The disclosure relates to a metallization process for an integrated circuit. One example metallization process includes a method for forming an integrated circuit that includes providing a semiconductor structure having two transistor structures, a gate structure, electrically conductive contacts, a first electrically conductive line, a first electrically conductive via, a second electrically conductive via. The method further includes providing a planar dielectric material in contact with the first electrically conductive line, forming an opening in the planar dielectric material, filling the opening with a planar electrically conductive material, forming an electrically conductive layer arranged within a second metallization level, the electrically conductive layer being in physical contact with the planar dielectric material and in physical and electrical contact with the electrically conductive material, providing a hard mask comprising a set of parallel lines, and etching the electrically conductive layer and the planar electrically conductive material by using the hard mask lines as a mask.

A semiconductor chip includes a lower wiring layer, a multilayer wiring layer formed on the lower wiring layer, and an upper wiring layer formed on the multilayer wiring layer. Here, a thickness of a wiring provided in the lower wiring layer is larger than a thickness of each of a plurality of wirings provided in the multilayer wiring layer, and a thickness of a wiring provided in the upper wiring layer is larger than the thickness of each of the plurality of wirings provided in the multilayer wiring layer. A lower inductor which is a component of a transformer is provided in the lower wiring layer, and an upper inductor which is a component of the transformer is provided in the upper wiring layer.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a via structure and methods of forming the via structure. In an embodiment, the via structure comprises a substrate and an opening through the substrate. In an embodiment, the opening has a first portion and a second portion under the first portion. In an embodiment, the via structure further comprises a lining on sidewalls of the first portion of the opening, and a via filling the opening. In an embodiment, the via has a first region with a first width and a second region with a second width, wherein the first width is smaller than the second width.

This invention relates to a semiconductor structure and a fabrication method therefor. The method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate, where a shallow trench isolation structure is formed on the substrate; forming a plurality of transistor accommodating grooves in the active regions, where there is a spacing between the transistor accommodating groove and the shallow trench isolation structure; forming a columnar structure in the transistor accommodating groove, where the columnar structure includes a source, a conductive channel, and a drain that are sequentially disposed in a direction away from the substrate; etching the active region located within the spacing and the active region located between adjacent columnar structures in the same active region to form a bit line trench, where the bit line trench surrounds the source; and forming a bit line that surrounds and connects the source in the bit line trench.

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of metallization layers vertically disposed with respect to and electrically couple to a plurality of transistors. Each of the plurality of metallization layers includes a metal line and a metal via. Each of the metal lines and the metal vias are coupled to a barrier layer. The metal lines and the metal vias each essentially consist of a first material comprising copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and carbon (C). The barrier layer essentially consists of a second material including zirconium nitride (ZrN).