Resistive differential alignment monitoring device

Abstract

A microelectronic device (100) includes a resistive differential alignment monitoring device (RD AM) (101) comprising a first variable-width resistor (102) and a second variable-width resistor (103), which are elements of a conductor plane (104). Each of the resistors (102) and (103) comprises a wide portion (105) and (109) and a narrow portion (107) and (111). The RD AM (101) further comprises a vertical connector (113a), (113b), (115), (116a), (116b), and (118) to each of the wide portion (105) and the narrow portion (107) of the first variable-width resistor (102) and to the wide portion (109) and the narrow portion (111) of the second variable-width resistor (103). The vertical connectors (113a), (113b), (115), (116a), (116b) and (118) are elements of a vertical connector plane (119).Test terminals (124a), (124b), (124c), and (124d) are coupled to vertical connectors (113a), (113b), (115), (116a), (116b), and (118). The vertical connectors (113a), (113b), and (115) to the first variable-width resistor (102) and the vertical connectors (116a), (116b), and (118) to the second variable-width resistor (103) are separated by equal distances and oriented antiparallel to each other. The RD AM (101) can be used to estimate a misalignment distance between the elements of the vertical connector plane (119) and the elements of the conductor plane (104).

Description

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of microelectronic devices. In particular, but not exclusively, this disclosure relates to test structures in microelectronic devices. BACKGROUND

[0002] Microelectronic devices are formed in structured layers, such as dielectric layers, metal layers, and semiconductor layers, which are patterned using photolithographic processes. Undesirable effects during microelectronic device fabrication can cause some of the structured layers to become misaligned with respect to each other. Misalignment can degrade device performance and reliability. SUMMARY

[0003] The present disclosure includes a microelectronic device including a resistive differential alignment monitor (RDAM) including a first variable-width resistor and a second variable-width resistor. The variable-width resistors are elements of a conductor level of the microelectronic device. Each of the first variable-width resistor and the second variable-width resistor includes a wide portion and a narrow portion. The RDAM further includes a vertical connector contacting each of the wide portion of the first variable-width resistor, the narrow portion of the first variable-width resistor, the wide portion of the second variable-width resistor, and the narrow portion of the second variable-width resistor. The vertical connectors are elements of a vertical connector level of the microelectronic device.The vertical connectors to the first variable-width resistor and the vertical connectors to the second variable-width resistor are separated by equal distances. The first variable-width resistor and the second variable-width resistor are oriented antiparallel to each other. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1A is a perspective view and Fig. 1B is a top view of an exemplary microelectronic device incorporating an RDAM. Fig. 2 is a top view of an exemplary first resistor and second resistor of an RDAM. Fig. 3 is a top view of another exemplary RDAM incorporating a reference resistor pair. Fig. Figure 4 is a top view of an exemplary RDAM configured to estimate misalignment in two orthogonal directions. Fig. Figure 5 is a diagram of measurements obtained using a calibration RDAM. Fig. 6 is a top view of an exemplary resistor of an RDAM showing placement of vertical connectors. Fig. 7 is a top view of another exemplary resistor of an RDAM showing placement of vertical connectors. Fig. Figure 8 is a top view of another example of a resistor of an RDAM showing placement of vertical connectors. Fig. Figure 9 is a plan view of an example RDAM showing stretched vertical connectors. Fig. Figure 10 is a top view of an example of a tapered resistor of an RDAM. Fig. Figure 11 is a top view of an example of non-symmetrically shaped resistors of an RDAM. Fig. 12A to Fig. 12E are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device having two example RDAMs illustrated in stages of an example method of formation. Fig. Figure 13 illustrates a microelectronic device with two exemplary RDAMs that can be used to estimate misalignment between elements of two consecutive conductive levels. Fig. 14A to Fig. 14H are top and cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device having an RDAM for estimating a misalignment distance between vias and interconnects of a copper dual damascene structure, illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Fig. 15A to Fig. 15D are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device including two additional example RDAMs including a resistor and a capacitor, illustrated in stages of an example method of formation. Fig. 16A to 16C are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device having an exemplary RDAM including bond pads illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Fig. 17 is a cross-section of a microelectronic device with an exemplary RDAM including a buried layer. Fig. 18 is a cross-section of a microelectronic device with an exemplary RDAM including a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a III-V semiconductor device. Fig. Figure 19 is a plan view of a cross-bridge test structure used to estimate a sheet resistance value and a line width correction. Fig. Figure 20 is a top view of a three-resistor test structure used to estimate a sheet resistance value and a line width correction. Fig. 21A and Fig. 21B are top views of an exemplary microelectronic device including RDAMs shown in stages of formation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0004] The present disclosure is described with reference to the attached figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and are provided merely to illustrate the disclosure. Some aspects of the disclosure are described below for illustrative purposes with reference to example applications. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and procedures are set forth to provide an understanding of the disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the illustrated order of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and / or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology according to the present disclosure.

[0005] Furthermore, although some of the embodiments illustrated herein are shown in two-dimensional views with various regions having a depth and width, it should be understood that these regions are illustrations of only a portion of a device that is actually a three-dimensional structure. Accordingly, these regions will have three dimensions, including length, width, and depth, when fabricated in an actual device. Furthermore, although the present invention is illustrated by embodiments pertaining to active devices, these illustrations are not intended to be a limitation on the scope or applicability of the present invention. The active devices of the present invention are not intended to be limited to the physical structures illustrated.These structures are included to demonstrate the utility and application of the present invention for presently preferred embodiments.

[0006] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "conductive" is to be interpreted as "electrically conductive." The term "conductive" refers to materials and structures capable of supporting a steady electrical current, i.e., a direct current (DC).

[0007] Features of elements, such as widths and lengths, that are described as equal are assumed to be equal within the manufacturing tolerances encountered during fabrication of the respective elements. These manufacturing tolerances include tolerances due to unintentional variations in geometries and photomasks used in photolithographic processes to form the respective elements, as well as tolerances due to unintentional variations in deposition and etching processes.

[0008] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term "vertical" refers to directions perpendicular to a face of a resistor in a resistive differential alignment monitor (RDAM). The term "lateral" refers to directions parallel to the face of the resistor.

[0009] Fig. 1A is a perspective view and Fig. 1B is a top view of an exemplary microelectronic device including an RDAM. The microelectronic device 100 may be embodied, for example, as an integrated circuit, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, an electro-optical device, or a microfluidic device. The RDAM 101 includes a first variable-width resistor 102, hereinafter the "first resistor," and a second variable-width resistor 103, hereinafter the "second resistor," formed in a conductive layer 104.The conductor layer 104 may, for example, be an interconnect layer containing aluminum or copper interconnects, a gate layer containing polycrystalline silicon and metal silicide gates, a diffusion layer layer in a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer in an interconnect region, a capacitor plate layer, a bond pad layer, a redistribution layer (RDL) layer, a buried layer layer in a semiconductor substrate, or a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer in a III-V semiconductor material. Other manifestations of the conductor layer 104 are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0010] The first resistor 102 and the second resistor 103 have identical sublayers with identical compositions as a result of being formed simultaneously. The term "simultaneously formed" includes elements formed using a scanning lithography process, in which a scanning exposure step exposes the pattern for one of the elements before exposing the pattern for another of the elements in the same scan. The term "simultaneously formed" includes elements formed using etching processes used to define the elements, where the etching process may complete one of the elements before completing another of the elements due to variations in the etching process.The term "simultaneously formed" includes elements formed by other processes, such as wet etching and cleaning processes, and a deposition or growth process, where the process may complete one of the elements before another of the elements is completed due to variations in the process.

[0011] The first resistor 102 has a first wide portion 105 and a first narrow portion 107 separate from the first wide portion 105. The second resistor 103 has a second wide portion 109 and a second narrow portion 111 separate from the second wide portion 109.

[0012] The RDAM 101 includes first wide-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b that contact a first surface 114 of the first resistor 102 in the first wide part 105. The RDAM 101 further includes a first narrow-part vertical connector 115 that contacts the first surface 114 of the first resistor 102 in the first narrow part 107. The first wide part 105 has a first width 106 adjacent to the first wide-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b on a side of the first wide-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b that faces the first narrow part 107. The first narrow portion 107 has a second width 108 adjacent to the first narrow portion vertical connector 115 on a side of the first narrow portion vertical connector 115 facing the first wide portion 105. The first width 106 is greater than the second width 108.The first wide portion 105 may have a uniform width equal to the first width 106 along its length, as shown in FIG. Fig. 1B, which may advantageously provide a more uniform current flow in the first wide portion 105 during operation of the RDAM 101. Likewise, the first narrow portion 107 may have a uniform width equal to the second width 108 along its length, as shown in Fig. 1B, which may advantageously provide a more uniform current flow in the first narrow portion 107 during operation of the RDAM 101.

[0013] Likewise, the RDAM 101 includes second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b that contact a second surface 117 of the second resistor 103 in the second wide part 109. The RDAM 101 further includes a second narrow-part vertical connector 118 that contacts the second surface 117 of the second resistor 103 in the second narrow part 111. The second wide part 109 has a third width 110 adjacent to the second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b on a side of the second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b that faces the second narrow part 111. The second narrow part 111 has a fourth width 112 adjacent to the second narrow part vertical connector 118 on a side of the second narrow part vertical connector 118 facing the second wide part 109. The third width 110 is greater than the fourth width 112.

[0014] The first wide-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b, the first narrow-part vertical connector 115, the second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b, and the second narrow-part vertical connector 118 are, for example, elements of a vertical connector level 119 of the microelectronic device 100, such as a contact level to components of the microelectronic device 100, a via level between interconnect levels, a bond pad level, an RDL via level, a deep trench connector level, or source / drain contacts to a 2DEG level in a III-V semiconductor material. Other manifestations of the vertical connector level 119 are within the scope of this disclosure. Elements of a vertical connector level 119 are formed concurrently.In some versions of this example, the RDAM 101 may include only a single first wide portion vertical connector contacting the first wide portion 105 and a single second wide portion vertical connector contacting the second wide portion 109. In other versions, the RDAM 101 may include three or more first wide portion vertical connectors contacting the first wide portion 105 and three or more second wide portion vertical connectors contacting the second wide portion 109. In further versions, the RDAM 101 may include two or more first narrow portion vertical connectors contacting the first narrow portion 107 and two or more second narrow portion vertical connectors contacting the second narrow portion 111.

[0015] The second surface 117 of the second resistor 103 is coplanar with the first surface 114 of the first resistor 102 as a result of the first resistor 102 and the second resistor 103 being in the conductor plane 104. The first wider-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b are separated from the first narrower-part vertical connector 115 by a first resistor length 120 extending in a first direction 121 from the first narrower-part vertical connector 115 to the first wider-part vertical connectors 113a and 113b. The second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b are separated from the second narrow-part vertical connector 118 by a second resistance length 122 that extends in a second direction 123 from the second narrow-part vertical connector 118 to the second wide-part vertical connectors 116a and 116b. The first resistance length 120 and the second resistance length 122 are equal.The second direction 123 is antiparallel to the first direction 121, i.e. the second direction 123 and the first direction 121 point in opposite directions on parallel lines or on the same line.

[0016] The microelectronic device 100 includes first through fourth test ports 124a, 124b, 124c, and 124d, respectively. The test ports 124a through 124d are sometimes referred to as probe pads because the RDAM 101 can be tested by connecting test instruments to the test ports 124a through 124d through probes. The first test port 124a is coupled to the first wide-port vertical connectors 113a and 113b. The second test port 124b is coupled to the first narrow-port vertical connector 115. The third test port 124c is coupled to the second wide-port vertical connectors 116a and 116b. The fourth test terminal 124d is coupled to the second narrow-section vertical connector 118. The test terminals 124a, 124b, 124c, and 124d, respectively, are electrically conductive and may be in an interconnect plane or bond pad plane suitable for probing.The test terminals 124a, 124b, 124c and 124d may be directly coupled to the vertical connectors 113a and 113b, 115, 116a and 116b, and 118, as shown in . Fig. 1A, or may be coupled to the vertical connectors 113a and 113b, 115, 116a and 116b, and 118 through intervening conductive structures, such as interconnects and vias. The test terminals 124a, 124b, 124c and 124d are shown in Fig. 1B is omitted to more clearly show the placement of the vertical connectors 113a and 113b, 115, 116a and 116b, and 118.

[0017] The RDAM 101 enables an estimation of a misalignment distance between elements of the conductor level 104 and elements of the vertical connector level 119. The misalignment distance may be along the first direction 121 or the second direction 123.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a top view of an exemplary first resistor and second resistor of an RDAM. The first resistor 202 has a first wide portion 205 and a first narrow portion 207 adjacent to the first wide portion 205. The RDAM 201 includes first wide portion vertical connectors 213a and 213b on a first surface 214 of the first resistor 202 in the first wide portion 205 and includes a first narrow portion vertical connector 215 contacting the first surface 214 of the first resistor 202 in the first narrow portion 207. The second resistor 203 has a second wide portion 209 and a second narrow portion 211 adjacent to the second wide portion 209.The RDAM 201 includes second wide-part vertical connectors 216a and 216b on a second surface 217 of the second resistor 203 in the second wide part 209 and includes a second narrow-part vertical connector 218 contacting the second surface 217 of the second resistor 203 in the second narrow part 211.

[0019] The first wide part 205 has a first width 206 adjacent to the first wide part vertical connectors 213a and 213b on a side of the first wide part vertical connectors 213a and 213b facing the first narrow part 207. The first narrow part 207 has a second width 208 adjacent to the first narrow part vertical connector 215 on a side of the first narrow part vertical connector 215 facing the first wide part 205. The first width 206 is greater than the second width 208.

[0020] The second wide portion 209 has a third width 210 adjacent to the second wide portion vertical connectors 216a and 216b on a side of the second wide portion vertical connectors 216a and 216b facing the second narrow portion 211. The second narrow portion 211 has a fourth width 212 adjacent to the second narrow portion vertical connector 218 on a side of the second narrow portion vertical connector 218 facing the second wide portion 209. The third width 210 is greater than the fourth width 212.

[0021] The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed such that the first width 206 of the first wide part 205 is equal to the third width 210 of the second wide part 209, and both have a value W breit on, as in Fig. 2. Similarly, the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed such that the second width 208 of the first narrow part 207 is equal to the fourth width 212 of the second narrow part 211, and both have a value W schmal on, as in Fig. 2 is noted.

[0022] In this example, vertical connectors 213a and 213b, 215a, 216a and 216b, and 218 are misaligned with respect to first resistor 202 and second resistor 203. That is, locations of first wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b are shifted from first wide-part nominal positions 225a and 225b by a misalignment distance Δx in the x-direction. The x-direction extends from first wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b to first narrow-part vertical connector 215, as indicated by coordinate system 226. A location of the first narrow-part vertical connector 215 is shifted from a first narrow-part nominal position 227 by the misalignment distance Δx in the x-direction. Locations of the second wider-part vertical connectors 216a and 216b are shifted from second wider-part nominal positions 228a and 228b by the misalignment distance Δx in the x-direction.A location of the second narrow-part vertical connector 218 is shifted from a second narrow-part nominal position 229 by the misalignment distance Δx in the x-direction. The nominal positions 225a and 225b, 227, 228a and 228b, and 229 are the positions that the vertical connectors 213a and 213b, 215, 216a and 216b, and 218 would have if no misalignment had occurred. The vertical connectors 213a and 213b, 215, 216a and 216b, and 218 may also be misaligned in the y-direction, as shown in FIG. Fig. 2 is specified.

[0023] The RDAM 201 enables estimation of a misalignment distance between elements of a conductor level including the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 and elements of a vertical connector level including the vertical connectors 213a, 213b, 215, 216a, 216b, and 218. During operation of the RDAM 201, a first resistance value R1 of the first resistor 202 is measured and a second resistance value R2 of the second resistor 203 is measured. The first resistance value R1 may include irrelevant resistance contributions from the first wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b and the first narrow-part vertical connector 215, and may further include resistance contributions from test terminals coupled to the vertical connectors 213a, 213b, and 215.Likewise, the second resistance value R2 may include irrelevant resistance contributions from the second wider-part vertical connectors 216a and 216b and the second narrower-part vertical connector 218, and may further include resistance contributions from test terminals coupled to the vertical connectors 216a and 216b and 218.

[0024] A functionality of the RDAM 201 can be understood by examining components of the first resistance value R1 of parts of the first resistor 202 and similarly for components of the second resistance value R2 of parts of the second resistor 203. When considering the first resistor 202, a first component R 1WVERb of the first resistance value R1 from a region of the first wide part 205 below and around the first wide part vertical connectors 213a and 213b. The first component R 1WVerbis sometimes referred to as a head resistance value of the first wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b. The first component R 1WVerb can be influenced by the size and number of first wide part vertical connectors 213a and 213b and a spacing between the first wide part vertical connectors 213a and 213b.

[0025] A second component R 1breit of the first resistance value R1 comes from a region of the first wide part 205 which is for a first wide length L 1breit extend from the first wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b to a first transition region 230 at a boundary between the first wide part 205 and the first narrow part 207. The second component R 1breit has a value of R Schicht × (L 1breit / W breit ), where R Schicht is a sheet resistance value of the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203. The first length L 1breitcan be designed with a wide nominal length L breit,nom , which is a length from the first width part nominal positions 225a and 225b to the first transition region 230, and the misalignment distance Δx: L 1breit = L breit,nom - Δx. Then the second component R 1breit as R Schicht × ((L breit,nom - Δx) / W breit ) can be expressed.

[0026] A third component R 1Überg of the first resistance value R1 comes from the first transition region 230. The third component R 1Überg can be influenced by a shape of the first resistance 202 in the first transition region 230. For example, a sharp transition, as in Fig. 2, a third component R 1Überg which is different from a resistor with a smooth, distributed transition.

[0027] A fourth component R 1schmalof the first resistance value R1 comes from a region of the first narrow part 207 which extends for a first narrow length L 1schmal from the first transition region 230 to the first narrow-part vertical connector 215. The fourth component R 1schmal has a value of R schicht × (L 1schmal / W schmal ). The first narrow length L 1schmal can be designed with a narrow nominal length L schmal,nom , which is a length from the first transition region 230 to the first narrow part nominal position 227, and the misalignment distance Δx: L 1schmal = L schmal,nom + Δx. Then the fourth component R 1schmal as R Schicht × ((L schmal,nom + Δx) / W schmal ) can be expressed.

[0028] A fifth component R 1NVerbof the first resistance value R1 originates from a region of the first narrow part 207 below and around the first narrow-part vertical connector 215. The fifth component R 1NVerb is sometimes referred to as a head resistance value at the first narrow-part vertical connector 215. The fifth component R 1NVerb can be influenced by the size, number and spacing of the first narrow part vertical connectors 215.

[0029] The first resistance value R1 can be expressed as a sum of the five components in terms of the misalignment distance Δx. R1=R1WVerb+RSchicht(Lbreite⋅nom−ΔxWbreite)+R1U¨berg+RSchicht(Lnarrow⋅nom+ΔxWnarrow)+R1NVerb

[0030] The second resistance value R2 of the second resistor 203 can be examined in a similar manner, and components of the second resistance value R2 can be identified. A first component R 2WVerbThe second resistance value R2 originates from a region of the second wide part 209 below and around the second wide part vertical connectors 216a and 216b. The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed to have similar layouts, reversed to each other along the x-direction, so that the first component R 2WVerb of the second resistance value R2 within tolerances encountered during the manufacture of the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203, equal to the first component R 1WVerb of the first resistance value R1.

[0031] A second component R 2breit of the second resistance value R2 comes from a region of the second wide part 209 which extends for a second wide length L 2breitfrom the second wide part vertical connectors 216a and 216b to a second transition region 231 at a boundary between the second wide part 209 and the second narrow part 211. The second component R 2breit has a value of R Schicht × (L 2breit / W breit ). The second length L 2breit can be adjusted to the nominal width L breit,nom , which is a length from the second wider part nominal positions 228a and 228b to the second transition region 231, and the misalignment distance Δx: L 2breit = L breit,nom + Δx. Then the second component R 2breit as R Schicht × ((L breit,nom +- Δx) / W breit). The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed to have the respective distances from the nominal positions 225a and 225b, and 228a and 228b, of the wide-part vertical connectors 213a and 213b, and 216a and 216b, to the transition regions 230 and 231, both equal to L breit,nom meant to be.

[0032] A third component R 2Überg of the second resistance value R2 comes from the second transition region 231. The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed to have the respective transition regions 230 and 231 with the same shapes, so that R 2Überg equal to R 1Überg is.

[0033] A fourth component R 2schmal of the second resistance value R2 comes from a region of the second narrow part 211 which extends for a second narrow length L 2schmalfrom the second transition region 231 to the second narrow-part vertical connector 218. The fourth component R 2schmal has a value of R Schicht × (L 2schmal / W schmal ). The second narrow length L 2schmal can be considered with regard to the narrow nominal length L schmal,nom , which is a length from the second transition region 231 to the second narrow part nominal position 229, and the misalignment distance Δx: L 2schmal = L schmal,nom - Δx. Then the fourth component R 2schmal as R Schicht × ((L schmal,nom + Δx) / W schmal ). The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed to have the respective distances from the transition regions 230 and 231 to the nominal positions 227 and 229 of the narrow-part vertical connectors 215 and 218, both equal to L schmal,nom meant to be.

[0034] A fifth component R 2NVerbThe second resistance value R2 originates from a region of the second narrow part 211 below and around the second narrow part vertical connector 218. The first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 are designed to have similar layouts, reversed to each other along the x-direction, so that the fifth component R 2NVerb of the second resistance value R2 within tolerances encountered during the manufacture of the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203, equal to the fifth component R 1NVerb of the first resistance value R1.

[0035] The second resistance value R2 can be expressed as a sum of the five components in terms of the misalignment distance Δx. R2=R2WVerb+RSchicht(Lbreite⋅nom+ΔxWbreite)+R2U¨berg+RSchicht(Lbreite⋅nom+ΔxWbreite)+R2NVerb

[0036] A difference between the first resistance value R1 and the second resistance value R2 can be expressed by subtracting equation 1 from equation 2, noting that R 2WVerb equal to R 1WVerb is that R 2NVerb equal to R 1NVerb and that R 2Überg equal to R 1Überg is as expressed in equation 3. R1−R2=2Rlayer(1Wnarrow−1Wwide)Δx

[0037] The misalignment distance Δx can be calculated from equation 3 by dividing both sides by 2 R Schicht (1 / W schmal - 1 / W breit ) can be estimated as expressed in equation 4. Δx=R1−R22Rlayer(1Wnarrow−1Wwide)

[0038] The value of the sheet resistance R Schichtcan be obtained from process monitoring device measurements. The values ​​of the first and third widths 206 and 210 of the wide portions 205 and 209 of the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 can be obtained from design data and can be corrected using line width monitoring device measurements. The values ​​of the second and fourth widths 208 and 212 of the narrow portions 207 and 211 of the first resistor 202 and the second resistor 203 can be obtained by similar means. Accordingly, the misalignment distance Δx can be estimated in absolute units using Equation 4, which can be advantageously used to monitor misalignment.Misalignment values ​​may be used to correct photolithography processes used in forming conductor levels corresponding to the conductor level containing resistors 202 and 203, or may be used to correct photolithography processes used in forming vertical interconnect levels corresponding to the vertical interconnect level containing vertical interconnects 213a, 213b, 215, 216a, 216b, and 218.

[0039] Fig. 3 is a top view of another exemplary RDAM including a reference resistor pair. The RDAM 301 includes a first resistor 302, a second resistor 303, and a reference resistor pair 332. The first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303 have the characteristics disclosed with reference to any of the examples herein, including wide portions and narrow portions. The reference resistor pair 332 includes a first duplicate resistor 302a and a second duplicate resistor 303a. The first resistor 302 and the first duplicate resistor 302a have the same dimensions and a same first orientation. The second resistor 303 and the second duplicate resistor 303a have the same dimensions and a same second orientation that is antiparallel to the first orientation.The RDAM 301 further includes vertical connectors 313 on the wide parts and the narrow parts of the first resistor 302, the second resistor 303, the first duplicate resistor 302a, and the second duplicate resistor 303a, as described with reference to the RDAM 101 of FIG. Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B and the RDAM 201 from Fig. 2. The first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a are coupled in series through the vertical connectors 313 by a conductive connector 333. The conductive connector 333 makes contact with ends of the vertical connectors 313 opposite the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a. The first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a can be coupled in series through the vertical connectors 313 on the narrow parts of the duplicate resistors 302a and 303a, as shown in Fig. 3. Alternatively, the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a may be coupled in series by the vertical connectors 313 on the wide portions of the duplicate resistors 302a and 303a. In another version of this example, the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a may be coupled from a wide portion to a narrow portion.

[0040] Test terminals 324 are coupled to the vertical connectors 313 on the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303, as described with reference to the RDAM 101 of Fig. 1A. Additional test terminals 324a are coupled to the vertical connectors 313 on the portions of the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a that are not coupled in series. For the version of this example shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the additional test terminals 324a are coupled to the vertical connectors 313 on the wide portions of the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a. The conductive connector 333 may be located in a same conductive plane as the test terminals 324 and the additional test terminals 324a. The additional test terminals 324a enable a measurement of a resistance value of the reference resistor pair 332, which includes a resistance value of the first duplicate resistor 302a and a resistance value of the second duplicate resistor 303a.

[0041] The reference resistor pair 332 may allow a quantitative verification of the misalignment distance Δx estimate obtained with reference to Fig. 2. The resistance value R Refof the reference resistor pair 332 is expected to be equal to the sum of the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303, R1 + R2, because the first duplicate resistor 302a and the second duplicate resistor 303a have the same dimensions and orientations as the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303. Any difference between the resistance value of the reference resistor pair 332 and the sum of the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303, that is, |R Ref- (R1 + R2)|, can be attributed to unwanted variations in characteristics of the reference resistor pair 332, the first resistor 302, and the second resistor 303, which cause irrelevant contributions to the resistance values. Instances of the RDAM 301 in which an amount of the difference between the resistance value of the reference resistor pair 332 and the sum of the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303 is significantly smaller than an amount of the difference between the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303, that is, |R Ref- (R1 + R2)| << |R1 - R2|, may indicate that the estimate of the misalignment distance Δx is accurate. Consequently, instances of the RDAM 301 in which the magnitude of the difference between the resistance value of the reference resistor pair 332 and the sum of the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303 is comparable to the magnitude of the difference between the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 302 and the second resistor 303, that is, |R Ref - (R1 + R2)| ≥ |R1 - R2|, indicate that the estimate of the misalignment distance Δx is unreliable.

[0042] Fig. 4 is a top view of an exemplary RDAM configured to estimate misalignment in two orthogonal directions. RDAM 401 includes a first horizontal resistance chain 434 with first horizontal resistances 402a and a second horizontal resistance chain 435 with second horizontal resistances 403a. The first horizontal resistances 402a and the second horizontal resistances 403a have the characteristics disclosed with reference to any of the examples herein, including wide portions and narrow portions.

[0043] The first horizontal resistors 402a are duplicates of each other. The first horizontal resistors 402a are connected in series by conductive connectors 433, wide part to narrow part, through vertical connectors 413 on the wide parts and the narrow parts of the first horizontal resistors 402a. The first horizontal resistors 402a are all oriented horizontally, i.e., the vertical connectors 413 on the wide parts of each first horizontal resistor 402a are separated from the vertical connectors 413 on the narrow parts along a first horizontal direction. Instances of the first horizontal resistors 402a at ends of the first horizontal resistor chain 434 are coupled to test terminals 424.

[0044] The second horizontal resistors 403a are duplicates of each other. The second horizontal resistors 403a are connected in series by the conductive connectors 433, wide part to narrow part, through vertical connectors 413 on the wide parts and the narrow parts of the second horizontal resistors 403a. The second horizontal resistors 403a are all horizontally oriented, that is, the vertical connectors 413 on the wide parts of every second horizontal resistor 403a are separated from the vertical connectors 413 on the narrow parts along a second horizontal direction that is antiparallel to the first horizontal direction. Instances of the second horizontal resistors 403a at ends of the first horizontal resistor chain 434 are coupled to test terminals 424. The conductive connectors 433 can be coplanar with the test terminals 424.

[0045] The first horizontal resistance chain 434 and the second horizontal resistance chain 435 can be used to estimate a horizontal misalignment distance between elements of a conductor level including the first horizontal resistances 402a and the second horizontal resistances 403a and elements of a vertical connector level including the vertical connectors 413. A first horizontal chain resistance value, R 1Kette,horiz , can be measured using the test terminals 424 coupled to the first horizontal resistance chain 434. An average first horizontal resistance value, R 1durchschn,horiz , of the first horizontal resistors 402a can be determined by dividing the first horizontal chain resistance value, R 1Kette,horiz , by the number, N 1horiz , of the first horizontal resistors 402a in the first horizontal resistor chain 434, as expressed in Equation 5. R1avg,horiz=R1chain,horiz / N1horiz

[0046] A second horizontal chain resistance value, R 2Kette,horiz , can be measured using the test terminals 424 coupled to the second horizontal resistance chain 435. An average second horizontal resistance value, R 2durchschn,horiz , of the second horizontal resistors 403a can be determined by dividing the second horizontal chain resistance value, R 2Kette,horiz , by the number, N 2horiz , of the second horizontal resistors 403a in the second horizontal resistor chain 435, as expressed in Equation 6. R2avg,horiz=R2chain,horiz / N2horiz

[0047] The average first horizontal resistance value, R 1durchschn,horiz , and the average second horizontal resistance value, R 2durchschn,horiz , can then be subtracted to obtain the horizontal misalignment distance, as described with reference to Fig. 2. The first horizontal resistance chain 434 and the second horizontal resistance chain 435 may include a sufficient number of the first horizontal resistances 402a and the second horizontal resistances 403a, respectively, to estimate values ​​of the first horizontal resistance value, R 1Kette,horiz , and the second horizontal chain resistance value, R 2Kette,horiz , which are easier to measure than individual resistors. For example, the values ​​of the first horizontal string resistance value, R 1Kette,horiz , and the second horizontal chain resistance value, R 2Kette,horiz, 10 ohms to 10 kiloohms (kOhm). Resistor chains 434 and 435 may be particularly advantageous for instances of resistors 402a and 403a fabricated in conductive planes having sheet resistance values ​​less than 0.10 ohms / square, such as interconnect planes. The presence of multiple instances of resistors 402a and 403a in resistor chains 434 and 435 may provide more accurate estimates of the average horizontal resistance values, R 1durchschn,horiz and R 2durchschn,horiz , in the presence of parasitic resistances, such as in the test terminals 424.

[0048] The RDAM 401 includes a first vertical resistor chain 436 with first vertical resistors 402b and a second vertical resistor chain 437 with second vertical resistors 403b. The first vertical resistors 402b and the second vertical resistors 403b have the characteristics disclosed with reference to any of the examples herein, including wide portions and narrow portions. The first vertical resistors 402b are duplicates of each other and are oriented parallel to each other, and the second vertical resistors 403b are duplicates of each other. The first vertical resistors 402b and the second vertical resistors 403b are oriented perpendicular to the horizontal resistors 402a and 403a. The first vertical resistors 402b and the second vertical resistors 403b may be duplicates of the first horizontal resistors 402a and the second horizontal resistors 403a.

[0049] The first vertical resistors 402b are connected in series through the conductive interconnects 433 by vertical connectors 413, and instances of the first vertical resistors 402b at ends of the first vertical resistor chain 436 are coupled to test terminals 424, as disclosed for the first horizontal resistors 402a. The second vertical resistors 403b are similarly connected in series through the conductive interconnects 433 by vertical connectors 413 and coupled to test terminals 424.

[0050] The first vertical resistance chain 436 and the second vertical resistance chain 437 can be used to estimate a vertical misalignment distance by following the procedure disclosed for estimating the horizontal misalignment distance. Using the first vertical resistance chain 436 and the second vertical resistance chain 437, each including multiple instances of the first vertical resistances 402b and the second vertical resistances 403b, respectively, can provide the advantages provided with reference to the first horizontal resistance chain 434 and the second horizontal resistance chain 435.

[0051] Fig. 5 is a diagram of measurements obtained using a calibration RDAM. The calibration RDAM, not shown, includes a first resistor chain of first resistors and a second resistor chain of second resistors and vertical connectors, similar to the resistor chains 434 and 435 of Fig. 4. In the RDAM used in this example, the vertical interconnects have a nominal length and width, parallel to a plane of the resistors, of 300 nanometers. The calibration RDAM further includes additional pairs of resistor strings in which the vertical interconnects were intentionally shifted in positive and negative increments of 25 nanometers. The resistors were formed in a thin-film resistor layer, and the vertical interconnects were formed in a via plane. Each pair of resistor strings was measured, and the corresponding misalignment distance was estimated. The estimated displacement of the vertical interconnects was compared against the intentional (calibrated) displacement of the vertical interconnects in the graph from Fig. 5. A least-squares trend line of the data has a slope of 1.050 and a trace point of 26 nanometers, corresponding to the case of no intentional displacement. The estimated displacements have a correlation R 2 of 0.989 with the calibrated displacements. Deviations of the estimated displacements from the trend line are attributed to geometric errors in the photomask used to form the vertical interconnects, as well as variations encountered during the deposition of the thin film plane, patterning of the resistors, and etching of via holes for the vertical interconnects. The displacements shown in the diagram from Fig. The data shown in Figure 5 indicate that the RDAM is capable of estimating misalignment distances for vias on thin film resistor layers within 6 nanometers to 7 nanometers, which is significantly smaller than the allowable displacement tolerance of 100 nanometers.

[0052] Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of an exemplary resistor of an RDAM showing a placement of vertical connectors. The RDAM 601 includes a first resistor 602 and a Fig. 6, which is a mirror replica of the first resistor 602. The first resistor 602 includes a wide portion 605 and a narrow portion 607 adjacent to the wide portion 605. In this example, the wide portion 605 extends beyond the narrow portion 607 by a first width increment 638a on a first side of the first resistor 602 and by a second width increment 638b on a second side of the first resistor 602. The first width increment 638a and the second width increment 638b may be the same. The RDAM 601 of this example includes a wide-part vertical connector 613 on a surface 614 of the first resistor 602 in the wide part 605 and includes a narrow-part vertical connector 615 contacting the surface 614 of the first resistor 602 in the narrow part 607.The wider-part vertical connector 613 is separated from the narrower-part vertical connector 615 by a resistance length 620 that extends in a first direction 621 from the narrower-part vertical connector 615 to the wider-part vertical connector 613. The wide part 605 has a first width 606 adjacent to the wider-part vertical connector 613 on a side of the wider-part vertical connector 613 facing the narrow part 607. The narrow part 607 has a second width 608 adjacent to the narrower-part vertical connector 615 on a side of the narrower-part vertical connector 615 facing the wide part 605. The first width 606 is greater than the second width 608.

[0053] The wider-part vertical connector 613 has a first longitudinal dimension 639a parallel to the first direction 621 and a first transverse dimension 639b perpendicular to the first direction 621. The first longitudinal dimension 639a and the first transverse dimension 639b are lateral dimensions of the wider-part vertical connector 613, i.e., the first longitudinal dimension 639a and the first transverse dimension 639b are parallel to the surface 614 and are determined at the surface 614. The first longitudinal dimension 639a may be equal to the first transverse dimension 639b, as in Fig. 6. Alternatively, the first longitudinal dimension 639a may be greater than the first transverse dimension 639b, or the first longitudinal dimension 639a may be smaller than the first transverse dimension 639b.

[0054] The narrow-part vertical connector 615 has a second longitudinal dimension 640a parallel to the first direction 621 and a second transverse dimension 640b perpendicular to the first direction 621. The second longitudinal dimension 640a and the second transverse dimension 640b are lateral dimensions determined at the surface 614. The second longitudinal dimension 640a and the second transverse dimension 640b may be the same, as in Fig. 6, or may not be the same. The second longitudinal dimension 640a and the second transverse dimension 640b may be the same as the first longitudinal dimension 639a and the first transverse dimension 639b, or may be different.

[0055] The vertical connectors 613 and 615 may have rounded corners or rounded shapes due to image deformation in a photolithography process used to form the vertical connectors 613 and 615. The longitudinal dimensions 639a and 640a are taken as the maximum dimensions of the vertical connectors 613 and 615, respectively, parallel to the first direction 621. The transverse dimensions 639b and 640b are taken as the maximum dimensions of the vertical connectors 613 and 615, respectively, perpendicular to the first direction 621.

[0056] A performance of the RDAM 601 with respect to estimating a misalignment distance of the vertical connectors 613 and 615 with respect to the first resistor 602 may be improved by forming the first resistor 602 to extend beyond the vertical connectors 613 and 615 such that the vertical connectors 613 and 615 are located entirely on the surface 614 of the first resistor 602, that is, the vertical connectors 613 and 615 do not extend beyond an edge of the first transistor 602.In particular, the first resistor 602 extends a first width extent 641a beyond the wider part vertical connector 613 to the first side of the first resistor 602, extends a second width extent 641b beyond the wider part vertical connector 613 to the second side of the first resistor 602, and extends a first length extent 641c beyond the wider part vertical connector 613 in a direction opposite from the narrower part vertical connector 615. The extents 641a, 641b, and 641c may be the same or may be different.Likewise, the first resistor 602 extends a third width extent 642a beyond the narrower part vertical connector 615 to the first side of the first resistor 602, extends a fourth width extent 642b beyond the narrower part vertical connector 615 to the second side of the first resistor 602, and extends a second length extent 642c beyond the narrower part vertical connector 615 in a direction opposite from the wider part vertical connector 613. The extents 642a, 642b, and 642c may be the same or may be different. The width dimensions 641a, 641b, 642a and 642b may advantageously be larger than an expected misalignment of the vertical connectors 613 and 615 perpendicular to the first direction 621.This advantage can be achieved by forming the first resistor 602 such that the width dimensions 641a, 641b, 642a, and 642b are at least as large as a minimum of the lateral dimensions of the vertical connectors 613 and 615 at the surface 614, referred to herein as the minimum vertical connection dimension, which is a minimum of the longitudinal dimensions 639a and 640a and the transverse dimensions 639b and 640b of the vertical connectors 613 and 615. Likewise, the first resistor 602 can be formed such that the longitudinal dimensions 641c and 642c are at least as large as the minimum vertical connection dimension.

[0057] During operation of the RDAM 601, a resistance value of the first resistor 602 is measured. As described with reference to Fig. 2, the resistance value of the first resistor 602 can be divided into five components.

[0058] A first component originates from a region of the wide portion 605 below and around the wide portion vertical connector 613. As previously noted, the performance of the RDAM 601 can be improved if the first resistor 602 extends beyond the wide portion vertical connector 613 on all sides.

[0059] A second component originates from a region of the wide part 605 that extends for a wide length 643 from the wide-part vertical connector 613 to a transition region 630 at a boundary between the wide part 605 and the narrow part 607. The wide length 643 corresponds to the first wide length L 1breit out of Fig. 2. The performance of the RDAM 601 can be further improved by forming the first resistor 602 such that the wide length 643 is 2 to 5 times the minimum vertical connection dimension. If the wide length 643 is less than 2 times the minimum vertical connection dimension, the RDAM 601 may provide an erroneous estimate of the misalignment distance due to a reduced linearity of the relationship between the misalignment distance and the difference in the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 602 and the second resistor. If the wide length 643 is greater than 5 times the minimum vertical connection dimension, irrelevant contributions to the resistance values, which are expected to increase as the wide length 643 is increased, may reduce the accuracy of the misalignment distance estimate.

[0060] A third component of the first resistance value originates from the transition region 630. The transition region 630 corresponds to changes in current density between the wide part 605 and the narrow part 607. A transition width 644 of the transition region 630 can be assumed to be twice a maximum of the first width increment 638a and the second width increment 638b.

[0061] A fourth component of the resistance value originates from a region of the narrow part 607 that extends for a narrow length 645 from the transition region 630 to the narrow-part vertical connector 615. The narrow length 645 corresponds to the first narrow length L 1schmal out of Fig. 2. Similar to the wide length 643, the performance of the RDAM 601 can be further improved by forming the first resistor 602 such that the narrow length 645 is 2 to 5 times the minimum vertical connection dimension.

[0062] A fifth component of the resistance value originates from a region of the narrow portion 607 below and around the narrow portion vertical connector 615. As previously noted, the performance of the RDAM 601 can be improved if the first resistor 602 extends beyond the narrow portion 607 on all sides.

[0063] In this example, the first resistor 602 may have a rectilinear profile in the transition region 630 between the wide portion 605 and the narrow portion 607, with an edge of the first resistor 602 having a straight segment at the transition from the wide portion 605 to the narrow portion 607 on either side of the first resistor 602; the straight segments are oriented at right angles to the edges of the first resistor 602 in the wide portion 605 and the narrow portion 607. The rectilinear profile may advantageously facilitate automated layout of the RDAM 601.

[0064] Fig. Figure 7 is a top view of another exemplary resistor of an RDAM, showing a placement of vertical connectors. The RDAM 701 includes a first resistor 702 and a Fig. 7, a second resistor not shown. The first resistor 702 includes a wide portion 705 and a narrow portion 707 adjacent to the wide portion 705.

[0065] The RDAM 701 of this example includes two wide-part vertical connectors 713a and 713b disposed across a width of the first resistor 702 in the wide part 705. The wide-part vertical connectors 713a and 713b contact a surface 714 of the first resistor 702. The two wide-part vertical connectors 713a and 713b may provide a more consistent resistance value of the first resistor 702, which may advantageously provide a more accurate estimation of a misalignment distance by the RDAM 701.

[0066] The wide part 705 has a first width 706 adjacent to the wide part vertical connectors 713a and 713b on a side of the wide part vertical connectors 713a and 713b facing the narrow part 707. The narrow part 707 has a second width 708 adjacent to the narrow part vertical connector 715 on a side of the narrow part vertical connector 715 facing the wide part 705. The first width 706 is greater than the second width 708.

[0067] The RDAM 701 of this example includes a single narrow-part vertical connector 715 that contacts the area 714 of the first resistor 702 in the narrow part 707. The single narrow-part vertical connector 715 may enable a minimum width of the first resistor 702 consistent with the first resistor 702 extending on all sides beyond the narrow-part vertical connector 715, which may advantageously reduce an overall area of ​​the RDAM 701.

[0068] In this example, the first resistor 702 may have a sloped edge profile in a transition region 730 between the wide portion 705 and the narrow portion 707. The sloped profile may provide more consistent structures through a photolithographic process used to form the first resistor 702, advantageously providing more accurate estimates of misalignment distances by the instances of the RDAM 701.

[0069] Fig. Figure 8 is a top view of another example of a resistor of an RDAM, showing a placement of vertical connectors. The RDAM 801 includes a first resistor 802 and a Fig. 8, a second resistor not shown. The first resistor 802 includes a wide portion 805 and a narrow portion 807 adjacent to the wide portion 805.

[0070] The RDAM 801 of this example includes a first wide-part vertical connector 813a and a second wide-part vertical connector 813b that contact a surface 814 of the first resistor 802. The first wide-part vertical connector 813a and the second wide-part vertical connector 813b are arranged along a direction of current flow of the first resistor 802 in the wide part 805. The RDAM 801 of this example includes a first narrow-part vertical connector 815a and a second narrow-part vertical connector 815b that contact the surface 814. The first narrow-part vertical connector 815a and the second narrow-part vertical connector 815b are arranged along a direction of current flow of the first resistor 802 in the narrow part 807.

[0071] The wide part 805 has a first width 806 adjacent to the second wide part vertical connector 813b on a side of the second wide part vertical connector 813b facing the narrow part 807. The narrow part 807 has a second width 808 adjacent to the second narrow part vertical connector 815b on a side of the second narrow part vertical connector 815b facing the wide part 805. The first width 806 is greater than the second width 808.

[0072] During operation of the RDAM 801, the first wider-part vertical connector 813a and the first narrower-part vertical connector 815a may be connected to a current source 846 such that a current flows through the first resistor 802 from the first narrower-part vertical connector 815a to the first wider-part vertical connector 813a, as shown in Fig. 8, or vice versa. The second wider-part vertical connector 813b and the second narrower-part vertical connector 815b may be connected to an electrical potential measurement component 847, such as a voltmeter or a source-measurement unit (SMU). The electrical potential measurement component 847 provides a measurement of the potential across the first resistor 802 from the second narrower-part vertical connector 815b to the second wider-part vertical connector 813b, which is produced by the current from the current source 846. The resistance value of the first resistor 802 is estimated by dividing the potential measurement from the electrical potential measurement component 847 by the current from the current source 846. The measurement technique from Fig. 8 can advantageously reduce unwanted irrelevant resistance contributions from test terminals and probe equipment, while advantageously providing a more accurate estimate of a misalignment distance by the RDAM 801. The measurement technique from Fig. 8 is commonly referred to as a Kelvin measurement.

[0073] In this example, the first resistor 802 may have a curved edge profile in a transition region 830 between the wide portion 805 and the narrow portion 807. The curved profile may provide even more consistent structures through a photolithographic process used to form the first resistor 802 compared to straight or diagonal profiles with sharp corners, advantageously providing more accurate estimates of misalignment distances by the instances of the RDAM 801.

[0074] Fig. Figure 9 is a top view of an example of an RDAM showing stretched vertical connectors. The RDAM 901 includes a first resistor 902 and a Fig. 9, not shown. The first resistor 902 includes a wide portion 905 and a narrow portion 907 adjacent to the wide portion 905.

[0075] The RDAM 901 of this example includes a wide-part vertical connector 913 on a surface 914 of the first resistor 902 in the wide part 905 and includes a narrow-part vertical connector 915 contacting the surface 914 of the first resistor 902 in the narrow part 907. The wide-part vertical connector 913 is separated from the narrow-part vertical connector 915 by a resistor length 920 extending in a first direction 921 from the narrow-part vertical connector 915 to the wide-part vertical connector 913. The wider-part vertical connector 913 of this example is an elongated vertical connector having a first longitudinal dimension 939a parallel to the first direction 921 and a first transverse dimension 939b perpendicular to the first direction 921, wherein the first transverse dimension 939b is at least 3 times the first longitudinal dimension 939a.The elongated aspect of the wide-part vertical connector 913 can advantageously reduce unwanted variations in the measured resistance value of the first resistor 902 during operation of the RDAM 901. The narrow-part vertical connector 915 of this example is also an elongated vertical connector with a second longitudinal dimension 940a parallel to the first direction 921 and a second transverse dimension 940b perpendicular to the first direction 921, wherein the second transverse dimension 940b is at least 1.5 times the second longitudinal dimension 940a. The elongated aspect of the narrow-part vertical connector 915 can further reduce unwanted variations in the measured resistance value of the first resistor 902.

[0076] The wide part 905 has a first width 906 adjacent to the wide part vertical connector 913 on a side of the wide part vertical connector 913 facing the narrow part 907. The narrow part 907 has a second width 908 adjacent to the narrow part vertical connector 915 on a side of the narrow part vertical connector 915 facing the wide part 905. The first width 906 is greater than the second width 908.

[0077] In this example, the first resistor 902 may have a stepped edge profile in a transition region 930 between the wide portion 905 and the narrow portion 907. The stepped profile may provide a larger process window for a photolithographic process used to form the first resistor 902 compared to straight profiles with sharp corners, while being compatible with design rules that do not allow diagonal edges.

[0078] Fig. Figure 10 is a top view of an example of a tapered resistor of an RDAM. The RDAM 1001 includes a first resistor 1002 and a Fig. 10, a second resistor not shown. The first resistor 1002 has a tapered shape with a wide portion 1005 and a narrow portion 1007 adjacent to the wide portion 1005.

[0079] The RDAM 1001 of this example includes wide-part vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c on a surface 1014 of the first resistor 1002 in the wide part 1005 and includes narrow-part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b contacting the surface 1014 of the first resistor 1002 in the narrow part 1007. The wide part 1005 has a first width 1006 adjacent to the wide-part vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c on a side of the wide-part vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c facing the narrow part 1007. The narrow part 1007 has a second width 1008 adjacent to the narrow part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b on a side of the narrow part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b facing the wide part 1005. The first width 1006 is greater than the second width 1008.

[0080] In this example, the wide portion 1005 and the narrow portion 1007 may be taken to meet at a midpoint between the wide portion vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c and the narrow portion vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b. The wide portion 1005 has a first width 1006 adjacent to the wide portion vertical connectors 1013a to 1013c on a side of the wide portion vertical connectors 1013a to 1013c facing the narrow portion 1007. The narrow part 1007 has a second width 1008 adjacent to the narrow part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b on a side of the narrow part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b facing the wide part 1005. The first width 1006 is greater than the second width 1008.

[0081] The RDAM 1001 of this example may be used to provide an estimate of a misalignment distance, as described with reference to Fig. 2. The tapered shape of the first resistor 1002 may provide a more uniform current density between the wider-part vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c and the narrower-part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b, which may advantageously provide a more accurate estimation of the misalignment distance compared to resistors with abrupt transitions between their wide parts and narrow parts.

[0082] The plurality of wide-part vertical connectors 1013a, 1013b, and 1013c may provide a more uniform current density in the wide part 1005, and the plurality of narrow-part vertical connectors 1015a and 1015b may provide a more uniform current density in the narrow part 1007, further improving the accuracy of the misalignment distance estimation.

[0083] Fig. 11 is a top view of an example of non-symmetrically shaped resistors of an RDAM. The RDAM 1101 includes a first resistor 1102 and a second resistor 1103. A first surface 1114 of the first resistor 1102 is coplanar with a second surface 1117 of the second resistor 1103. The first resistor 1102 has a first wide portion 1105 and a first narrow portion 1107 adjacent to the first wide portion 1105. The first resistor 1102 of this example has a straight side 1148a and a stepped side 1148b opposite the straight side 1148a. The stepped side 1148b may have a rectilinear shape consisting of straight edges that meet at right angles, as shown in Fig. 11, may have a polygonal shape consisting of straight edges that meet at acute and obtuse angles, or may have a curvilinear shape consisting of straight and curved edges. Accordingly, the first narrow portion 1107 is offset with respect to the first wide portion 1105, so that the first resistor 1102 has a non-symmetrical shape.

[0084] The RDAM 1101 of this example includes two first wide-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b arranged across a width of the first resistor 1102 in the first wide part 1105. The first wide-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b contact the first surface 1114 of the first resistor 1102. The RDAM 1101 of this example includes a single first narrow-part vertical connector 1115 that contacts the first surface 1114 of the first resistor 1102 in the first narrow part 1107. The first wider-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b have a first longitudinal dimension 1139a along a first direction 1121 pointing from the first narrower-part vertical connector 1115 to the first wider-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b. The first wider-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b have a first transverse dimension 1139b perpendicular to the first direction 1121.The first narrow-part vertical connector 1115 has a second longitudinal dimension 1140a along the first direction 1121 and a second transverse dimension 1140b perpendicular to the first direction 1121. In this example, the first transverse dimension 1139b and the second transverse dimension 1140b may be the same and may be determined by manufacturing guidelines for a vertical connector plane, of which the first wider-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b and the first narrow-part vertical connector 1115 are elements. The second longitudinal dimension 1140a may be larger than the first longitudinal dimension 1139a to provide a better match between a head resistance value at the first narrower part vertical connector 1115 and a head resistance at the first wider part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b.The configuration of the first wide-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b and the first narrow-part vertical connector 1115 may be particularly advantageous for instances of the first resistor 1102 having a sheet resistance value less than 0.10 ohms / square.

[0085] The first wide part 1105 has a first width 1106 adjacent to the first wide part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b on a side of the first wide part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b facing the first narrow part 1107. The first narrow part 1107 has a second width 1108 adjacent to the first narrow part vertical connector 1115 on a side of the first narrow part vertical connector 1115 facing the first wide part 1105. The first width 1106 is greater than the second width 1108.

[0086] The second resistor 1103 is a duplicate of the first resistor 1102, with a second wide portion 1109 and a second narrow portion 1111 adjacent to and offset from the second wide portion 1109. The second resistor 1103 has the same non-symmetrical shape as the first resistor 1102 in reverse. The RDAM 1101 of this example includes two second wide-portion vertical connectors 1116a and 1116b contacting the second surface 1117 in the second portion 1109, and a single second narrow-portion vertical connector 1118 contacting the second surface 1117 in the second narrow portion 1111. The second wider-part vertical connectors 1116a and 1116b have the same dimensions as the first wider-part vertical connectors 1113a and 1113b, and the second narrower-part vertical connector 1118 has the same dimensions as the first narrower-part vertical connector 1115.

[0087] The second wide portion 1109 has a third width 1110 equal to the first width 1106 adjacent to the second wide portion vertical connectors 1116a and 1116b on a side of the second wide portion vertical connectors 1116a and 1116b facing the second narrow portion 1111. The second narrow portion 1111 has a fourth width 1112 equal to the second width 1108 adjacent to the second narrow portion vertical connector 1118 on a side of the second narrow portion vertical connector 1118 facing the second wide portion 1109.

[0088] The second resistor 1103 is reversed in direction from the first resistor 1102, that is, a second direction 1123 pointing from the second narrow-part vertical connector 1118 to the second wide-part vertical connectors 1116a and 1116b is antiparallel to the first direction 1121. The non-symmetric shapes of the first resistor 1102 and the second resistor 1103 may enable a more compact layout of the RDAM 1101 compared to a resistor with symmetric shapes.

[0089] Fig. 12A to Fig. 12E are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device having two exemplary RDAMs illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Referring to Fig. 12A, the microelectronic device 1200 may be manifested as any of the types of microelectronic devices described with reference to the microelectronic device 100 of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. The microelectronic device 1200 of this example is formed in and on a substrate 1249. The substrate 1249 includes a first region for a first RDAM 1201a and a second region for a second RDAM 1201b.

[0090] The substrate 1249 includes a semiconductor material 1250 having a first conductivity type. In this example, the first conductivity type may be a p-type, as shown in Fig. 12A. A field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251, commonly referred to as field oxide, is formed in and on the substrate 1249. The field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251 may be formed by a shallow trench isolation (STI) process and may have an STI structure in which the field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251 is in a trench in the semiconductor material 1250, as shown in Fig. 12A. Alternatively, the field-mitigating dielectric layer 1251 may be formed by a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) process and may have a LOCOS structure in which the field-mitigating dielectric layer 1251 would have tapered edges and extend partially into the semiconductor material 1250 and partially extend above the semiconductor material 1250.

[0091] The first region for the first RDAM 1201a is free of the field-weakening dielectric layer 1251 in a region for a first resistor 1202a and a region for a second resistor (not shown). The first resistor 1202a and the second resistor are parts of the first RDAM 1201a. A diffusion layer 1252 having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor material 1250 where it is exposed by the field-weakening dielectric layer 1251. In this example, the second conductivity type may be a p-type, as shown in Fig. 12A. The diffusion layer 1252 is an element of a diffusion layer plane having, for example, an average dopant density of 1 × 10 18 atoms / cm 3 up to 1 × 10 20 atoms / cm 3The diffusion layer 1252 may have a depth of less than 1 micrometer. The diffusion layer level may provide source / drain contact regions for n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistors and contact regions for n-type wells in the microelectronic device 1200. In the first region for the first RDAM 1201a, the diffusion layer 1252 provides a portion of the first resistor 1202a and a portion of the second resistor.

[0092] The field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251 may extend over the semiconductor material 1250 in the second region for the second RDAM 1201b, as shown in Fig. 12A. Alternatively, the second region for the second RDAM 1201b may be free of the field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251.

[0093] With reference to Fig. 12B, a gate layer 1253 is formed over the substrate 1249 and the field-reducing dielectric layer 1251. The gate layer 1253 is an element of a gate plane, the elements of which may provide gates for NMOS transistors or p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistors in the microelectronic device 1200. The gate plane may provide resistors or capacitor plates in the microelectronic device 1200. The gate layer 1253 may include polycrystalline silicon, commonly referred to as polysilicon. Alternatively, the gate layer 1253 may include titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, fully silicided polysilicon (FUSI), or another conductive material. Sidewall spacers 1254 may be formed on lateral surfaces of the gate layer 1253. The sidewall spacers 1254 may include, for example, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, or silicon oxynitride.

[0094] In this example, the first region for the first RDAM 1201a is free of the gate layer 1253. In the second region for the second RDAM 1201b, the gate layer 1253 provides part of a third resistor 1202b and a fourth resistor (not shown). The third resistor 1202b and the fourth resistor are parts of the second RDAM 1201b.

[0095] A metal silicide layer 1255 is formed on exposed silicon of substrate 1249 and exposed polysilicon in gate layer 1253. Metal silicide layer 1255 may include, for example, titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, or nickel silicide. Metal silicide layer 1255 may be formed by forming a layer of metal on microelectronic device 1200 that contacts the exposed silicon and polysilicon. The layer of metal is then heated to react the layer of metal with the exposed silicon and polysilicon to form metal silicide layer 1255. Unreacted metal is removed from microelectronic device 1200, leaving metal silicide layer 1255 in place. The metal silicide layer 1255 may provide electrical connections to the gate layer 1253 and the substrate 1249.

[0096] In the first region for the first RDAM 1201a, the metal silicide layer 1255 on the diffusion layer 1252 provides a different portion of the first resistor 1202a and a different portion of the second resistor. In the second region for the second RDAM 1201b, the metal silicide layer 1255 on the gate layer 1253 provides a different portion of the third resistor 1202b and a different portion of the fourth resistor.

[0097] The first resistor 1202a includes a first wide portion 1205a and a first narrow portion 1207a according to any of the embodiments described with reference to Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. The second resistor is a duplicate of the first resistor 1202a having a second wide portion and a second narrow portion in the reverse direction. The third resistor 1202b includes a third wide portion 1205b and a third narrow portion 1207b according to any of the examples disclosed with reference to Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. The fourth resistor is a duplicate of the third resistor 1202b with a fourth wide portion and a fourth narrow portion in the opposite direction.

[0098] With reference to Fig. 12C, a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer 1256 is formed over the existing layers of the microelectronic device 1200, covering the metal silicide layer 1255 and the field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251. The PMD layer 1256 is electrically non-conductive and may include one or more sublayers of dielectric material. For example, the PMD layer 1256 may include a silicon nitride PMD liner (not specifically shown) contacting the metal silicide layer 1255 and the field-attenuating dielectric layer 1251. The PMD layer 1256 may also include a planarized layer of a silicon dioxide-based dielectric material not specifically shown, including silicon dioxide, phosphosilicate glass (PSG), fluorinated silicate glass (FSG), or borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), on the PMD liner.The PMD layer 1256 may further include a PMD cap layer (not specifically shown) of silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or silicon carbonitride on the planarized layer. Other layer structures and compositions for the PMD layer 1256 are within the scope of this example.

[0099] A vertical interconnect layer 1219 is formed in the PMD layer 1256. The vertical interconnect layer 1219 includes a first wide-portion vertical interconnect 1213a of the first RDAM 1201a on the first resistor 1202a in the first wide portion 1205a and a first narrow-portion vertical interconnect 1215a on the first resistor 1202a in the first narrow portion 1207a. The first wide-portion vertical interconnect 1213a and the first narrow-portion vertical interconnect 1215a are conductive and extend through the PMD layer 1256 to establish electrical connections to the first resistor 1202a. The vertical interconnect layer 1219 also includes second wide and narrow vertical interconnects (not shown) to the second resistor.The vertical interconnect level 1219 further includes a third wide-portion vertical interconnect 1213b of the second RDAM 1201b on the third resistor 1202b in the third wide portion 1205b and a third narrow-portion vertical interconnect 1215b on the third resistor 1202b in the third narrow portion 1207b. The third wide-portion vertical interconnect 1213b and the third narrow-portion vertical interconnect 1215b are conductive and extend through the PMD layer 1256 to establish electrical connections to the third resistor 1202b. The vertical interconnect level 1219 also includes fourth wide and narrow vertical interconnects (not shown) to the fourth resistor. The vertical connector level 1219 also includes other vertical connectors, not shown, that provide electrical connections to components, such as NMOS transistors and PMOS transistors, of the microelectronic device 1200.The vertical connectors of the vertical interconnect level 1219 are commonly referred to as contacts. The vertical connectors of the vertical interconnect level 1219 may include a liner / barrier of titanium and titanium nitride and a core metal of tungsten, as shown in FIG. Fig. 12C. Other structures for the vertical connectors of vertical connector level 1219 are within the scope of this example.

[0100] With reference to Fig. 12D, a first interconnect level 1258 is formed on the PMD layer 1256 and the vertical connector level 1219. The first interconnect level 1258 includes a first test terminal 1224a connected to the first wide-part vertical connector 1213a of the first RDAM 1201a and a second test terminal 1224b connected to the first narrow-part vertical connector 1215a of the first RDAM 1201a. The first interconnect level 1258 also includes third and fourth test terminals connected to the vertical connectors on the second resistor. The first interconnect level 1258 further includes a fifth test port 1224c connected to the third wide-part vertical connector 1213b of the second RDAM 1201b and a sixth test port 1224d connected to the third narrow-part vertical connector 1215b of the second RDAM 1201b.The first interconnect level 1258 also includes a seventh and eighth test terminal connected to the vertical connectors on the fourth resistor. Forming the test terminals 1224a to 1224d and the test terminals on the second and fourth resistors allows the first RDAM 1201a and the second RDAM 1201b to be tested after the first interconnect level 1258 is formed, without having to wait for the fabrication of the microelectronic device 1200 to be completed.

[0101] The first interconnect level 1258 also includes first interconnects (not shown) that provide electrical connections between components of the microelectronic device 1200. The first interconnects of the first interconnect level 1258 are conductive and establish electrical connections to the contacts of the vertical connector level 1219. The first interconnects and test terminals of the first interconnect level 1258 may comprise an etched aluminum structure, with an adhesion layer of titanium nitride or titanium tungsten (not specifically shown) on the PMD layer 1256, an aluminum layer (not specifically shown) containing a few atomic percent of silicon, titanium, or copper on the adhesion layer, and a barrier layer of titanium nitride (not specifically shown) on the aluminum layer.In another version of this example, the first interconnects and test terminals may comprise a damascene structure with a barrier liner of tantalum and tantalum nitride in an interconnect trench in an intrametal dielectric (IMD) layer (not specifically shown) on the PMD layer 1256, with a copper core metal in the interconnect trench on the barrier liner. Other structures for the first interconnects and test terminals of the first interconnect level 1258 are within the scope of this example.

[0102] With reference to Fig. 12E, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer 1259 may be formed over the interconnect level 1258. The ILD layer 1259 may include an etch stop layer (not specifically shown) of silicon nitride or silicon carbonitride on the interconnects of the first interconnect level 1258 and the PMD layer 1256. The ILD layer 1259 may also include a planarized layer of a silicon dioxide-based dielectric material (not specifically shown) of silicon dioxide, PSG, FSG, BPSG, organosilicate glass (OSG), carbon-doped oxide (CDO), or other low-k dielectric material on the etch stop layer. The ILD layer 1259 may further include a stop layer of silicon nitride or silicon carbonitride on the planarized layer of a silicon dioxide-based dielectric material.The stop layer may provide an etch stop layer for subsequently formed etch aluminum interconnects or a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) stop layer for subsequently formed etch copper damascene interconnects.

[0103] A via layer 1260 is formed in the ILD layer 1259. The via layer 1260 includes vias 1261 through the ILD layer 1259 that establish electrical connections to test terminals 1224a through 1224d, as well as additional vias (not shown) that establish electrical connections to the test terminals on the second and fourth resistors of the first and second RDAMs 1201a and 1201b and the additional interconnects (not shown) of the first interconnect level 1258. The vertical connectors of the via layer 1260 are commonly referred to as contacts. The vias 1261 may include a liner / barrier of titanium and titanium nitride and a core metal of tungsten. Alternatively, the vias 1261 may include a liner / barrier of tantalum and tantalum nitride and a core metal of copper. Other structures for the vias 1261 are within the scope of this example.

[0104] A second interconnect level 1262 is formed on the ILD layer 1259 and the via layer 1260. The second interconnect level 1262 includes upper test terminals 1263 connected through the vias 1261 to the test terminals 1224a to 1224d and the test terminals on the second and fourth resistors of the first and second RDAMs 1201a to 1201b. The second interconnect level 1262 also includes second interconnects (not shown) coupled to components in the microelectronic device 1200. The upper test terminals 1263 and the second interconnects may comprise an etched aluminum structure, a copper damascene structure, or another structure.In some versions of this example, the via layer 1260 and the second interconnect level 1262 may be formed using a copper dual damascene process with a common liner of tantalum and tantalum nitride and a common copper core metal in the vias 1261 and the top test pads 1263. Forming the top test pads 1263 allows the first RDAM 1201a and the second RDAM 1201b to be tested after the second interconnect level 1262 is formed, without having to wait for the microelectronic device 1200 to be fabricated. Additional test pads may be formed in successive interconnect levels and a bond pad layer, allowing the first RDAM 1201a and the second RDAM 1201b to be tested at different stages of the fabrication process.

[0105] The first RDAM 1201a enables an estimation of a misalignment distance between elements of a conductor level including the first resistor 1202a and elements of the vertical connector level 1219. The second RDAM 1201b enables an estimation of a misalignment distance between elements of a conductor level including the third resistor 1202b and elements of the vertical connector level 1219.

[0106] Fig. 13 illustrates a microelectronic device with two exemplary RDAMs that can be used to estimate misalignment between elements of two consecutive conductive planes. The microelectronic device 1300 includes a first conductive plane 1304, a vertical interconnect plane 1319, and a second conductive plane 1364. The first conductive plane 1304 includes first conductive elements and can be implemented as any of the conductive planes described with reference to the conductive plane 104 of FIG. Fig. 1A. The second conductive level 1364 includes second conductive elements and follows the first conductive level 1304, i.e., the second conductive level 1364 is formed after the first conductive level 1304. The vertical connector level 1319 includes conductive vertical connectors extending from the first conductive elements to the second conductive elements.

[0107] The first RDAM 1301a includes a first resistor 1302a and a second resistor 1303a, both located in the first conductor level 1304. The second resistor 1303a is a duplicate of the first resistor 1302a in the reverse direction. The first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a may have any of the shapes and properties described with reference to the examples of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. The first RDAM 1301a includes first vertical connectors 1313a of the vertical connector level 1319 on top surfaces 1314a and 1317a of the first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a, respectively, as described with reference to the examples of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B revealed. Fig. 13 shows two instances of the first vertical connectors 1313a on each of the first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a; the first RDAM 1301a may include additional instances of the first vertical connectors 1313a on each of the first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a. The microelectronic device 1300 includes first test terminals 1324a coupled to the first vertical connectors 1313a, as described with reference to Fig. 1A. The first test terminals 1324a may be instances of the second conductive elements of the second conductor level 1364, as shown in Fig. 13. Alternatively, the first test terminals 1324a may be elements of another conductor level of the microelectronic device 1300. The first RDAM 1301a may be used to estimate a first misalignment distance between the first conductive elements of the first conductor level 1304 and the vertical connectors of the vertical connector level 1319, as described with reference to Fig. 2 revealed.

[0108] The second RDAM 1301b includes a third resistor 1302b and a fourth resistor 1303b, both located in the second conductor level 1364. The fourth resistor 1303b is a duplicate of the third resistor 1302b in the reverse direction. The third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b may have any of the shapes and properties described with reference to the examples of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. The second RDAM 1301b includes second vertical connectors 1313b of the vertical connector level 1319, which contact bottom surfaces 1314b and 1317b of the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b, respectively. Fig. 13 shows two instances of the second vertical connectors 1313b contacting each of the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b; the second RDAM 1301b may include additional instances of the second vertical connectors 1313b contacting each of the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b. The lower surfaces 1314b and 1317b of the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b are parallel to, but not coplanar with, the upper surfaces 1314a and 1317a of the first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a. The first vertical connectors 1313a and the second vertical connectors 1313b have upper ends that are coplanar with the lower surfaces 1314b and 1317b of the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b, and have lower ends that are coplanar with the upper surfaces 1314a and 1317a of the first resistor 1302a and the second resistor 1303a.In this example, ends of vertical connectors are coplanar with faces of resistors when the ends of the vertical connectors contact the resistors at the faces, it being understood that the vertical connectors may extend into the resistors as a result of the manufacturing processes used to form the vertical connectors and the resistors.

[0109] The second RDAM 1301b of this example further includes lateral connectors 1365, which may be elements of the first conductor level 1304. The second vertical connectors 1313b contact the lateral connectors 1365. The lateral connectors 1365 extend laterally beyond the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b. The second RDAM 1301b of this example also includes third vertical connectors 1366 of the vertical connector level 1319, which contact the lateral connectors 1365. The microelectronic device 1300 includes second test terminals 1324b coupled to the third vertical connectors 1366, such that the second test terminals 1324b are coupled to the third resistor 1302b and the fourth resistor 1303b through the second vertical connectors 1313b, the lateral connectors 1365, and the third vertical connectors 1366. The second test terminals 1324b may be instances of the second conductive elements of the second conductor level 1364, as shown in Fig. 13. Alternatively, the second test terminals 1324b may be elements of a different conductive level of the microelectronic device 1300. The second RDAM 1301b may be used to estimate a second misalignment distance between the second conductive elements of the second conductive level 1364 and the vertical connectors of the vertical connector level 1319. The first misalignment distance estimate and the second misalignment distance estimate may be combined to provide an estimate of a misalignment between the second conductive elements of the second conductive level 1364 and the first conductive elements of the first conductive level 1304, which may be useful with respect to components that include instances of both the second conductive level 1364 and the first conductive level 1304, such as capacitors and inductors in an interconnect region of the microelectronic device 1300.

[0110] Fig. 14A to Fig. 14H are top and cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device having an RDAM for estimating a misalignment distance between vias and interconnects of a copper dual damascene structure, illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Referring to Fig. 14A, a plan view, and Fig. 14B, a cross-section, the microelectronic device 1400 includes a first dielectric layer 1456. For example, the first dielectric layer 1456 may be manifested as a PMD layer or an ILD layer of the microelectronic device 1400.

[0111] A first lateral interconnect 1465a and a second lateral interconnect 1465b of the RDAM 1401 are formed in or on the first dielectric layer 1456. The lateral interconnects 1465a and 1465b may have a damascene structure and may include a first barrier liner 1467 of tantalum and tantalum nitride in interconnect trenches 1468 in the first dielectric layer 1456 with a first copper core metal 1469 in the interconnect trenches 1468 on the first barrier liner 1467. Other structures for the lateral interconnects 1465a and 1465b, such as etched aluminum structures, are within the scope of this example. The lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b are formed simultaneously with other lateral conductors, such as interconnects, of the microelectronic device 1400.

[0112] With reference to Fig. 14C, a plan view, and Fig. 14D, a cross-section, a second dielectric layer 1459 is formed over the first dielectric layer 1456 and the lateral interconnects 1465a and 1465b. For example, the first dielectric layer 1459 may be manifested as an ILD layer of the microelectronic device 1400.

[0113] A via etch mask 1470 is formed over the second dielectric layer 1459, wherein the second dielectric layer 1459 is exposed in regions above the lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b for a first vertical connector 1413, a second vertical connector 1415, a first test terminal connector 1466a and a second test terminal connector 1466b of the RDAM 1401, as well as vias (not shown) of the microelectronic device 1400. The vertical connectors 1413 and 1415 and the test terminal connectors 1466a and 1466b are in Fig. 14G and Fig. 14H. Via etch mask 1470 may include a photoresist and may be formed by a photolithographic process. Via etch mask 1470 may include an anti-reflective material, such as a bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC), and may include a hard mask material, such as amorphous carbon.

[0114] A partial via etch process is performed, removing dielectric material from the second dielectric layer 1459 where it is exposed by the via etch mask 1470 to form via holes 1471 in the second dielectric layer 1459 for the vertical connectors 1413 and 1415 and the test lead connectors 1466a and 1466b, as well as the vias of the microelectronic device 1400. The via holes 1471 extend partially to the lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b. The partial via etch process may be implemented as a time-delayed reactive ion etching (RIE) process using fluorine radicals.

[0115] After the partial via etching process is completed, the via etch mask 1470 is removed. Organic material and amorphous carbon in the via etch mask 1470 can be removed, for example, by an oxygen plasma process followed by a wet cleaning process.

[0116] With reference to Fig. 14E, a plan view, and Fig. 14F, a cross-section, a trench etch mask 1472 is formed over the second dielectric layer 1459, wherein the second dielectric layer 1459 is exposed in a region above the lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b for a first resistor 1402, a first test terminal 1424a and a second test terminal 1424b of the RDAM 1401, and not-shown interconnections of the microelectronic device 1400. The first resistor 1402 and the test terminals 1424a and 1424b are shown in Fig. 14G and Fig. 14H. The trench etch mask 1472 may include a photoresist formed by a photolithographic process and may include an anti-reflective material and a hard mask material.

[0117] A trench etch process is performed that removes dielectric material from the second dielectric layer 1459 as exposed by the trench etch mask 1472 to form a resistor trench 1473a, a first test terminal trench 1473b, and a second test terminal trench 1473c in the second dielectric layer 1459 for the first resistor 1402, the first test terminal 1424a, and the second test terminal 1424b, respectively, as shown in Fig. 14G and Fig. 14H, and to form interconnection trenches (not shown) for the interconnections of the microelectronic device 1400. The trenches 1473a, 1473b, and 1473c extend partially to the lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b and the first dielectric layer 1456.

[0118] The trench etch process also removes additional dielectric material from the second dielectric layer 1459 beneath the via holes 1471, so that the via holes 1471 extend to the lateral interconnects 1465a and 1465b when the trench etch process is complete. The trench etch process may include an etch stop removal operation to remove an etch stop layer in the second dielectric layer 1459. The trench etch process may be implemented as a timed RIE process using fluorine radicals. After the trench etch process is complete, the trench etch mask 1472 is removed.

[0119] With reference to Fig. 14G, a plan view, and Fig. 14H, a cross-section, a second barrier liner 1474 is formed in the trenches 1473a, 1473b, and 1473c and the via holes 1471. The second barrier liner 1474 may include tantalum and tantalum nitride and may be formed by sputtering tantalum onto the second dielectric layer 1459 and onto the lateral interconnects 1465a and 1465b where they are exposed through the via holes 1471, followed by forming tantalum nitride on the tantalum by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The second barrier liner 1474 extends to a top surface of the second dielectric layer 1459.

[0120] A second copper core metal 1475 is formed on the second barrier liner 1474, filling the trenches 1473a, 1473b, and 1473c and the via holes 1471, and extending above the top surface of the second dielectric layer 1459. The second copper core metal 1475 may be formed by sputtering a seed layer of copper onto the second barrier liner 1474, followed by electroplating copper onto the seed layer. Additives, such as inhibitors and leveling agents, may be added to a plating bath used to electroplate the copper to reduce voids in the via holes 1471 and to reduce an amount of the copper 1475 extending above the top surface of the second dielectric layer 1459.Subsequently, the second copper core metal 1475 and the second barrier liner 1474 above the top surface of the second dielectric layer 1459 outside the trenches 1473a, 1473b, and 1473c are removed by a copper CMP process, leaving the second copper core metal 1475 and the second barrier liner 1474 in the trenches 1473a, 1473b, and 1473c and the via holes 1471 to provide the first resistor 1402, the first test terminal 1424a, the second test terminal 1424b, the first vertical connector 1413, the second vertical connector 1415, the first test terminal connector 1466a, and the second test terminal connector 1466b. The first resistor 1402 with the first vertical connector 1413 and the second vertical connector 1415 are referred to as a copper dual damascene structure. The first resistor 1402 has a first wide portion 1405 and a first narrow portion 1407.The first vertical connector 1413 contacts the first resistor 1402 in the first wide part 1405 and the second vertical connector 1415 contacts the first resistor 1402 in the first narrow part 1407.

[0121] The test terminals 1424a and 1424b are coupled to the first resistor 1402 through the test terminal connectors 1466a and 1466b, the lateral connectors 1465a and 1465b, and the vertical connectors 1413 and 1415. Along with these conductive elements, additional lateral connectors, a second resistor, additional vertical connectors, additional test terminals, and additional test terminal connectors (not shown) are formed as part of the RDAM 1401. The second resistor is a duplicate of the first resistor 1402 in reverse. The RDAM 1401 can be used to estimate a misalignment distance between an interconnection of the first resistor 1402 and the vertical connectors 1413 and 1415.

[0122] Fig. 15A to Fig. 15D are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device including two additional exemplary RDAMs including a resistor and a capacitor, illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Referring to Fig. 15A, the microelectronic device 1500 may be manifested as any of the types of microelectronic devices described with reference to the microelectronic device 100 of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. The microelectronic device 1500 of this example is formed in and on a substrate 1549. The substrate 1549 includes a first region for a first RDAM 1501a and a second region for a second RDAM 1501b. In some versions of this example, the substrate 1549 may be implemented as a dielectric layer, such as a PMD layer or an ILD layer, in the first region for a first RDAM 1501a and in the second region for a second RDAM 1501b. In other versions of this example, the substrate 1549 may be implemented as a semiconductor material or a dielectric material in the first region for a first RDAM 1501a and may be implemented as the same material or a different semiconductor material or a dielectric material in the second region for a second RDAM 1501b.

[0123] In the first region for a first RDAM 1501a, a bottom conductor 1576 is formed over the substrate 1549, and a capacitor dielectric layer 1577 is formed over the bottom conductor 1576. A first top plate resistor 1502a of the first RDAM 1501a is formed over the capacitor dielectric layer 1577. The bottom conductor 1576 may be an element of a first interconnect level of the microelectronic device 1500. The capacitor dielectric layer 1577 may be part of an anti-reflection layer used to pattern the first interconnect level, including the bottom conductor 1576. The first top plate resistor 1502a may be an element of an upper capacitor plate level of the microelectronic device 1500. The bottom conductor 1576.The capacitor dielectric layer 1577 and the first top plate resistor 1502a may be formed by a process sequence that includes forming an interconnect metal layer for the first interconnect level on the substrate 1549. The interconnect metal layer may include an adhesion layer (not specifically shown) of titanium nitride or titanium tungsten on the substrate 1549, an aluminum layer (not specifically shown) with a few atomic percent of silicon, titanium, or copper on the adhesion layer, and a barrier layer (not specifically shown) of titanium nitride on the aluminum layer, similar to the first interconnect level 1258 described with reference to FIG. Fig. 12D. The process sequence continues by forming an anti-reflective layer over the interconnect metal layer before patterning the interconnect metal layer. The anti-reflective layer may include a lower sublayer of silicon dioxide (not specifically shown) immediately over the interconnect metal layer, a middle sublayer of silicon nitride (not specifically shown) over the lower sublayer, and a top sublayer of silicon dioxide (not specifically shown) over the middle sublayer. The process sequence continues by forming an upper capacitor plate layer over the anti-reflective layer before patterning the interconnect metal layer. The upper capacitor plate layer may include an adhesion sublayer of titanium and a main sublayer of titanium nitride.The upper capacitor plate layer is then patterned by an RIE process using halogen radicals to form the first upper plate resistor 1502a simultaneously with upper plates of capacitors of the microelectronic device 1500. Patterning of the upper capacitor plate layer is performed such that a sufficient thickness of the anti-reflection layer is left over the interconnect metal layer to provide anti-reflection functionality. The interconnect metal layer is patterned using a photolithographic process promoted by the anti-reflection layer and an RIE process using chlorine radicals to form the lower conductor 1576, lower capacitor plates for the capacitors, and interconnect of the first interconnect level.The anti-reflection coating may be left over the lower conductor 1576, lower capacitor plates and interconnects as shown in . Fig. 15A is specified.

[0124] The first upper plate resistor 1502a has a first wide part 1505a and a first narrow part 1507a. The first upper plate resistor 1502a may have any of the configurations described with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. A second upper plate resistor (not shown) of the first RDAM 1501a is formed simultaneously with the first upper plate resistor 1502a. The second upper plate resistor is a duplicate of the first upper plate resistor 1502a in the reverse direction.

[0125] In this example, the second region for a second RDAM 1501b may be left free of the interconnect metal layer, the anti-reflection layer, and the top capacitor plate layer. Alternatively, one or more interconnects of the first interconnect level with associated overlayers of the anti-reflection layer may be formed in the second region for a second RDAM 1501b.

[0126] With reference to Fig. 15B, a first ILD sublayer 1559a is formed over the existing microelectronic device 1500. The first ILD sublayer 1559a may include a silicon nitride etch stop layer (not specifically shown) and a planarized main layer (not specifically shown) of a silicon dioxide-based dielectric material on the etch stop layer. The first ILD sublayer 1559a may include a silicon nitride cap layer (not specifically shown) over the planarized main layer.

[0127] A first thin-film resistor 1502b of the second RDAM 1501b is formed over the first ILD sublayer 1559a. The first thin-film resistor 1502b may be part of a resistor layer that includes additional thin-film resistors used in circuits of the microelectronic device 1500. For example, the first thin-film resistor 1502b may include alloys of nickel, chromium, titanium, tantalum, molybdenum, silicon, and any platinum group metals (ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum). The first thin-film resistor 1502b may include other elements, such as aluminum, copper, oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon, to impart desired properties to the first thin-film resistor 1502b. Other compositions for the first thin-film resistor 1502b are within the scope of this example.

[0128] The first thin-film resistor 1502b includes a second wide portion 1505b and a second narrow portion 1507b. The first thin-film resistor 1502b may have any of the configurations described with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. A second thin-film resistor (not shown) of the second RDAM 1501b is formed simultaneously with the first thin-film resistor 1502b. The second thin-film resistor is a duplicate of the first thin-film resistor 1502b in the reverse direction.

[0129] With reference to Fig. 15C, a second ILD sublayer 1559b is formed over the existing microelectronic device 1500. The second ILD sublayer 1559b may include an etch stop layer of silicon nitride (not specifically shown) and a planarized main layer of a silicon dioxide-based dielectric material (not specifically shown) on the etch stop layer. The second ILD sublayer 1559b may include a CMP stop layer of silicon nitride or silicon carbonitride (not specifically shown) over the planarized main layer.

[0130] A first deep vertical connector 1513a and a second deep vertical connector 1515a are formed by the second ILD sublayer 1559b and the first ILD sublayer 1559a to make contact with the first upper plate resistor 1502a in the first wide portion 1505a and the first narrow portion 1507a, respectively. At the same time, a third deep vertical connector (not shown) and a fourth deep vertical connector (not shown) are formed by the second ILD sublayer 1559b and the first ILD sublayer 1559a to make contact with the second upper plate resistor.

[0131] A first flat vertical connector 1513b and a second flat vertical connector 1515b are formed through the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the first thin-film resistor 1502b in the second wide portion 1505b and the second narrow portion 1507b, respectively. At the same time, a third flat vertical connector (not shown) and a fourth flat vertical connector (not shown) are formed through the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the second thin-film resistor.

[0132] Shallow vertical connectors 1513b and 1515b may be formed simultaneously with deep vertical connectors 1513a and 1515a, or may be formed separately. Deep vertical connectors 1513a and 1515a may be part of a deep via level of microelectronic device 1500 and may be formed by any of the processes disclosed herein with reference to vias. Likewise, shallow vertical connectors 1513b and 1515b may be part of a shallow via level of microelectronic device 1500 and may be formed by any of the processes disclosed herein with reference to vias.

[0133] With reference to Fig. 15D, a first wide-part test terminal 1524a is formed on the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the first deep vertical connector 1513a, and a first narrow-part test terminal 1524b is formed on the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the second deep vertical connector 1515a. A second wide-part test terminal 1524c is formed on the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the first shallow vertical connector 1513b, and a second narrow-part test terminal 1524d is formed on the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the second shallow vertical connector 1515b. Additional test terminals are formed on the second ILD sublayer 1559b to make contact with the vertical connectors on the second top plate resistor and the second thin film resistor.The test terminals 1524a to 1524d and the additional test terminals may be part of an interconnect level of the microelectronic device 1500. The test terminals 1524a to 1524d may comprise an etched aluminum structure or may comprise a copper damascene structure. Other structures for the test terminals 1524a to 1524d are within the scope of this example.

[0134] The first RDAM 1501a enables an estimation of a first misalignment distance between elements of the deep via level with respect to elements of the upper capacitor plate level of the microelectronic device 1500. The second RDAM 1501b enables an estimation of a second misalignment distance between elements of the shallow via level with respect to elements of the thin-film resistor level of the microelectronic device 1500.

[0135] Fig. 16A to 16C are cross-sectional views of a microelectronic device with an exemplary RDAM including bond pads, illustrated in stages of an exemplary method of formation. Referring to Fig. 16A, the microelectronic device 1600 may be manifested as any of the types of microelectronic devices described with reference to the microelectronic device 100 of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. The microelectronic device 1600 of this example includes a top dielectric layer 1659. In one version of this example, the top dielectric layer 1659 may be implemented as an ILD layer and may have the structure and composition described, for example, with reference to the ILD layer 1259 of Fig. 12E. In another version of this example, the upper dielectric layer 1659 may be implemented as a capping layer over an upper interconnect level and may include, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or polyimide. Other compositions and structures for the upper dielectric layer 1659 are within the scope of this example.

[0136] A first lateral connector 1665a and a second lateral connector 1665b are formed on the upper dielectric layer 1659 in an area for the RDAM 1601. The lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b are electrically conductive and are part of a conductor level of the microelectronic device 1600. A third lateral connector (not shown) and a fourth lateral connector (not shown) of the RDAM 1601 are formed simultaneously with the lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b. In one version of this example, the conductor level including the lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b may be part of an upper interconnect level of the microelectronic device 1600 and may, for example, comprise an etched aluminum structure, a copper damascene structure, or a plated structure.Interconnects with a plated structure may include an adhesion layer (not shown) on the upper dielectric layer 1659 with copper interconnects on the adhesion layer. The plated interconnects may be formed by sputtering the adhesion layer containing titanium onto the upper dielectric layer 1659, followed by sputtering a seed layer of copper (not shown) onto the adhesion layer. A plating mask is formed on the seed layer, exposing areas for the interconnects and lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b. The plated interconnects are formed by electroplating copper onto the seed layer where exposed by the plating mask. The plating mask is removed, and the seed layer and the adhesion layer between the interconnects are removed by wet etching.In another version of this example, the conductor plane including lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b may be part of an input / output (I / O) pad plane of microelectronic device 1600 for connection to an RDL. The input / output pad plane may have a plated structure.

[0137] With reference to Fig. 16B, a protective overcoat (PO) layer 1678 is formed over the upper dielectric layer 1659 and the lateral interconnects 1665a and 1665b. The PO layer 1678 is non-conductive and may include one or more layers of dielectric material, such as, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, polyimide, benzocyclobutene (BCB), or polybenzoxazole (PBO). I / O pad openings 1679 extend through the PO layer 1678, exposing the lateral interconnects 1665a and 1665b. The I / O pad openings 1679 may be formed by an etching process after the one or more layers of dielectric material of the PO layer 1678 have been formed.Alternatively, the I / O pad openings 1679 may be formed as portions of the one or more layers of dielectric material by a photolithographic process for a photosensitive dielectric material, such as a photosensitive polyimide.

[0138] With reference to Fig. 16C, an upper conductor level 1604 is formed on the existing microelectronic device 1600, with the upper conductor metal extending over the PO layer 1678 and into the I / O pad openings 1679 to provide connections to the conductor level, including the lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b. In one version of this example, the upper conductor level 1604 may be implemented as a bond pad level and may include an adhesion sublayer of titanium or titanium tungsten, may include a pad sublayer of nickel or palladium, and may include, for example, a bond surface metal of aluminum, gold, or platinum. In another version of this example, the upper conductor level 1604 may be implemented as an RDL and may have a plated structure.

[0139] The upper conductive plane 1604 includes a first resistor 1602 of the upper conductive plane 1604. The first resistor 1602 has a first wide portion 1605 and a first narrow portion 1607. The first wide portion 1605 extends around one of the I / O pad openings 1679, and the upper conductive plane metal extending into this I / O pad opening 1679 provides a first vertical connector 1613 from the first wide portion 1605 to the first lateral connector 1665a. The first narrow portion 1607 extends around another of the I / O pad openings 1679, and the upper conductive plane metal extending into this I / O pad opening 1679 provides a second vertical connector 1615 from the first narrow portion 1607 to the second lateral connector 1665b.

[0140] The upper conductive plane 1604 also includes a first test terminal 1624a and a second test terminal 1624b of the upper conductive plane 1604. The first test terminal 1624a extends around a third of the I / O pad openings 1679, and the upper conductive plane metal extending into this I / O pad opening 1679 provides a first test terminal connector 1666a from the first test terminal 1624a to the first lateral connector 1665a. Accordingly, the first test terminal 1624a is coupled to the first wide portion 1605 by the first test terminal connector 1666a, the first lateral connector 1665a, and the first vertical connector 1613. Similarly, the second test terminal 1624b extends around a fourth of the I / O pad openings 1679, and the upper conductor level metal extending into this I / O pad opening 1679 provides a second test terminal connector 1666b from the second test terminal 1624b to the second lateral connector 1665b.Accordingly, the second test terminal 1624b is coupled to the first narrow portion 1607 through the second test terminal connector 1666b, the second lateral connector 1665b, and the second vertical connector 1615. The first vertical connector 1613, the second vertical connector 1615, the first test terminal connector 1666a, and the second test terminal connector 1666b are elements of a vertical connector level 1619 of the microelectronic device 1600 that connects elements of the upper conductor level 1604 to elements of the conductor level that includes the lateral connectors 1665a and 1665b. The vertical connector level 1619 may be a bond pad via level or an RDL via level, corresponding to the implementations for the upper conductor level 1604 disclosed in this example.

[0141] A second resistor of the RDAM 1601 (not shown) and additional test terminals of the RDAM 1601 (also not shown) are formed simultaneously with the first resistor 1602 and the test terminals 1624a and 1624b and are coupled to the third and fourth lateral connectors in a similar configuration. The second resistor is a duplicate of the first resistor 1602 in reverse. The RDAM 1601 enables estimation of a misalignment distance between the I / O pad openings 1679 and the bond pads of the microelectronic device 1600.

[0142] Fig. 17 is a cross-section of a microelectronic device with an exemplary RDAM including a buried layer. The microelectronic device 1700 may be manifested as any of the types of microelectronic devices described with reference to the microelectronic device 100 of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. The microelectronic device 1700 of this example is formed in and on a substrate 1749 including a semiconductor material 1750 having a first conductivity type. In this example, the first conductivity type may be p-type, as shown in Fig. 17 stated.

[0143] A first resistor 1702 of the RDAM 1701 is formed in a buried layer level 1704 of the substrate 1749. The first resistor 1702 comprises a semiconductor material having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. In this example, where the first conductivity type may be p-type, the second conductivity type may be n-type, as shown in Fig. 17. The buried layer level 1704 may include buried layers (not shown) in the substrate 1749, which also have the second conductivity type. The buried layers may, for example, provide insulation for components, a buried collector for bipolar transistors, and source regions for field-effect transistors. The semiconductor material 1750 with the first conductivity type extends above the first resistor 1702, as shown in Fig. 17. The first resistor 1702 includes a first wide portion 1705 and a first narrow portion 1707. A second resistor of the RDAM 1701, not shown, is formed in the buried layer level 1704. The second resistor is a duplicate of the first resistor 1702 with a second wide portion and a second narrow portion in the opposite direction. A field-attenuating dielectric layer 1751 may be formed in and on the substrate 1749.

[0144] A first vertical connector 1713 is formed by the field-reducing dielectric layer 1751 and the semiconductor material 1750 over the first resistor 1702, making contact with the first wide portion 1705. A second vertical connector 1715 is formed by the field-reducing dielectric layer 1751 and the semiconductor material 1750 over the first resistor 1702, making contact with the first narrow portion 1707. The vertical connectors 1713 and 1715 are parts of a buried layer interconnect level of the microelectronic device 1700 and may be implemented as deep trenches having conductive cores 1780 laterally surrounded by insulation liners 1781. The conductive cores 1780 may include polysilicon having the second conductivity type. The insulation linings 1781 may include silicon dioxide formed by thermal oxidation of silicon.A third vertical connector (not shown) is formed through the field-reducing dielectric layer 1751 and through the semiconductor material 1750 over the second resistor, making contact with the second wide portion. A fourth vertical connector (not shown) is formed through the field-reducing dielectric layer 1751 and through the semiconductor material 1750 over the second resistor, making contact with the second narrow portion. Additional deep trenches (not shown) may be formed concurrently with the first and second vertical connectors 1713 and 1715 and the third and fourth vertical connectors to provide electrical connections to the buried layers in the substrate 1749.

[0145] A PMD layer 1756 may be formed over the existing microelectronic device 1700. Contacts 1766 are formed through the PMD layer 1756 to establish electrical connections to the first and second vertical connectors 1713 and 1715 and the third and fourth vertical connectors. The contacts 1766 may be formed as described with reference to the vertical connector level 1219 of Fig. 12C. Contacts 1766 are part of a vertical interconnect level that includes additional contacts that connect to components of microelectronic device 1700.

[0146] A first test terminal 1724a is formed over the PMD layer 1756 to establish an electrical connection with the first vertical connector 1713 through one of the contacts 1766. A second test terminal 1724b is formed over the PMD layer 1756 to establish an electrical connection with the second vertical connector 1715 through another of the contacts 1766. A third test terminal (not shown) is formed over the PMD layer 1756 to establish an electrical connection with the third vertical connector through a third instance of the contacts, and a fourth test terminal (not shown) is formed over the PMD layer 1756 to establish an electrical connection with the third vertical connector through a fourth instance of the contacts.The RDAM 1701 enables estimation of a misalignment distance between buried layer interconnects of the buried layer interconnect level and the buried layers in the microelectronic device 1700.

[0147] Fig. Figure 18 is a cross-section of a microelectronic device with an exemplary RDAM including a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a III-V semiconductor device. It should be understood that for purposes of this description, the term "III-V" refers to semiconductor materials in which Group III elements, i.e., aluminum, gallium, and indium, and possibly boron, provide a portion of the atoms in the semiconductor material and Group V elements, i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, and antimony, provide another portion of the atoms in the semiconductor material. Examples of III-V semiconductor materials are gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, indium phosphide, and indium antimonide. Expressions describing elemental formulas of III-V materials do not imply a particular stoichiometry of the elements.

[0148] The microelectronic device 1800 of this example includes a base layer 1850 made of a III-V semiconductor material. The base layer 1850 is commonly referred to as an unintentionally doped (UID) layer. For gallium nitride devices, the base layer 1850 may be substantially gallium nitride. A support layer 1882 made of a III-V semiconductor material is formed on the base layer 1850. The support layer 1882 may have a stoichiometry similar to or equal to a stoichiometry of an upper sublayer of the base layer 1850. A barrier layer 1883 is formed over the support layer 1882. The barrier layer has a higher band gap energy than the support layer 1882 and has a different composition than the support layer 1882. For gallium nitride devices, the barrier layer 1883 may include aluminum nitride or aluminum gallium nitride.The barrier layer 1883 exerts mechanical stress on the support layer 1882, resulting in a 2DEG 1884 being formed in the support layer 1882 beneath the barrier layer 1883. The 2DEG 1884 is electrically conductive and is present even when the microelectronic device 1800 is not powered. The 2DEG 1884 is an element of a 2DEG plane that provides 2DEGs in field-effect transistors of the microelectronic device 1800.

[0149] The barrier layer 1883 is structured, for example, by an RIE process using chlorine radicals. The carrier layer 1882 can also be structured with the barrier layer 1883, as shown in Fig. 18, or may be left unpatterned. Patterning the barrier layer 1883 results in the 2DEG 1884 having the same shape as the patterned barrier layer 1883. The barrier layer 1883 is patterned such that the 2DEG 1884 provides a first resistor 1802 of the RDAM 1801. The first resistor 1802 has a first wide portion 1805 and a first narrow portion 1807. The barrier layer 1883 is simultaneously patterned in other regions of the microelectronic device 1800 to form components, such as transistors. The 2DEG 1884 is accordingly part of a conductor level of 2DEGs in the microelectronic device. A second resistor, not shown, of the RDAM 1801 is formed simultaneously with the first resistor 1802. The second resistor is a duplicate of the first resistor 1802 in the opposite direction.

[0150] A first vertical connector 1813 is formed through the barrier layer 1883 to establish an electrical connection to the first resistor 1802, i.e., to the 2DEG 1884, in the first wide portion 1805. A second vertical connector 1815 is formed through the barrier layer 1883 to establish an electrical connection to the first resistor 1802 in the first narrow portion 1807. The vertical connectors 1813 and 1815 are parts of a vertical connector level of the microelectronic device 1800, which includes source / drain contacts to field-effect transistors (FETs). A third vertical connector (not shown) is formed through the barrier layer 1883 above the second resistor, establishing a contact to the second wide portion. A fourth vertical connector, not shown, is formed by the barrier layer 1883 over the second resistor, making contact with the second narrow part.Additional contacts, not shown, may be formed simultaneously with the first and second vertical connectors 1813 and 1815 and the third and fourth vertical connectors to provide electrical connections to the 2DEGs in the carrier layer 1882.

[0151] Test terminals 1824 are formed to establish electrical connections to the first and second vertical connectors 1813 and 1815 and the third and fourth vertical connectors. The test terminals 1824 may be formed simultaneously with interconnections to the source / drain contacts in the microelectronic device 1800. The test terminals 1824 may include, for example, an adhesion layer containing titanium and a bonding layer containing aluminum. The RDAM 1801 enables estimation of a misalignment distance between source / drain contacts of the vertical connector level and the barrier layers in the microelectronic device 1800.

[0152] Fig. Figure 19 is a plan view of a cross-bridge test structure used to estimate a sheet resistance value and a line width correction. The estimated sheet resistance value and the estimated line width correction can be applied to the method described with reference to Fig. 2 may be applied to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance. A microelectronic device 1900 includes at least one RDAM (not shown) having a first resistor and a second resistor of a conductor level with vertical interconnects that are elements of a vertical interconnect level. The microelectronic device 1900 of this example includes the cross-bridge test structure 1985 formed on a substrate 1949. The cross-bridge test structure 1985 includes a cross-resistor 1986 formed in the conductor level containing the first resistor and the second resistor of the RDAM. The cross-bridge test structure 1985 also includes six test terminal connectors 1966a, 1966b, 1966c, 1966d, 1966e, and 1966f that make electrical connections to the cross-resistor 1986.Test terminal connectors 1966a through 1966d contact the cross resistor 1986 along four branches around an intersection point 1987 of the cross resistor 1986. Test terminal connectors 1966d, 1966e, and 1966f contact the cross resistor 1986 along a linear branch in the listed order. Terminal connectors 1966d and 1966e are connected by a jumper length L. Brücke separated, as in Fig. 19. The cross resistance 1986 has a design bridge width W Brücke along the bridge length L Brücke on, as in Fig. 19. The bridge length L Brücke is at least 4 times the design bridge length L Brücke to obtain an accurate estimate of the line width of the cross resistor 1986. The test terminals 1924a, 1924b, 1924c, 1924d, 1924e, and 1924f are coupled to the test terminal connectors 1966a through 1966f, respectively.

[0153] The sheet resistance of the cross resistor 1986 can be estimated by forcing currents through adjacent pairs of the test terminals 1924a to 1924d and measuring potential differences across remaining pairs of the test terminals 1924a to 1924d, dividing the potential differences by the corresponding currents to obtain resistance values, and averaging the resistance values ​​to obtain an average resistance value R durchschn The sheet resistance value R Schicht can be used as R Schicht = π R durchschn / In(2), where π is approximately 3.14159 and In(2) is the natural logarithm of 2, approximately 0.693147. More complex methods for estimating sheet resistance using potential differences and the corresponding currents are within the scope of this example. The sheet resistance value R Schicht may be used by the person with reference to Fig. 2 can be used to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance.

[0154] The line width of the cross resistor 1986 along the bridge length L Brücke can be estimated by forcing a current through test terminals 1924c and 1924f and measuring a potential difference across test terminals 1924d to 1924e, dividing the potential difference by the current to obtain a bridge resistance value R Brücke A corrected line width W korr can be estimated as W korr = [L Brücke (R Schicht / R Brücke )]. The values ​​for W breit and W schmal , as in the case of Fig. 2, can be achieved by adding a line width correction ΔW = W korr - W Brücke be corrected to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance.

[0155] Fig. Figure 20 is a top view of a three-resistor test structure used to estimate a sheet resistance value and a line width correction. The estimated sheet resistance value and the estimated line width correction can be applied to the test structure described with reference to Fig. 2 may be applied to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance. A microelectronic device 2000 includes at least one RDAM (not shown) having a first resistor and a second resistor of a conductor level with vertical interconnects that are elements of a vertical interconnect level. The microelectronic device 2000 of this example includes the three-resistor test structure 2085 formed on a substrate 2049. The three-resistor test structure 2085 includes a first resistor 2086a, a second resistor 2086b, and a third resistor 2086c. The three resistors 2086a, 2086b, and 2086c are formed in the conductor level containing the first resistor and the second resistor of the RDAM.

[0156] The three-resistor test structure 2085 includes first test terminal connectors 2066a at each end of the first resistor 2086a. The first resistor 2086a has a first body length L1 between the first test terminal connectors 2066a, with a first design body width W 1,Gest The three-resistor test structure 2085 includes second test terminal connectors 2066b at each end of the second resistor 2086b. The second resistor 2086b has a second body length L2 between the second test terminal connectors 2066b, with a second design body width W 2,Gest The three-resistor test structure 2085 includes third test terminal connectors 2066c at each end of the third resistor 2086c. The third resistor 2086c has a third body length L3 between the third test terminal connectors 2066c, with a third design body width W 3,Gest . The design body widths W 1,Gest , W 2,Gest and W 3,Gestare the designed widths of the three resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c. A line width correction ΔW at the design body widths W 1,Gest , W 2,Gest and W 3,Gest is defined as a difference between physical body widths of the three resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c and the design body widths W 1,Gest , W 2,Gest and W 3,Gest and can be estimated using the three-resistor test structure 2085. The body lengths L1, L2 and L3 are not all equal and the design body widths W 1,Gest , W 2,Gest and W 3,Gestare not all the same. No two of the three resistors 2086a, 2086b, and 2086c have the same body lengths and the same design body widths; that is, no two of the three resistors 2086a, 2086b, and 2086c are duplicates of each other. In one version of this example, the first body length L1 may be equal to the second body length L2, and the third body length L3 may be 2 times the first body length L1. In the same version of this example, the first body length L1 may be equal to the second body length L2, and the third body length L3 may be 2 times the first body length L1.

[0157] First test terminals 2024a are coupled to the test terminal connectors 2066a to enable measuring a first total resistance value R 1,gesof the first resistor 2086a and the first test terminal connector 2066a. Second test terminals 2024b are coupled to the test terminal connectors 2066b to enable the measurement of a second total resistance value R 2,ges of the second resistor 2086b and the second test terminal connector 2066b. Third test terminals 2024c are coupled to the test terminal connectors 2066c to enable the measurement of a third total resistance value R 3,ges of the third resistor 2086c and the third test terminal connector 2066c. The total resistance value R n,ges of each of the three resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c is a sum of a head resistance value R n,Kopf and a body resistance value R n,Körper , where an index n = 1, 2, 3 corresponds to the three resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c.

[0158] The head resistance value R n,Kopfincludes the resistance value of the test terminal connectors 2066a, 2066b, and 2066c, an interface resistance value between the test terminal connectors 2066a, 2066b, and 2066c and the corresponding resistors 2086a, 2086b, and 2086c, and a resistance value of the resistors 2086a, 2086b, and 2086c outside the body lengths L1, L2, and L3. The head resistance value R n,Kopf is inversely proportional to the corresponding design body width W n,Gest The head resistance value R n,Kopf can be used as R n,Kopf = R' Kopf / W n,Gest where R' Kopf is a specific head resistance value and is a constant that is a characteristic of the head resistance value R n,Kopf is.

[0159] The body resistance value R n,Körper is proportional to the corresponding body length L n and the sheet resistance value R Schichtof the resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c and inversely proportional to the corresponding corrected design body width W n,Gest - ΔW. The body resistance value R n,Körper can be expressed as R n,Körper = L n × R Schicht / (W n,Gest - ΔW).

[0160] Accordingly, the total resistance value R n,ges of each of the three resistances 2086a, 2086b and 2086c, which can be measured using the corresponding test terminals 2024a to 2024c, can be expressed in terms of three unknown variables: the specific head resistance value R' Kopf , the sheet resistance value R Schicht and the line width correction ΔW; and known parameters: the body length L n and the design body width W n,Gest . That is R n,ges = (R' Kopf / W n,Gest ) + [L n × R Schicht / (W n,Gest- ΔW). Measuring the three resistors 2086a, 2086b and 2086c provides three independent equations for R n,ges which can be solved for the three unknown variables. The sheet resistance value R Schicht may be found in the Fig. 2 can be used to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance. The values ​​for W breit and W schmal , as in the case of Fig. 2 can be corrected by subtracting the line width correction ΔW to obtain a more accurate estimate of the misalignment distance.

[0161] Fig. 21A and Fig. 21B are top views of an exemplary microelectronic device including RDAMs depicted in stages of formation. Referring to Fig. 21A, the microelectronic device 2100 is formed in and on a substrate 2149 simultaneously with additional microelectronic devices 2100a. The microelectronic device 2100 and the additional microelectronic devices 2100a may be manifested as any of the types of microelectronic devices described with reference to the microelectronic device 100 of Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. The substrate 2149 may be implemented, for example, as a semiconductor wafer, a glass, sapphire, or polymer substrate for MEMS or microfluidic devices, or a composite substrate including both a semiconductor material and a dielectric material. The microelectronic device 2100 includes components that are Fig. 21A and Fig. 21B are labeled “COMPONENTS”.

[0162] The microelectronic device 2100 and the additional microelectronic devices 2100a may include scribe seals 2188 and 2188a, respectively, surrounding the components. The scribe seals 2188 and 2188a may include continuous interconnects and continuous vias or dense discrete vias to reduce crack propagation and contaminant intrusion into the components. Dice lanes 2189, commonly referred to as scribe lanes or streets, saw lanes or streets, or dicing lanes or streets, extend between the microelectronic device 2100 and the additional microelectronic devices 2100a. The scribe lanes 2189 may extend to the scribe seals 2188 and 2188a or may partially extend to the scribe seals 2188 and 2188a.

[0163] The microelectronic device 2100 of this example includes an internal RDAM 2101a located within the scribe seal 2188. The internal RDAM 2101a includes a first internal resistor 2102a and a second internal resistor 2103a, and vertical connectors (not shown) formed according to any of the examples disclosed herein. The internal RDAM 2101a includes internal test terminals 2124a coupled to the vertical connectors.The internal test leads 2124a may extend to probe pads on a top surface of the microelectronic device 2100 to enable probing after fabrication of the microelectronic device 2100 is completed, or may extend to bond pads to enable wire bonding of the internal test leads 2124a during assembly of the microelectronic device 2100 to allow testing of the internal RDAM 2101a after packaging the microelectronic device 2100. The internal test leads 2124a may be connected to the vertical connectors by a multiplexer shown in FIG. Fig. 21A and Fig. 21B, labeled "MUX." The multiplexer can advantageously enable testing of multiple test structures using a relatively small number of probe / bond pads. The internal RDAM 2101a can be referred to as an OCP (On-Chip Parametric) test structure.

[0164] The microelectronic device 2100 of this example also includes external RDAMs 2101b located outside the scribe seal 2188 in corner regions. The external RDAMs 2101b may be located in areas of the microelectronic device 2100 that experience high mechanical stress, such as corners of the microelectronic device 2100, and therefore do not contain any components. The external RDAMs 2101b may be formed according to any of the examples disclosed herein. The external RDAMs 2101b may also be referred to as OCP test structures.

[0165] The microelectronic device 2100 of this example further includes singulation lane RDAMs 2101c located outside the scribe seals 2188 and 2188a on the microelectronic device 2100 side. The singulation lane RDAMs 2101c may extend into the singulation lanes 2189, as shown in Fig. 21A and Fig. 21B. The singulation trace RDAMs 2101c may be formed according to any of the examples disclosed herein. The singulation trace RDAMs 2101c may be tested during and after fabrication of the microelectronic device 2100, before the microelectronic device 2100 is singulated from the additional microelectronic devices 2100a.

[0166] With reference to Fig. 21B, at least a portion of the substrate 2149 is removed from the singulation tracks 2189, whereby the microelectronic device 2100 is singulated from the additional microelectronic devices 2100a. The internal RDAM 2101a remains in place within the microelectronic device 2100 after the microelectronic device 2100 has been singulated. Similarly, the external RDAMs 2101b remain in place within the microelectronic device 2100 after the microelectronic device 2100 has been singulated. One or more portions, or all, of one or more of the singulation track RDAMs 2101c may remain in the singulated microelectronic device 2100. The parts of the singulation track RDAMs 2101c may remain in the microelectronic device 2100 after encapsulation, that is, for example, connection to external leads and encapsulation, is completed.

[0167] Various features of the examples disclosed herein may be combined in other manifestations of exemplary microelectronic devices. For example, any of the RDAMs disclosed herein may include individual resistors, as described with reference to Fig. 1A, or may comprise multiple resistors connected in series as described with reference to Fig. 4. Any of the RDAMs disclosed herein may include a reference resistor pair as described with reference to Fig. 3. Any of the RDAMs disclosed herein may include resistors and vertical connectors as described with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 11. Any of the RDAMs disclosed herein may include resistors formed in an interconnect level, a gate level, a diffusion layer level in a semiconductor substrate, a resistor level, a capacitor plate level, a bond pad level, an RDL level, a buried layer level in a semiconductor substrate, or a 2DEG level in a III-V semiconductor material. Any of the microelectronic devices disclosed herein include one or more RDAMs configured to measure a misalignment distance in one direction or in two orthogonal directions. Any of the microelectronic devices disclosed herein may include a cross-bridge test structure, as described with reference to Fig. 19. Any of the microelectronic devices disclosed herein may include a three-resistor test structure as described with reference to Fig. 20 revealed.

[0168] Although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented merely as examples and not by way of limitation. Numerous changes may be made to the disclosed embodiments in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the meaning and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the previously described embodiments. Instead, the scope of the disclosure should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[1] Microelectronic device comprising: a resistive differential alignment monitoring device (RDAM) that includes: a first resistor including a first wide part and a first narrow part; a first connector contacting the first wide part; a second connector contacting the first narrow part; a second resistor including a second wide part and a second narrow part; a third connector contacting the second wide part; and a fourth connector contacting the second narrow part; where: a first width of the first wide portion adjacent to the first connector is greater than a second width of the first narrow portion adjacent to the second connector; the first connector is separated from the second connector in a first direction by a first length; the second wide part adjacent to the third connector has the first width; the second narrow part adjacent to the fourth connector has the second width; and the third connector is separated from the fourth connector in a second direction antiparallel to the first direction by the first length. [2] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are elements of a resistance plane. [3] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first connector, the second connector, the third connector, and the fourth connector are elements of a via plane. [4] The microelectronic device of claim 1, further including a second RDAM including: a third resistor including a third wide part and a third narrow part; a fifth connector contacting the third wide part; a sixth connector contacting the third narrow part; a fourth resistor including a fourth wide part and a fourth narrow part; a seventh connector contacting the fourth wide part; and an eighth connector contacting the fourth narrow part; where: the third wide part adjacent to the fifth connector has the first width; the third narrow part adjacent to the sixth connector has the second width; the fifth connector is separated from the sixth connector in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction by the first length; the fourth wide part adjacent to the seventh connector has the first width; the fourth narrow part adjacent to the eighth connector has the second width; and the seventh connector is separated from the eighth connector in a fourth direction antiparallel to the third direction by the first length. [5] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the RDAM further includes: a third resistor, the third resistor being a duplicate of the first resistor and oriented parallel to the first resistor; a fifth connector contacting a third wide portion of the third resistor; a sixth connector contacting a third narrow portion of the third resistor, the sixth connector being directly connected to the first connector by a first conductive connector; a fourth resistor, the fourth resistor being a duplicate of the second resistor and oriented parallel to the second resistor; a seventh connector contacting a fourth wide portion of the fourth resistor; and an eighth connector contacting a fourth narrow portion of the fourth resistor, the eighth connector being directly connected to the third connector by a second conductive connecting piece. [6] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the RDAM further includes: a third resistor, the third resistor being a duplicate of the first resistor and oriented parallel to the first resistor; a fifth connector contacting a third wide portion of the third resistor; a sixth connector contacting a third narrow portion of the third resistor; a fourth resistor, the fourth resistor being a duplicate of the second resistor and oriented parallel to the first resistor; a seventh connector contacting a fourth wide portion of the fourth resistor; and an eighth connector contacting a fourth narrow portion of the fourth resistor; wherein the third resistor is connected in series to the fourth resistor by a conductive connector. [7] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first wide part has a constant width along the first direction, the first narrow part has a constant width along the first direction, the second wide part has a constant width along the second direction, and the second narrow part has a constant width along the second direction. [8] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the RDAM further includes test terminals coupled to the first connector, the second connector, the third connector, and the fourth connector. [9] The microelectronic device of claim 1, further including a test structure configured to provide an estimate of a sheet resistance value of the first resistor and the second resistor and configured to provide a line width correction for the first resistor and the second resistor. [10] The microelectronic device of claim 1, further including a second RDAM including: a third resistor including a third wide part and a third narrow part; a fifth connector contacting the third wide part; a sixth connector contacting the third narrow part; a fourth resistor including a fourth wide part and a fourth narrow part; a seventh connector contacting the fourth wide part; and an eighth connector contacting the fourth narrow part; where: a third width of the third wide part adjacent to the fifth connector is greater than a fourth width of the third narrow part adjacent to the sixth connector; the fifth connector is separated from the sixth connector by a second length in a third direction parallel to the first direction; the fourth wide part adjacent to the seventh connector has the third width; the fourth narrow part adjacent to the eighth connector has the fourth width; the seventh connector is separated from the eighth connector in a fourth direction antiparallel to the third direction by the second length; the third resistor and the fourth resistor are elements on a different conductor level than the first resistor and the second resistor; and the first connector and the fifth connector are elements of the same connector level. [11] A microelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein: the first wide portion has a first wide length along the first direction that is 2 to 5 times a minimum lateral dimension of the first connector at the first resistor; the first narrow portion has a first narrow length along the first direction that is 2 to 5 times a minimum lateral dimension of the second connector at the first resistor; the second wide part has a second wide length along the second direction that is equal to the first wide length; and the second narrow part has a second narrow length along the second direction which is equal to the first narrow length. [12] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the first width is 2 to 4 times the second width. [13] The microelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the RDAM is located on a side of the microelectronic device outside a scribe seal. [14] A method of forming a microelectronic device comprising: simultaneously forming a first resistor including a first wide part and a first narrow part, and forming a second resistor including a second wide part and a second narrow part; and simultaneously forming a first connector contacting the first wide portion, forming a second connector contacting the first narrow portion, forming a third connector contacting the second wide portion, and forming a fourth connector contacting the second narrow portion; wherein: a first width of the first wide portion adjacent to the first connector is greater than a second width of the first narrow portion adjacent to the second connector; the first connector is separated from the second connector in a first direction by a first length; the second wide part adjacent to the third connector has the first width; the second narrow part adjacent to the fourth connector has the second width; and the third connector is separated from the fourth connector in a second direction antiparallel to the first direction by the first length. [15] The method of claim 14, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are formed simultaneously with elements of a resistor plane. [16] The method of claim 14, wherein the first connector, the second connector, the third connector and the fourth connector are formed simultaneously with elements of a via level. [17] The method of claim 14, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are formed prior to forming the first connector, the second connector, the third connector and the fourth connector. [18] The method of claim 14, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are formed after forming the first connector, the second connector, the third connector and the fourth connector. [19] The method of claim 14, further comprising: forming a fifth connector, a sixth connector, a seventh connector, and an eighth connector simultaneously with the first connector; and subsequently simultaneously forming a third resistor and a fourth resistor, separate from the first resistor, wherein the third resistor includes a third wide portion contacting the fifth connector and a third narrow portion contacting the sixth connector, and the fourth resistor includes a fourth wide portion contacting the seventh connector and a fourth narrow portion contacting the eighth connector; wherein: a third width of the third wide part adjacent to the fifth connector is greater than a fourth width of the third narrow part adjacent to the sixth connector; the fifth connector is separated from the sixth connector in the first direction by a second length; the fourth wide part adjacent to the seventh connector has the third width; the fourth narrow part adjacent to the eighth connector has the fourth width; and the seventh connector is separated from the eighth connector in the second direction by the second length. [20] The method of claim 14, wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are formed on a side of the microelectronic device outside a scribe seal.

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