Dielectric Stack Etch-Stop Structure for Low-Aspect-Ratio Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing and integration of semiconductor devices are complicated, leading to deficiencies and a need for improved manufacturing processes to address complexity and enhance performance, reliability, and yield.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure with multiple stacked dielectric layers and conductors, incorporating energy removable structures that act as etch stops during the etching process, allowing for the formation of openings with reduced aspect ratio differences, facilitating easy removal of the energy removable structures post-processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple stacked dielectric layers are integrated to increase functionality, then device performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the manufacturing process into discrete etching operations for each dielectric layer, with energy removable structures serving as etch stops at different depths. This segmentation allows each layer to be processed independently, managing the complexity of multi-layer integration through systematic division of the manufacturing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
Energy removable structures are formed in advance within dielectric layers before final etching operations. These preliminary structures serve as etch stops during subsequent processing, enabling controlled formation of openings through multiple dielectric layers without requiring complex real-time process control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If openings with deep etching are formed to access lower layers, then device functionality is improved, but aspect ratio differences increase making etching more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Energy removable structures serve as intermediary etch stop layers at different depths within the stacked dielectric structure. These intermediaries break down the single deep etching operation into multiple shallower etching steps, each stopping at a predetermined energy removable structure, thereby reducing aspect ratio differences and improving etching precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different etching depths and selectivities are applied locally to different regions of the structure by using energy removable structures at specific depths. This allows precise control over where etching stops occur, enabling formation of openings with optimized aspect ratios tailored to each local requirement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of energy removable structures as etch stops simplifies the etching process, improving the performance, reliability, and yield of semiconductor devices by reducing aspect ratio differences and enabling efficient removal of these structures after etching.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating energy removable structures that act as etch stops during the etching process
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device structure includes a first dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, and a first energy removable structure in the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device structure also includes a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, and an Nth dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer. The N is an integer greater than 2. The semiconductor device structure further includes a first conductor in the Nth dielectric layer, and an (N+1)th dielectric layer over the Nth dielectric layer. A top surface of the first conductor is exposed by a first opening, and a top surface of the first energy removable structure is exposed by a second opening.