Profile-Modified Contact Aperture to Prevent Semiconductor Voids
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, voids often form in openings filled by contact materials, adversely affecting electrical connections between conductive features, leading to manufacturing yield issues.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure and method that incorporates a profile modifier within an aperture defined by metallization lines and isolation features, which modifies the aperture profile to accommodate a contact feature with a partial circle, ellipse, or oval shape, reducing void formation when conductive material is filled in.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional rectangular aperture is used for contact feature formation, then the manufacturing process is simple, but voids form in the contact material filling process, adversely affecting electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by rounding the corners of the aperture to create a more elliptical or oval shape. This is achieved by forming a profile modifier layer that selectively removes material from the corner regions, transforming the sharp rectangular corners into curved transitions. This curvature eliminates void formation during contact material filling while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through a systematic multi-layer approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture structure is segmented into multiple functional layers: a base layer defining the primary aperture shape, and a profile modifier layer with selective regions that modify specific portions (corners) of the aperture. This segmentation allows independent optimization of different aperture regions, enabling corner rounding while preserving the overall rectangular footprint and manufacturing simplicity.
2Productivity
If corner rounding is applied to the aperture to reduce void formation, then manufacturing yield improves, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The profile modifier layer is formed in advance before the contact material deposition step. By pre-modifying the aperture profile with rounded corners, the contact material can be filled without void formation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for post-filling correction steps and ensures high manufacturing yield from the first attempt.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile modifier layer acts as an intermediary structure between the base aperture definition layer and the contact material. This intermediate layer with its selectively removed corner regions mediates the filling process, guiding the contact material to flow smoothly into the aperture without trapping voids, thereby improving yield without requiring complex direct molding processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device structure includes forming a first metallization line and a second metallization line extending along a first direction; forming a first isolation feature and a second isolation feature between the first metallization line and the second metallization line, wherein the first metallization line, the second metallization line, the first isolation feature and the second isolation feature define an aperture; forming a profile modifier within the aperture, wherein the profile modifier comprises a plurality of segments spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the segments are located at corners of the aperture; and forming a contact feature surrounded by the plurality of segments.