Reliability of wide interconnects
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate comprising metal wiring lines;
an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level comprising a via interconnect within an interlevel dielectric;
a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level comprising metal wiring lines, at least one metal wiring line having a plurality of dielectric fill shapes that reduces the cross sectional area of the at least one metal wiring line; and
wherein the via interconnect makes electrical contact between a metal line in the first wiring level and the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level, the via interconnect being adjacent to and spaced from the plurality of dielectric fill shapes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit which includes a semiconductor substrate, a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate which includes metal wiring lines, an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level which includes a via interconnect within an interlevel dielectric, a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level which includes metal wiring lines, at least one metal wiring line having a plurality of dielectric fill shapes that reduces the cross sectional area of the at least one metal wiring line, and wherein the via interconnect makes electrical contact between a metal line in the first wiring level and the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level, the via interconnect being adjacent to and spaced from the plurality of dielectric fill shapes. Also disclosed is a method in which a plurality of dielectric fill shapes are placed adjacent to and spaced from a via contact area in a wiring line in a second wiring level.
10 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate comprising metal wiring lines; an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level comprising a via interconnect within an interlevel dielectric; a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level comprising metal wiring lines, at least one metal wiring line having a plurality of dielectric fill shapes that reduces the cross sectional area of the at least one metal wiring line; and wherein the via interconnect makes electrical contact between a metal line in the first wiring level and the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level, the via interconnect being adjacent to and spaced from the plurality of dielectric fill shapes.
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2. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate comprising metal wiring lines; an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level comprising a via interconnect within an interlevel dielectric; a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level comprising metal wiring lines, at least one metal wiring line having a via contact area and a plurality of dielectric fill shapes adjacent to and spaced from the via contact area; wherein the via interconnect makes electrical contact between a metal line in the first wiring level and the via contact area of the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate comprising metal wiring lines; an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level comprising via interconnects within an interlevel dielectric; a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level comprising metal wiring lines, a first group of the metal wiring lines having a via contact area and a plurality of dielectric fill shapes adjacent to and spaced from the via contact area and a second group of the metal wiring lines having a via contact area and no dielectric fill shapes; wherein the via interconnects make electrical contact between metal wiring lines in the first wiring level and the via contact areas of the first and second group of metal wiring lines in the second wiring level; and wherein the via interconnects contacting the first group of the metal wiring lines in the second metal wiring level gouge the metal lines of the first wiring level a first amount and the via interconnects contacting the second group of the metal wiring lines in the second metal wiring level gouge the metal lines of the first wiring level a second amount such that the first and the second amounts are approximately the same. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of improving reliability of interconnects comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a semiconductor substrate having a first metal wiring level on the semiconductor substrate comprising metal wiring lines, an interconnect wiring level on the first metal wiring level comprising a via interconnect within an interlevel dielectric, and a second metal wiring level on the interconnect wiring level comprising metal wiring lines, at least one metal wiring line having a via contact area; placing a plurality of dielectric fill shapes adjacent to and spaced from the via contact area in the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level; and electrically interconnecting a metal line in the first wiring level and the via contact area of the at least one metal wiring line in the second wiring level. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification