A method includes depositing an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer over a conductive line. A via opening is formed in the IMD layer and directly over the conductive line. A width of the conductive line is greater than a width of the via opening. An overlay measurement is performed. The overlay measurement includes obtaining a backscattered electron image of the via opening and the conductive line and determining an overlay between the via opening and the conductive line according to the backscattered electron image.

The present invention relates to a metal interconnect structure containing no barrier metal and a method of manufacturing the metal interconnect structure. The method includes: filling at least a first interconnect trench with an intermetallic compound by depositing the intermetallic compound on an insulating layer having the first interconnect trench and a second interconnect trench formed in the insulating layer, the second interconnect trench being wider than the first interconnect trench; performing a planarization process of polishing the intermetallic compound until the insulating layer is exposed; and then performing a height adjustment process of polishing the intermetallic compound and the insulating layer until a height of the intermetallic compound in the first interconnect trench reaches a predetermined height.

To provide a miniaturized semiconductor device with low power consumption. A method for manufacturing a wiring layer includes the following steps: forming a second insulator over a first insulator; forming a third insulator over the second insulator; forming an opening in the third insulator so that it reaches the second insulator; forming a first conductor over the third insulator and in the opening; forming a second conductor over the first conductor; and after forming the second conductor, performing polishing treatment to remove portions of the first and second conductors above a top surface of the third insulator. An end of the first conductor is at a level lower than or equal to the top level of the opening. The top surface of the second conductor is at a level lower than or equal to that of the end of the first conductor.

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods of depositing a plurality of layers. A doped copper seed layer is deposited in a plurality of feature definitions in a device structure. A first copper seed layer is deposited and then the first copper seed layer is doped to form a doped copper seed layer, or a doped copper seed layer is deposited directly. The doped copper seed layer leads to increased flowability, reducing poor step coverage, overhang, and voids in the copper layer.

An integrated circuit structure comprises a first and second conductive structures formed in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) of a metallization stack over a substrate. The first conductive structure comprises a first conductive line, and first dummy structures located adjacent to one or more sides of the first conductive line, wherein the first dummy structures comprise respective arrays of dielectric core segments having a Young's modulus larger than the Young's modulus of the ILD, the dielectric core segments being approximately 1-3 microns in width and spaced apart by approximately 1-3 microns. The second conductive structure formed in the ILD comprises a conductive surface and second dummy structures formed in the conductive surface, where the second dummy structures comprising an array of conductive pillars.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a semiconductor device with a copper-manganese liner. The method includes forming an opening structure in a first dielectric layer, wherein the opening structure has a first portion, a second portion and a third portion disposed between and physically connecting the first portion and the second portion; forming a lining material lining the first portion and the second portion of the opening structure and completely filling the third portion of the opening structure, wherein the lining material includes copper-manganese (CuMn); filling the first portion and the second portion of the opening structure with a conductive material after the lining material is formed; and performing a planarization process on the lining material and the conductive material.

A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip including a contact pad on an active surface, a first insulating layer on the active surface including a first opening that exposes the contact pad, a redistribution layer connected to the contact pad and extending to an upper surface of the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and including a second opening that exposes a contact region of the redistribution layer, a conductive post on the contact region, an encapsulation layer on the second insulating layer and surrounding the conductive post, and a conductive bump on an upper surface of the conductive post. The conductive post includes an intermetallic compound (IMC) layer in contact with the conductive bump. An upper surface of the IMC layer is lower than an upper surface of the encapsulation layer.

A cavity may be formed in a dielectric material layer overlying a substrate. A layer stack including a metallic barrier liner, a metallic fill material layer, and a metallic capping material may be deposited in the cavity and over the dielectric material layer. Portions of the layer stack located above a horizontal plane including a top surface of the dielectric material layer may be removed. A contiguous set of remaining material portions of the layer stack includes a metal interconnect structure that is free of a pitted surface.

The present disclosure describes a method for the fabrication of ruthenium conductive structures over cobalt conductive structures. In some embodiments, the method includes forming a first opening in a dielectric layer to expose a first cobalt contact and filling the first opening with ruthenium metal to form a ruthenium contact on the first cobalt contact. The method also includes forming a second opening in the dielectric layer to expose a second cobalt contact and a gate structure and filling the second opening with tungsten to form a tungsten contact on the second cobalt contact and the gate structure. Further, the method includes forming a copper conductive structure on the ruthenium contact and the tungsten contact, where the copper from the copper conductive structure is in contact with the ruthenium metal from the ruthenium contact.

The invention provides a semiconductor bonding structure, the semiconductor bonding structure includes a first chip and a second chip which are bonded with each other, the first chip has a first bonding pad and the second bonding pad contacted and electrically connected to each other on a bonding interface, the first bonding pad and the second bonding pad are made of copper, and a heterogeneous contact combination in the first chip, the heterogeneous contact combination comprises a contact stack structure of a copper element, a tungsten element and an aluminum element, the tungsten element is located between the copper element and the aluminum element