IP Library Granted Patent US 12672521
Granted Patent B2
US 12672521 · App. 18/150,324 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Method of fabricating a semiconductor device based on a measured misalignment value

Inventors: Keunnam Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Kiseok Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Byeongjoo Ku (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10P74/23H10P50/73H10P76/2041H10W20/057H10W20/089
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12672521
App. No.
18/150,324
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor fabrication method comprising forming a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure, measuring a misalignment value between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure, based on the measured misalignment value selecting a reticle from a set of reticles, and using the selected reticle to form a connection conductive structure that electrically connects the first conductive structure to the second conductive structure.

Claims (70)

1 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure;

measuring a misalignment value between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure;

based on the measured misalignment value, selecting a reticle from a set of reticles; and

using the selected reticle to form a connection conductive structure that electrically connects the first conductive structure to the second conductive structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a first conductive contact connected to the first conductive structure,

wherein the connection conductive structure is connected to the first conductive contact.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

forming a second conductive contact connected to the second conductive structure,

wherein the connection conductive structure is connected to the second conductive contact.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the connection conductive structure is in contact with a top surface of and a sidewall of the second conductive contact.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

each reticle in the set of reticles includes a mask pattern, and

the selecting the selected reticle includes selecting a reticle that includes the mask pattern having a shape similar to a shape of the connection conductive structure.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the forming the connection conductive structure includes:

forming a photoresist layer on a dielectric structure that covers the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure;

patterning the photoresist layer using the selected reticle;

patterning the dielectric structure using the patterned photoresist layer, wherein a connection opening is defined on the patterned dielectric structure; and

forming the connection conductive structure in the connection opening.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection conductive structure at least partially overlaps the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first conductive structure includes a main conductive structure and a preliminary conductive structure, and

wherein forming the connection conductive structure includes,

determining whether the measured misalignment value is less than a threshold value;

when the measured misalignment value is less than the threshold value, forming the connection conductive structure to electrically connect the main conductive structure to the second conductive structure; and

when the measured misalignment value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, forming the connection conductive structure to electrically connect the preliminary conductive structure to the second conductive structure.

9 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure, the first conductive structure including a main conductive structure and a preliminary conductive structure;

measuring a misalignment value between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure;

determining whether the measured misalignment value is less than a threshold value;

in response to the measured misalignment value being less than the threshold value, forming a connection conductive structure to electrically connect the main conductive structure to the second conductive structure; and

in response to the measured misalignment value being greater than or equal to the threshold value, forming the connection conductive structure to electrically connect the preliminary conductive structure to the second conductive structure.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the forming the connection conductive structure includes:

based on the measured misalignment value, selecting a reticle from a set of reticles; and

using the selected reticle to form the connection conductive structure.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein

each reticle in the set of reticles includes a mask pattern, and

the selecting the selected reticle includes selecting a reticle that includes the mask pattern having a shape similar to a shape of the connection conductive structure.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein

the main conductive structure, the preliminary conductive structure, and the second conductive structure extend in a first direction,

the main conductive structure and the preliminary conductive structure are arranged in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and

the measured misalignment value is a value of misalignment in the second direction.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

forming a first conductive contact connected to the first conductive structure and a second conductive contact connected to the second conductive structure,

wherein the connection conductive structure at least partially overlaps a portion of the first conductive contact.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the connection conductive structure at least partially overlaps a portion of the second conductive contact.

15 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure; and

forming a connection conductive structure to align with a position of the first conductive structure,

wherein the connection conductive structure electrically connects the first conductive structure to the second conductive structure,

the first conductive structure includes a first adjacent sidewall adjacent to the second conductive structure,

the second conductive structure includes a second adjacent sidewall adjacent to the first conductive structure,

the connection conductive structure includes a first portion that at least partially overlaps the first conductive structure and a second portion that at least partially overlaps the second conductive structure,

the first portion of the connection conductive structure includes a first outer sidewall that is farthest from the second portion of the connection conductive structure,

the second portion of the connection conductive structure includes a second outer sidewall that is farthest from the first portion of the connection conductive structure, and

a distance between the first adjacent sidewall of the first conductive structure and the first outer sidewall of the first portion of the connection conductive structure is less than a distance between the second adjacent sidewall of the second conductive structure and the second outer sidewall of the second portion of the connection conductive structure.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the connection conductive structure includes:

a third portion that connects to each other the first portion and the second portion of the connection conductive structure;

a first boundary between the first portion and the third portion of the connection conductive structure; and

a second boundary between the second portion and the third portion of the connection conductive structure.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a distance between the first adjacent sidewall of the first conductive structure and the first boundary of the connection conductive structure is less than a distance between the second adjacent sidewall of the second conductive structure and the second boundary of the connection conductive structure.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

forming a first conductive contact connected to the first conductive structure and a second conductive contact connected to the second conductive structure,

wherein a distance between the first conductive contact and the first boundary of the connection conductive structure is less than a distance between the second conductive contact and the second boundary of the connection conductive structure.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

forming a first conductive contact connected to the first conductive structure and a second conductive contact connected to the second conductive structure,

wherein a distance between the first conductive contact and the first outer sidewall of the first portion of the connection conductive structure is less than a distance between the second conductive contact and the second outer sidewall of the second portion of the connection conductive structure.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a length of the first portion of the connection conductive structure is less than a length of the second portion of the connection conductive structure.