least one an intermediate metal line within the plurality of line levels between the first metal line level and the upper metal line level. The via has a metal fill that is in direct contact with a metal fill of the first metal line.