Alignment mark and method of formation

• US 9,478,480 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Chen-Yu, Wang, Shih-Hui, Chiu, Chien-Ming, Chen, Chia-Ho, Tsai, Fang Wen, Wu, Weng-Jin, Lin, Jing-Cheng, Chiou, Wen-Chih, Jeng, Shin-Puu, Yu, Chen-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, HOANG QUAN TRAN
• Application Number:
  US14/542,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20150069580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30604 Chemical etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76831 in via holes or trenches, e.g. non-conductive sidewall liners
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/54426 for alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/544 Marks applied to semiconductor devices or parts, e.g. registration marks, alignment structures, wafer maps test patterns for characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes H01L22/00

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a structure comprises a substrate having a first area and a second area; a through substrate via (TSV) in the substrate penetrating the first area of the substrate; an isolation layer over the second area of the substrate, the isolation layer having a recess; and a conductive material in the recess of the isolation layer, the isolation layer being disposed between the conductive material and the substrate in the recess.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a substrate having a surface, a through via being in the substrate and protruding from the surface of the substrate;

an isolation layer on the surface of the substrate, the isolation layer defining a first recess having isolation sidewalls and an isolation bottom surface;

a first conductive layer in the first recess conformally lining the isolation sidewalls and the isolation bottom surface; and

a second conductive layer over and conformal to the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer having a second composition different from a first composition of the first conductive layer.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a second recess extending from the surface into the substrate, the first recess being in the second recess, the isolation layer conformally lining the second recess to define the first recess in the second recess.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first recess does not extend into the substrate.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the isolation layer comprises a first sublayer and a second sublayer on the first sublayer, the first sublayer having a different composition from the second sublayer.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the first sublayer conformally lines a second recess in the substrate extending from the surface of the substrate, and the second sublayer conformally lines the first sublayer in the second recess, the second sublayer defining the first recess, surfaces of the second sublayer being the isolation sidewalls and the isolation bottom surface.

6. The structure of claim 4, wherein the first recess is through the second sublayer, surfaces of the second sublayer being the isolation sidewalls, and a surface of the first sublayer being the isolation bottom surface.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer lines at least a portion of the isolation layer outside of the first recess.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is electrically insulated through the first recess.

9. A structure comprising:

a substrate having a surface, a through via being in the substrate and protruding from the surface of the substrate, the substrate having a recess extending from the surface to a depth in the substrate;

an isolation layer on the surface of the substrate and conformally lining sidewalls of the recess, a bottom surface of the recess, and sidewalls of an upper portion of the through via protruding from the surface of the substrate, wherein an upper surface of the isolation layer is level with an upper surface of the through via distal the substrate; and

a conductive material on the isolation layer and in the recess.

10. The structure of claim 9, wherein the conductive material conformally lines the isolation layer in the recess.

11. The structure of claim 9, wherein the conductive material lines at least a portion of the isolation layer outside of the recess.

12. The structure of claim 9, wherein the isolation layer comprises a first sublayer and a second sublayer on the first sublayer, the first sublayer having a different composition from the second sublayer.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the first sublayer conformally lines the recess in the substrate, and the second sublayer conformally lines the first sublayer in the recess.

14. The structure of claim 9, wherein the conductive material is electrically insulated through the recess.

15. A structure comprising:

a substrate having a surface, a through via formed in an opening in the substrate and protruding from the surface of the substrate, sidewalls of the opening in the substrate contacting the through via;

an isolation layer on the surface of the substrate, the isolation layer defining a first recess having isolation sidewalls that extend to and contact an isolation bottom surface, the isolation layer having a first sublayer and a second sublayer on the first sublayer, the first sublayer having a different composition from the second sublayer; and

a conductive layer in the first recess having a substantially same thickness throughout the conductive layer along and in respective directions perpendicular to the isolation sidewalls and the isolation bottom surface.

16. The structure of claim 15, wherein the first sublayer conformally lines a second recess in the substrate extending from the surface of the substrate, and the second sublayer conformally lines the first sublayer in the second recess, the second sublayer defining the first recess, surfaces of the second sublayer being the isolation sidewalls and the isolation bottom surface.

17. The structure of claim 15, wherein the first recess is through the second sublayer, surfaces of the second sublayer being the isolation sidewalls, and a surface of the first sublayer being the isolation bottom surface.

18. The structure of claim 15, wherein the conductive layer is electrically insulated through the first recess.

19. The structure of claim 15, wherein the through via comprises a liner layer, a diffusion barrier layer, an adhesion layer, or combinations thereof.

20. The structure of claim 15, wherein the conductive layer comprises a first sublayer and a second sublayer on the first sublayer, the first sublayer having a different composition from the second sublayer.