A method includes depositing a first dielectric layer over a first conductive feature, depositing a first mask layer over the first dielectric layer, and depositing a second mask layer over the first mask layer. A first opening is patterned in the first mask layer and the second mask layer, the first opening having a first width. A second opening is patterned in a bottom surface of the first opening, the second opening extending into the first dielectric layer, the second opening having a second width. The second width is less than the first width. The first opening is extended into the first dielectric layer and the second opening is extended through the first dielectric layer to expose a top surface of the first conductive feature.

A method includes forming a first conductive feature in a first dielectric layer, forming a first metal cap over and contacting the first conductive feature, forming an etch stop layer over the first dielectric layer and the first metal cap, forming a second dielectric layer over the etch stop layer; and etching the second dielectric layer and the etch stop layer to form an opening. The first conductive feature is exposed to the opening. The method further includes selectively depositing a second metal cap at a bottom of the opening, forming an inhibitor film at the bottom of the opening and on the second metal cap, selectively depositing a conductive barrier in the opening, removing the inhibitor film, and filling remaining portions of the opening with a conductive material to form a second conductive feature.

An interconnect structure includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, a metal interconnect layer in the dielectric layer and in contact with the substrate, the metal interconnect layer having an upper surface flush with an upper surface of the dielectric layer, and a graphene layer on the metal interconnect layer. The graphene layer insulates a metal from air and prevents the metal from being oxidized by oxygen in the air, thereby increasing the queue time for the CMP process and the device reliability.

A method of forming a mask layout includes forming a layout of a first mask including a lower wiring structure pattern and a dummy lower wiring structure pattern. A layout of a second mask overlapping the first mask and including an upper wiring structure pattern and a dummy upper wiring structure pattern is formed. A layout of a third mask including a first via structure pattern and a first dummy via structure pattern is formed. A layout of a fourth mask including a second via structure pattern and a second dummy via structure pattern is formed. The second via structure pattern may commonly overlap the lower wiring structure pattern and the upper wiring structure pattern, and the second dummy via structure pattern may commonly overlap the dummy lower wiring structure pattern and the dummy upper wiring structure pattern. The fourth mask may overlap the third mask.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: providing a base and a dielectric layer on the base, the base in an array region being provided with discrete capacitive contact plugs and a first conductive layer being formed on a top surface of the capacitive contact plugs; sequentially forming a conversion layer and a target layer on the first conductive layer and the dielectric layer, the target layer in the array region and the first circuit region being provided with first openings through the target layer; patterning the target layer in the array region as well as in the first circuit region and the second circuit region to form a second opening and a third opening; etching the conversion layer to form a first trench; forming a filling layer filling the first trench and removing the conversion layer to form a second trench filled by a second conductive layer.

A semiconductor device includes: a lower wiring including: a lower filling film, which extends in a first direction and includes a first portion having a first width in the first direction and a second portion, having a second width smaller than the first width in the first direction, on the first portion; and a lower barrier film which is disposed on a side wall and a bottom surface of the first portion, and is not disposed on a side wall of the second portion in a cross-sectional view of the first direction; and an upper wiring structure including: an upper via connected to the lower wiring; and an upper wiring extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction on the upper via, wherein the upper wiring structure further includes an upper barrier film, and an upper filling film in a trench defined by the upper barrier film, each of the upper via and the upper wiring comprises the upper barrier film and the upper filling film, and the upper via is not separated from the upper wiring by the upper barrier film, and is separated from the second portion of the lower filling film by the upper barrier film.

A semiconductor structure includes a multilayer structure having a first layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer. The semiconductor structure further includes at least a first via extending from a top of the second layer to a top of a first metal contact disposed in the first layer. A polymer film is disposed on at least a portion of sidewalls of the first via.

A semiconductor structure includes: a substrate; a plurality of active layers arranged on the substrate and spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of bit lines, spaced apart from each other in a first direction and extending in a second direction. A first portion of each bit line covers side surfaces of respective active layers of the plurality of active layers, and a second portion of each bit line is located in the respective active layers. The first direction and the second direction are parallel to a surface of the substrate, and the first direction intersects with the second direction.

A preferred aim of the invention is to provide technique for improving reliability of semiconductor devices when using a low-dielectric-constant film having a lower dielectric constant than a silicon oxide film to a part of an interlayer insulating film. More specifically, to achieve the preferred aim, an interlayer insulating film IL1 forming a first fine layer is formed of a middle-Young's-modulus film, and thus it is possible to separate an integrated high-Young's-modulus layer (a semiconductor substrate 1S and a contact interlayer insulating film CIL) and an interlayer insulating film (a low-Young's-modulus film; a low-dielectric-constant film) IL2 forming a second fine layer not to let them directly contact with each other, and stress can be diverged. As a result, film exfoliation of the interlayer insulating film IL2 formed of a low-Young's-modulus film can be prevented and thus reliability of semiconductor devices can be improved.

Manufacturing a semiconductor chip based on redefining tolerance rules to create an otherwise prohibited structure including redefining a tolerance rule to permit creation of a minimum area metal trench structure violating the tolerance rule during a routing operation; and fabricating the minimum area metal trench structure on the semiconductor substrate based on the redefined tolerance rule.