Air gap under on-chip passive device
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a microelectronic chip, comprising:
- forming a plurality of front-end-of-line (“
FEOL”
) devices in a semiconductor region of the microelectronic chip;
forming a plurality of stacked interlevel dielectric (“
ILD”
) layers overlying the plurality of FEOL devices, the plurality of stacked ILD layers including a first ILD layer and a second ILD layer overlying the first ILD layer, the second ILD layer being resistant to attack by a first etchant which attacks the first ILD layer;
forming a passive device overlying at least the first ILD layer; and
using the first etchant, removing a portion of the first ILD layer in registration with the passive device to form an air gap underlying and in registration with the passive device by a process including exposing a surface of the first ILD layer by etching openings in the second ILD layer and applying the first etchant to the first ILD layer through the openings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for fabricating a microelectronic chip which includes a passive device such, as an inductor, overlying an air gap. In such method, a plurality of front-end-of-line (“FEOL”) devices are formed in a semiconductor region of the microelectronic chip, and a plurality of stacked interlevel dielectric (“ILD”) layers are formed to overlie the plurality of FEOL devices, the plurality of stacked ILD layers including a first ILD layer and a second ILD layer, where the second ILD layer is resistant to attack by a first etchant which attacks the first ILD layer. A passive device is formed to overlie at least the first ILD layer. Using the first etchant, a portion of the first ILD layer in registration with the passive device is removed to form an air gap which underlies the passive device in registration with the passive device.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a microelectronic chip, comprising:
-
forming a plurality of front-end-of-line (“
FEOL”
) devices in a semiconductor region of the microelectronic chip;forming a plurality of stacked interlevel dielectric (“
ILD”
) layers overlying the plurality of FEOL devices, the plurality of stacked ILD layers including a first ILD layer and a second ILD layer overlying the first ILD layer, the second ILD layer being resistant to attack by a first etchant which attacks the first ILD layer;forming a passive device overlying at least the first ILD layer; and using the first etchant, removing a portion of the first ILD layer in registration with the passive device to form an air gap underlying and in registration with the passive device by a process including exposing a surface of the first ILD layer by etching openings in the second ILD layer and applying the first etchant to the first ILD layer through the openings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of fabricating a microelectronic chip, comprising:
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forming a plurality of front-end-of-line (“
FEOL”
) devices in a semiconductor region of the microelectronic chip;forming an interlevel dielectric region (“
ILD”
) overlying the plurality of FEOL devices, the ILD being resistant to attack by a first etchant which attacks the semiconductor region;forming a passive device overlying the ILD region; and using the first etchant, removing a portion of the semiconductor region directly underlying the passive device to form an air gap underlying the passive device. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method of fabricating a microelectronic chip, comprising:
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forming a plurality of front-end-of-line (“
FEOL”
) devices in a semiconductor region of the microelectronic chip;forming a plurality of stacked interlevel dielectric regions (“
ILDs”
) overlying the plurality of FEOL devices, the plurality of stacked ILDs including a first ILD layer and a second ILD layer, the second ILD layer being etch-resistant to a first etchant which attacks the first ILD layer;using the first etchant, removing a portion of the first ILD layer to provide an air gap underlying the second ILD layer; and then forming a passive device overlying the plurality of stacked ILDs, such that the air gap directly underlies the passive device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification