IP Library Granted Patent US 7,847,403
Granted Patent B2
US 7,847,403 · App. 11/806,562 · Granted Dec 7, 2010

Semiconductor device having no cracks in one or more layers underlying a metal line layer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,847,403
App. No.
11/806,562
Granted
Dec 7, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same which yields high reliability and a high manufacturing yield. The semiconductor device includes a metal line layer having a plurality of metal line patterns spaced apart from each other, and at least one underlying layer under the metal line layer, wherein the space between two adjacent metal line patterns has a sufficient width to prevent a crack from occurring in one or more of the underlying layers. The cracking of an underlying layer may also be prevented by providing a slit in a direction parallel to the space between two adjacent metal line patterns at a sufficient distance from the space between the two adjacent metal line patterns.

Claims (41)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

first and second metal line patterns disposed at a same level, the first and second metal line patterns being parallel to each other and separate from each other by a first space at the level they are disposed; and

a third metal line pattern disposed at the same level as the first and second metal line patterns, the third metal line pattern being perpendicular to the first and second metal line patterns, and a first edge of the third metal line pattern being separate from an adjacent second edge of the second metal line pattern by a second space that is bent, wherein:

the second space includes at least a first bent portion, a second bent portion, and a third bent portion, the second bent portion being arranged between and perpendicular to the first and third bent portions,

the first, second, and third bent portions are each arranged parallel to a slit positioned in the second metal line pattern or the third metal line pattern, and

the first metal line pattern has at least one slit parallel to the first space.

2. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third metal line pattern is adjacent to the second metal line pattern and opposite to the first metal line pattern.

3. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:

the third metal line pattern is spaced less than 1 μm apart from the second metal line pattern by the second space, and

the slits are positioned less than about 4 μm away from the second space.

4. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third metal line pattern is connected to the second metal line pattern and opposite to the first metal line pattern.

5. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a minimum width of the first to third metal line patterns is at least about 30 μm.

6. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein substantially an entire length of the first edge of the third metal line pattern and substantially an entire length of the second edge of the second metal line pattern overlap each other, such that the second space is between the overlapping first and second edges.

7. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slits are positioned less than about 4 μm away from the second space between the second and third metal line patterns.

8. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a plurality of separate metal line patterns disposed at a same level, the plurality of separate metal line patterns including two adjacent metal line patterns being perpendicular to each other, wherein:

a first edge and a second edge of the respective two adjacent metal line patterns are spaced apart from each other by a space that is bent,

the space includes at least a first bent portion, a second bent portion, and a third bent portion, the second bent portion being arranged between and perpendicular to the first and third bent portions, and

the first, second, and third bent portions are each arranged parallel to a slit positioned in one of the two adjacent metal line patterns.

9. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of metal line patterns has a minimum width of at least about 30 μm.

10. The semiconductor device as claimed in 8 , wherein at least one of the two adjacent metal line patterns has at least two different widths along a length direction thereof.

11. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each of the two adjacent metal line patterns has at least two different widths along a length direction thereof.

12. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the slit arranged parallel to the second bent portion is perpendicular to the slits arranged parallel to the first and third bent portions.

13. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

an underlying layer under the plurality of metal line patterns, wherein the slits are positioned less than about 4 μm away from the space between the two adjacent metal line patterns.

14. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein at least two of the slits in the two adjacent metal line patterns are parallel to each other and the space.

15. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the underlying layer includes an insulation layer.

16. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein substantially an entire length of the first edge and substantially an entire length of the second edge of the respective two adjacent metal line patterns overlap each other, such that the space is between the overlapping first and second edges.

17. A semiconductor device having a multi-layered structure, comprising:

a plurality of metal line patterns disposed on a same level, an edge of each of the adjacent metal line patterns being separated from each other by a space; and

an underlying layer under the plurality of metal line patterns, wherein:

two adjacent metal line patterns having respective first and second edges separated by a bent space include:

the bent space includes at least a first bent portion, a second bent portion, and a third bent portion, the second bent portion being arranged between and perpendicular to the first and third bent portions, and

the first, second, and third bent portions are each arranged parallel to a slit positioned in at least one of the two adjacent metal line patterns less than about 4 μm away from the bent space in order to prevent a crack from occurring in the underlying layer.

18. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein at least one of the two adjacent metal line patterns has at least two different widths along a length direction thereof.

19. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein a minimum width of the metal line patterns is at least about 30 μm.

20. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the underlying layer includes an insulation layer.

21. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the slits are wider than the bent space.

22. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the slits are further from the bent space than widths of the slits.

23. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the slits are further from the bent space than a width of the bent space.

24. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 17 , wherein substantially an entire length of the first edge and substantially an entire length of the second edge of the respective two adjacent metal line patterns overlap each other, such that the bent space is between the overlapping first and second edges.

Assignments (11)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTIES NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058297 FRAME: 0490. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 064782/0161 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 19, 2021
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INC.
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 058297/0490 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2020
From: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC.
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 054371/0157 →
RELEASE OF U.S. PATENT AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 047645/0424 →
AMENDED AND RESTATED U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Aug 22, 2018
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 046900/0136 →
U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Sep 9, 2014
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC., AS LENDER; ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 033706/0367 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 3, 2014
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 033678/0096 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2014
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.; CONVERSANT IP N.B. 868 INC.; CONVERSANT IP N.B. 276 INC.
Reel/Frame 033484/0344 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 13, 2014
From: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 032439/0638 →
U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) - SHORT FORM Recorded Jan 10, 2012
From: 658276 N.B. LTD.; 658868 N.B. INC.; MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
Reel/Frame 027512/0196 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2010
From: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO, LTD
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 025308/0673 →