In a contact hole of an interlayer insulating film, a tungsten film forming a contact plug is embedded via a barrier metal. The interlayer insulating film is formed by sequentially stacked HTO and BPSG films. The BPSG film has an etching rate faster than that of the HTO film with respect to a hydrofluoric acid solution used in wet etching of preprocessing before formation of the barrier metal. After the contact hole is formed in the interlayer insulating film, a width of an upper portion of the contact hole at the BPSG film is increased in a step-like shape, to be wider than a width of a lower portion at the HTO film by the wet etching before the formation of the barrier metal, whereby an aspect ratio of the contact hole is reduced. Thus, size reductions and enhancement of the reliability may be realized.

A semiconductor structure includes a first metallization feature, a first dielectric structure over the first metallization feature, a second metallization feature embedded in the first dielectric structure, a via structure between the first metallization feature and the second metallization feature, and a first insulating layer between the first dielectric structure and the first metallization feature, and between the first dielectric structure and the via structure. The first metallization feature extends along a first direction, and the second metallization feature extends along a second direction different from the first direction. The first insulating layer covers first sidewalls of the via structure along the second direction.

An integrated circuit structure includes a first interconnect layer including a first dielectric material. The first dielectric material has a first recess therein, the first recess having a first opening. The integrated circuit structure further includes a second interconnect layer above the first interconnect layer. The second interconnect layer includes a second dielectric material that has a second recess therein. The second recess has a second opening. In an example, at least a portion of the first opening of the first recess abuts and overlaps with at least a portion of the second opening of the second recess. In an example, a continuous conformal layer is on walls of the first and second recesses, and a continuous body of conductive material is within the first and second recesses.

An interconnection structure is provided. The interconnection structure includes an etching-process-free first dielectric layer, a first conductive structure extending within the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer formed under the first dielectric layer, and a second conductive structure extending through both the first dielectric layer and the second conductive layer.

Apparatuses and methods to provide a fully self-aligned via are described. A first metallization layer comprises a set of first conductive lines extending along a first direction on a first insulating layer on a substrate, the set of first conductive lines recessed below a top portion of the first insulating layer. A capping layer is on the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer is on the capping layer. A second metallization layer comprises a set of second conductive lines on the second insulating layer and on a third insulating layer above the first metallization layer. The set of second conductive lines extend along a second direction that crosses the first direction at an angle. At least one via is between the first metallization layer and the second metallization layer. The via is self-aligned along the second direction to one of the first conductive lines. The tapering angle of the via opening may be in a range of from about 60° to about 120°.

Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor device disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric structure is arranged over the semiconductor substrate. First and second metal vias are disposed in the dielectric structure and spaced laterally apart from one another. First and second metal lines are disposed in the dielectric structure and have nearest neighboring sidewalls that are spaced laterally apart from one another by a portion of the dielectric structure. The first and second metal lines contact upper portions of the first and second metal vias, respectively. First and second air gaps are disposed in the portion of the dielectric structure. The first and second air gaps are proximate to nearest neighboring sidewalls of the first and second metal lines, respectively.

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.

A semiconductor device is provided and includes first and second dielectrics, first and second conductive elements, a self-formed-barrier (SFB) and a liner. The first and second dielectrics are disposed with one of first-over-second dielectric layering and second-over-first dielectric layering. The first and second conductive elements are respectively suspended at least partially within a lower one of the first and second dielectrics and at least partially within the other one of the first and second dielectrics. The self-formed-barrier (SFB) is formed about a portion of one of the first and second conductive elements which is suspended in the second dielectric. The liner is deposited about a portion of the other one of the first and second conductive elements which is partially suspended in the first dielectric.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device structure with fine patterns at different levels and a method for forming the semiconductor device structure, which can prevent the collapse of the fine patterns and reduces the parasitic capacitance between fine patterns The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate; a first target structure disposed over the substrate, wherein the first target structure comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, a height of the first portion and a height of the second portion are greater than a height of the third portion; a second target structure disposed over the target layer, wherein the second target structure comprises a fourth portion, a fifth portion, and a sixth portion: a low-level conductive pattern positioned between the first target structure and the second target structure; and a high-level conductive pattern positioned in the first target structure.

The present application discloses a method for fabricating a semiconductor device including: providing a photomask including an opaque layer on a mask substrate and surrounding a translucent layer on the mask substrate; forming a pre-process mask layer on a device stack; patterning the pre-process mask layer using the photomask to form a patterned mask layer including a mask region corresponding to the opaque layer, a trench region corresponding to the translucent layer, and a via hole corresponding to the mask opening of via feature; performing a damascene etching process to form a via opening and a trench opening in the device stack; and forming a via in the via opening and a trench in the trench opening. The translucent layer includes a mask opening of via feature which exposes a portion of the mask substrate. A thickness of the trench region is less than a thickness of the mask region.