Filled IC Recess Structure Using Bottom-Up Void-Free Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for filling recesses in integrated circuit structures often result in seams or voids due to conformal metal oxide deposition on sidewalls, leading to defects in the IC structures.
Innovation Solution
A bottom-up growth procedure involving angled etching and sacrificial material removal is used to fill recesses in IC structures, avoiding seams or voids by selectively growing materials on the sidewalls and bottom of the recesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conformal metal oxide deposition is performed on sidewalls of recesses, then material coverage is improved, but seams or voids are formed leading to defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing angled etching to remove metal oxide from sidewalls before the final material deposition step. This preliminary removal prevents the formation of seams and voids that would occur if conformal deposition were performed directly on the sidewalls, thereby eliminating defects while maintaining material coverage in the recess interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful metal oxide layer from the sidewalls through angled etching before material deposition. By removing this layer that would otherwise cause seam formation and voids, the process eliminates the source of defects while preserving the beneficial material coverage in the recess, resolving the contradiction between coverage and reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If material is deposited conformally on recess sidewalls, then uniform coating is achieved, but seams and voids are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary angled etching to remove metal oxide from sidewalls before material deposition. This preliminary action creates a clean sidewall surface that prevents seam and void formation during subsequent material deposition, while still allowing uniform coating material to be deposited in the recess interior without the harmful effects of conformal sidewall deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful conformal deposition process into a beneficial outcome by first removing the harmful metal oxide layer through angled etching. This conversion allows the deposition process to fill the recess uniformly without creating seams or voids, transforming what would be a harmful process into one that achieves both coating uniformity and defect-free structures.
3Strength
If recesses are filled with material, then IC structure integrity is enhanced, but defects are introduced through conventional filling methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing angled etching to remove metal oxide from sidewalls before material deposition. This preliminary step prevents the introduction of seams and voids during filling, allowing the recess to be filled with material that enhances IC structure integrity without compromising reliability through defect introduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful metal oxide layer from sidewalls before filling the recess with material. By removing this layer that would cause seam formation and voids, the process enables defect-free filling that enhances structure integrity while maintaining reliability, resolving the contradiction between strength and reliability.
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
This method prevents defects by ensuring uniform material deposition within the recesses, enhancing the integrity and reliability of IC structures.
Implementation Method 1
A bottom-up growth procedure is performed to produce a second material on the first material, where the bottom-up growth procedure avoids producing the seams or voids
Implementation Method 2
An angled etch procedure, or a sacrificial material and etch procedure can be performed to remove at least a portion of the first material from the sidewalls of the recess
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are IC structures, packages, and devices that include recesses processed via selective growth. An example integrated circuit (IC) structure, includes a first dielectric material, a second dielectric material on the first dielectric material, and a recess in the second dielectric material, wherein the recess includes a bottom, a top, and sidewalls. The IC further includes a first material within the recess and at a bottom of the recess, wherein the first material includes a metal and oxygen, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) material, or an organic material, and a second material within the recess and between the first material and the top of the recess, wherein the second material is in contact with the sidewalls of the recess.