Method to enhance inductor Q factor by forming air gaps below inductors
First Claim
1. A method of enhancing inductor performance, comprising the steps of:
- providing a structure having a first oxide layer formed thereover;
forming a lower low-k dielectric layer over the first oxide layer;
forming a second oxide layer over the lower low-k dielectric layer;
patterning the second oxide layer to form at least one hole there through exposing a portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer;
etching through the exposed portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer and into the lower low-k dielectric layer to from at least one respective air gap within the etched lower low-k dielectric layer;
forming an upper low-k dielectric layer over the patterned second oxide layer; and
forming at least one inductor within the upper low-k dielectric layer and over the at least one air gap whereby the performance of the at least one inductor is enhanced.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of enhancing inductor performance comprising the following steps. A structure having a first oxide layer formed thereover is provided. A lower low-k dielectric layer is formed over the first oxide layer. A second oxide layer is formed over the lower low-k dielectric layer. The second oxide layer is patterned to form at least one hole there through exposing a portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer. Etching through the exposed portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer and into the lower low-k dielectric layer to from at least one respective air gap within the etched lower low-k dielectric layer. An upper low-k dielectric layer is formed over the patterned second oxide layer. At least one inductor is formed within the upper low-k dielectric layer and over the at least one air gap whereby the performance of the inductor is enhanced.
30 Citations
63 Claims
-
1. A method of enhancing inductor performance, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a structure having a first oxide layer formed thereover;
forming a lower low-k dielectric layer over the first oxide layer;
forming a second oxide layer over the lower low-k dielectric layer;
patterning the second oxide layer to form at least one hole there through exposing a portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer;
etching through the exposed portion of the lower low-k dielectric layer and into the lower low-k dielectric layer to from at least one respective air gap within the etched lower low-k dielectric layer;
forming an upper low-k dielectric layer over the patterned second oxide layer; and
forming at least one inductor within the upper low-k dielectric layer and over the at least one air gap whereby the performance of the at least one inductor is enhanced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of enhancing inductor performance, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a structure having a first oxide layer formed thereover to a thickness of from about 1000 Å
to 5 μ
m;
forming a lower low-k dielectric layer over the first oxide layer to a thickness of from about 1000 to 10,000 Å
;
forming a second oxide layer over the lower low-k dielectric layer to a thickness of from about 1000 to 10,000 Å
;
patterning the second oxide layer to form one or more holes there through exposing one or more respective portions of the lower low-k dielectric layer;
etching through the one or more exposed portions of the lower low-k dielectric layer and into the lower low-k dielectric layer to from one or more respective air gaps within the etched lower low-k dielectric layer;
forming an upper low-k dielectric layer over the patterned second oxide layer; and
forming one or more inductors within the upper low-k dielectric layer and over the one or more air gaps whereby the performance of the one or more inductors is enhanced. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A method of enhancing inductor performance, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a structure having a first oxide layer formed thereover;
forming a lower low-k dielectric layer over the first oxide layer;
forming a second oxide layer over the lower low-k dielectric layer;
patterning the second oxide layer to form one or more holes there through exposing one or more respective portions of the lower low-k dielectric layer;
etching through the one or more exposed portions of the lower low-k dielectric layer and into the lower low-k dielectric layer to from one or more respective air gaps within the etched lower low-k dielectric layer;
the one or more air gaps having respective diameters of from about 100.0 to 500.0 μ
m;
forming an upper low-k dielectric layer over the patterned second oxide layer; and
forming one or more inductors within the upper low-k dielectric layer and over the one or more air gaps whereby the performance of the one or more inductors is enhanced. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
-
Specification