IP Library Granted Patent US 12677646
Granted Patent B2
US 12677646 · App. 18/447,561 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Semiconductor structure including cap layer of two-dimensional material and method for manufacturing the same

Inventors: Shu-Wei Li (Hsinchu, TW); Hans Hsu (Hsinchu, TW); Chien-Hsin Ho (Hsinchu, TW); Yu-Chen Chan (Hsinchu, TW); Blanka Magyari-Kope (Hsinchu, TW); Shin-Yi Yang (Hsinchu, TW); Ming-Han Lee (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10W20/033H10W20/057H10W20/075H10W20/081H10W20/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677646
App. No.
18/447,561
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnect structure disposed on the semiconductor substrate and including a conductive interconnect; and a cap layer disposed on the interconnect structure. The cap layer includes a cap portion disposed on the conductive interconnect. The cap portion includes a plurality of two-dimensional material sheets stacked on each other and has a lower surface proximate to the conductive interconnect. The lower surface of the cap portion is formed with a plurality of dangling bonds such that the cap portion is adhered to the conductive interconnect through the dangling bonds.

Claims (49)

1 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

an interconnect structure disposed on the semiconductor substrate and including a conductive interconnect; and

a first cap layer which is disposed on the interconnect structure and which includes a first cap portion disposed on the conductive interconnect, the first cap portion including a plurality of two-dimensional material sheets stacked on each other and having a lower surface proximate to the conductive interconnect, the lower surface of the first cap portion being formed with a plurality of dangling bonds such that the first cap portion is adhered to the conductive interconnect through the dangling bonds.

2 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the conductive interconnect is a metal line such that the first cap portion is adhered to the metal line through the dangling bonds formed at the lower surface of the first cap portion.

3 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the interconnect structure further includes a second cap layer including a second cap portion; and

the conductive interconnect includes a metal line and the second cap portion disposed on the metal line such that the first cap portion is adhered to the second cap portion of the conductive interconnect through the dangling bonds formed at the lower surface of the first cap portion.

4 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an etch stop layer disposed on the interconnect structure, the first cap portion further having an upper surface opposite to the lower surface, the upper surface of the first cap portion being formed with a plurality of the dangling bonds such that the first cap portion is adhered to the etch stop layer through the dangling bonds formed at the upper surface of the first cap portion.

5 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

each of the two-dimensional material sheets includes two opposite edges, each of which is formed with the dangling bonds; and

at least one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the lower surface of the first cap portion and is bonded to the conductive interconnect through the dangling bonds formed at the at least one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the first cap portion to be adhered to the conductive interconnect.

6 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

each of the two-dimensional material sheets includes two opposite edges, each of which is formed with the dangling bonds;

one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the lower surface of the first cap portion and is bonded to the conductive interconnect through the dangling bonds formed at the one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the first cap portion to be adhered to the conductive interconnect; and

the other one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the upper surface of the first cap portion and is bonded to the etch stop layer through the dangling bonds formed at the other one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the first cap portion to be adhered to the etch stop layer.

7 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional material sheets includes a two-dimensional material which includes graphene, intercalated graphene, doped graphene, modified graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer borocarbonitride, germanane, Ni 3 (2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene) 2 , or combinations thereof.

8 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:

the two-dimensional material sheets are arranged to extend in a direction parallel to the lower surface of the first cap portion; and

at least one of the two-dimensional material sheets proximate to the lower surface of the first cap portion includes the doped graphene, which includes a graphene sheet doped with a dopant including oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, boron, or combinations thereof, so as to permit the lower surface of the first cap portion to be formed with the dangling bonds.

9 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein:

the two-dimensional material sheets are arranged to extend in a direction parallel to the lower surface of the first cap portion; and

at least one of the two-dimensional material sheets proximate to the lower surface of the first cap portion includes the modified graphene, which includes a graphene sheet formed with point defect, so as to permit the lower surface of the first cap portion to be formed with the dangling bonds.

10 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

an interconnect structure which is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and which includes a dielectric layer and a plurality of conductive interconnects disposed in the dielectric layer and spaced apart from each other; and

a cap layer which is disposed on the interconnect structure and which includes a plurality of cap portions disposed on the conductive interconnects, respectively, each of the cap portions including a plurality of two-dimensional material sheets stacked on each other and having a lower surface in contact with a corresponding one of the conductive interconnects, the lower surface of each of the cap portions being formed with a plurality of dangling bonds such that the cap portions are respectively adhered to the conductive interconnects through the dangling bonds formed at the lower surface of each of the cap portions.

11 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising an etch stop layer disposed on the interconnect structure, each of the cap portions further having an upper surface opposite to the lower surface, the upper surface of each of the cap portions being formed with a plurality of the dangling bonds such that the cap portions are adhered to the etch stop layer through the dangling bonds formed at the upper surface of each of the cap portions.

12 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

each of the two-dimensional material sheets includes two opposite edges, each of which is formed with the dangling bonds; and

at least one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the cap portions and is bonded to a corresponding one of the conductive interconnects through the dangling bonds formed at the at least one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the cap portions to be respectively adhered to the conductive interconnects.

13 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein

each of the two-dimensional material sheets is configured to have a curved shape; and

both of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets are proximate to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the cap portions and are bonded to a corresponding one of the conductive interconnects through the dangling bonds formed at both of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the cap portions to be respectively adhered to the conductive interconnects.

14 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 11 , wherein

each of the two-dimensional material sheets includes two opposite edges, each of which is formed with the dangling bonds; and

one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the lower surface of a corresponding one of the cap portions and is bonded to a corresponding one of the conductive interconnects through the dangling bonds formed at the one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the cap portions to be respectively adhered to the conductive interconnects; and

the other one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets is proximate to the upper surface of a corresponding one of the cap portions and is bonded to the etch stop layer through the dangling bonds formed at the other one of the two opposite edges of each of the two-dimensional material sheets so as to permit the cap portions to be adhered to the etch stop layer.

15 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each of the two-dimensional material sheets extends in a direction parallel to a normal line of the lower surface of each of the cap portions.

16 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each of the two-dimensional material sheets is configured to be inclined with respect to a normal line of the lower surface of each of the cap portions.

17 . The semiconductor structure as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each of the two-dimensional material sheets is configured to have one of a substantially S-shape and a substantially reversed S-shape.

18 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising:

forming an interconnect structure on a semiconductor substrate, the interconnect structure including a dielectric layer and a plurality of conductive interconnects disposed in the dielectric layer and spaced apart from each other; and

selectively depositing two-dimensional material sheets on the conductive interconnects to form a first cap layer including a plurality of first cap portions, each of which is configured to be formed with dangling bonds at a lower surface thereof such that the first cap portions are respectively adhered to the conductive interconnects through the dangling bonds.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein

formation of the interconnect structure includes forming a plurality of metal lines in the dielectric layer and selectively forming a second cap layer on the metal lines, the second cap layer including a plurality of second cap portions respectively formed on the metal lines such that each of the metal lines and a corresponding one of the second cap portions are collectively configured as one of the conductive interconnects; and

the first cap portions are respectively adhered to the second cap portions through the dangling bonds after formation of the first cap layer.

20 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the two-dimensional material sheets includes a two-dimensional material which includes graphene, intercalated graphene, doped graphene, modified graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer borocarbonitride, germanane, Ni 3 (2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene) 2 , or combinations thereof.