Method of forming a semiconductor structure having an air region
First Claim
1. A method for forming a semiconductor device having an air region, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a base layer of material;
forming a first conductive element overlying the base layer, the first conductive element having a sidewall;
forming a second conductive element overlying the base layer, the second conductive element having a sidewall and being physically separated from the first conductive element by an opening;
forming a first sidewall spacer having a top portion, the first sidewall spacer being laterally adjacent the sidewall of the first conductive element;
forming a second sidewall spacer having a top portion, the second sidewall spacer being laterally adjacent the sidewall of the second conductive element;
forming a plug layer within the opening between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, the plug layer exposing the top portion of the first sidewall spacer and the top portion of the second sidewall spacer; and
removing both the first and second sidewall spacers to form the air region between the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for forming an air region or an air bridge overlying a base layer (12). Air regions (20a, 20b, 28a, and 48) are formed overlying the base layer (12) to provide for improved dielectric isolation of adjacent conductive layers, provide air-isolated conductive interconnects, and/or form many other microstructures or microdevices. The air regions (20a, 20b, 28a, and 48) are formed by either selectively removing a sacrificial spacer (16a and 16b) or by selectively removing a sacrificial layer (28, 40). The air regions (20a, 20b, 28a, and 48) are sealed, enclosed, or isolated by either a selective growth process or by a non-conformal deposition technique. The air regions (20a, 20b, 28a, and 48) may be formed under any pressure, gas concentration, or processing condition (i.e. temperature, etc.). The air regions (20a, 20b, 28a, and 48) may be formed at any level within an integrated circuit.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A method for forming a semiconductor device having an air region, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer of material; forming a first conductive element overlying the base layer, the first conductive element having a sidewall; forming a second conductive element overlying the base layer, the second conductive element having a sidewall and being physically separated from the first conductive element by an opening; forming a first sidewall spacer having a top portion, the first sidewall spacer being laterally adjacent the sidewall of the first conductive element; forming a second sidewall spacer having a top portion, the second sidewall spacer being laterally adjacent the sidewall of the second conductive element; forming a plug layer within the opening between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, the plug layer exposing the top portion of the first sidewall spacer and the top portion of the second sidewall spacer; and removing both the first and second sidewall spacers to form the air region between the first conductive element and the second conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer; forming a first layer of material which is resistant to growth overlying the base layer; forming a growth layer overlying the first layer of material; forming a second layer of material which is resistant to growth overlying the growth layer; etching an opening through the first layer, the growth layer, and the second layer, the opening defining a sidewall of the growth layer; and selectively growing the sidewall of the growth layer to form a grown region which closes off a portion of the opening and forms an enclosed air region within the opening. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for forming a semiconductor device having an air isolation region, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer; forming a first conductive region overlying the base layer; forming a second conductive layer overlying the base layer and physically separated from the first conductive region by a separation region; forming a sacrificial layer of material within the separation region; forming a first dielectric layer overlying the first conductive region, the second conductive region, and the sacrificial layer; forming a seed layer overlying the first dielectric layer; forming an opening through the first dielectric layer and the seed layer to expose a portion of the sacrificial layer, the opening forming a sidewall of the seed layer; removing the sacrificial layer of material to form the air isolation region between the first conductive region and the second conductive region; and growing material from the sidewall of the seed layer to close a portion of the opening and isolate the air isolation region. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method for forming a semiconductor device having an air region, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer; forming a layer of material overlying the base layer; forming a seed layer overlying the layer of material; removing a portion of the layer of material and a portion of the seed layer to form a patterned layer of material from the layer of material, the patterned layer of material having a sidewall; forming a sidewall spacer adjacent the sidewall of the patterned layer of material; forming an opening having a radius through the seed layer to expose a portion of the patterned layer of material; removing the patterned layer of material to form said air region; and growing material onto the seed layer to reduce the radius of the opening. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method for forming a semiconductor structure having an intentional void, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer; forming a first layer of material overlying the base layer; forming a second layer of material overlying the base layer and laterally separated from the first layer of material; forming a sacrificial layer of material between the first and second layers of material; forming a dielectric layer overlying the first layer of material, the second layer of material, and the sacrificial layer of material, the dielectric layer having an opening which exposes a portion of the sacrificial layer of material; forming a seed spacer within the opening; removing the sacrificial layer of material to form said intentional void between the first and second layers of material; and growing material from the seed spacer to close the opening. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A method for forming a semiconductor structure having an intentional void, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a base layer having a surface; forming a patterned plug region overlying the base layer, the patterned plug region having a sidewall which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the base layer; forming a sidewall spacer laterally adjacent the sidewall of the plug region; forming a layer of material overlying the sidewall spacer and the patterned plug region; planarizing the layer of material to expose a portion of the sidewall spacer; removing the spacer to form said intentional void; and forming a dielectric layer overlying the intentional void to encapsulate the intentional void. - View Dependent Claims (36)
-
Specification