Metal Crack Stop in Integrated Circuit Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits (ICs) face delamination issues during processing and wear, with cracks forming at the edge of the device and potentially propagating to active components, despite the use of dummy materials as crack stops.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a metal crack stop structure within ICs, featuring a sidewall with a recess that intersects the interface between the barrier film and interlayer dielectric, designed to trap and prevent the propagation of delamination cracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of metal layers is increased to provide greater scaling and sophistication, then device capability is improved, but the complexity of fabrication processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal crack stop is formed as a separate, distinct structure from the interconnect metal layers, allowing it to be independently fabricated and optimized. This segmentation enables the crack stop to be integrated into multi-layer structures without complicating the overall fabrication process, as it can be formed using dedicated deposition and patterning steps that are independent of the interconnect layer formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal crack stop is formed prior to the deposition of subsequent interlayer dielectric and barrier film layers. This preliminary formation allows the crack stop structure to be established before the interfaces that are critical for crack propagation are created, enabling the recess feature to effectively trap cracks as they form at these interfaces during subsequent processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) structure with a metal crack stop and methods of forming the same. An IC structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure can include an insulator positioned over a substrate; a barrier film positioned over the insulator; an interlayer dielectric positioned over the barrier film; and a metal crack stop positioned over the substrate and laterally adjacent to each of the insulator, the barrier film, and the interlayer dielectric, wherein the metal crack stop includes a sidewall having a first recess therein, and wherein a horizontal interface between the barrier film and the interlayer dielectric intersects the sidewall of the metal crack stop.