Vertical fuse and method of fabrication

• US 6,218,279 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies North America Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG), International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Iggulden, Roy, Van den Berg, Robert, Weber, Stefan J., Narayan, Chandrasekhar, Hoinkis, Mark, Brintzinger, Axel Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DUNG ANH
• Application Number:
  US09/512,648
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 438/131, 438/132, 438/215, 438/281, 438/333, 438/467, 438/601, 438/700, 257/209, 257/529
• US Class Current: 438/601
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5256 comprising fuses, i.e. connections having their state changed from conductive to non-conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A fuse for semiconductor devices in accordance with the present invention includes a substrate having a conductive path disposed on a surface thereof, a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate and a vertical fuse disposed perpendicularly to the surface through the dielectric layer and connecting to the conductive path, the vertical fuse forming a cavity having a liner material disposed along vertical surfaces of the cavity, the vertical surfaces being melted to blow the fuse. Methods for fabrication of the vertical fuse are also included.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating vertical fuses, comprising the steps of:

forming a fuse hole vertically through a dielectric layer of a semiconductor device;

lining sides of the fuse hole with a conductive layer; and

depositing a conductive material in the fuse hole wherein the conductive layer has a resistivity greater than the conductive material, the conductive material forming a cavity having the conductive layer disposed along vertical surfaces adjacent to the cavity.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing the conductive material using a dual damascene process.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of depositing includes the steps of:

depositing a wetting layer of conductive material; and

depositing the conductive material in the fuse hole to form the cavity.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the wetting layer is deposited using a chemical vapor deposition process.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductive material is deposited using a physical vapor deposition process.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting one of a conductive layer thickness and cavity dimensions to provide a predetermined blow voltage for the fuse.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductive material includes aluminum and the conductive layer includes titanium nitride.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of matching a fuse resistance to a resistance in external circuitry to which the fuse is connected.

9. A method for fabricating vertical fuses simultaneously with contact and via structures, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;

depositing a first dielectric layer on the substrate;

forming contacts through the first dielectric layer;

depositing a second dielectric layer;

simultaneously forming fuse holes and via holes, the fuse holes being formed vertically through the first and second dielectric layers, the via holes being formed down to the contacts;

lining sides of the fuse holes and the via holes with a conductive layer; and

depositing a conductive material in the fuse holes and the via holes wherein the conductive layer has a resistivity greater than the conductive material, the conductive material forming a cavity in the fuse holes having the conductive layer disposed along vertical surfaces adjacent to the cavity, the fuse holes being formed such that the same process forms cavities in the fuse holes while the via holes are filled.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing the conductive material using a dual damascene process.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing a wetting layer of conductive material.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the wetting layer is deposited using a chemical vapor deposition process.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the conductive material is deposited using a physical vapor deposition process.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of adjusting one of a conductive layer thickness and cavity dimensions to provide a predetermined blow voltage for the fuses.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the conductive material includes aluminum and the conductive layer includes titanium nitride.

16. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of matching a fuse resistance to a resistance in external circuitry to which the fuse is connected.

17. A method for fabricating vertical fuses, comprising the steps of:

forming a fuse hole vertically through a dielectric layer of a semiconductor device;

lining sides of the fuse hole with a conductive layer; and

depositing a conductive material in the fuse hole, the conductive material forming a cavity having the conductive layer disposed along vertical surfaces adjacent to the cavity.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the step of depositing includes the steps of:

depositing a wetting layer of conductive material; and

depositing the conductive material in the fuse hole to form the cavity.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the wetting layer is deposited using a chemical vapor deposition process.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the conductive material is deposited using a physical vapor deposition process.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of adjusting one of a conductive layer thickness and cavity dimensions to provide a predetermined blow voltage for the fuse.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the conductive material includes aluminum and the conductive layer includes titanium nitride.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of matching a fuse resistance to a resistance in external circuitry to which the fuse is connected.

24. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the conductive layer has a resistivity greater than the conductive material.