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Method of forming an aluminum protection guard structure for a copper metal structure

  • US 6,444,544 B1
  • Filed: 08/01/2000
  • Issued: 09/03/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of incorporating a metal guard structure in a multi-level metal interconnect structure, on a semiconductor substrate, with said metal guard structure formed adjacent to a metal fuse element, comprising the steps of:

  • forming a first multi-level metal interconnect structure in a first insulator layer, contacting a first group of array devices, located in said semiconductor substrate, and simultaneously forming a second multi-level metal interconnect structure in said first insulator layer, contacting a second group of array devices, located in said semiconductor substrate, forming said metal fuse element in said first insulator layer, connecting said first multi-level metal interconnect structure, to said second multi-level metal interconnect structure;

    depositing a second insulator layer;

    forming a first opening in said second insulator layer, and in a top portion of said first insulator layer, exposing a bottom portion of said first insulator layer in a region in which said bottom portion of said first insulator layer is located overlying a top surface of said metal fuse element;

    forming a second opening in said second insulator layer, in said top portion of said first insulator layer, and in said first multi-level metal interconnect structure, and simultaneously forming a third opening in said second insulator layer, in said top portion of said first insulator layer, and in said second multi-level metal interconnect structure; and

    forming a first metal guard structure in said second opening, and simultaneously forming a second metal guard structure in said third opening.

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