IP Library Granted Patent US 7,981,762
Granted Patent B2
US 7,981,762 · App. 11/947,514 · Granted Jul 19, 2011

Method of forming pre-metal dielectric layer of semiconductor device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,981,762
App. No.
11/947,514
Granted
Jul 19, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of forming a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer of a semiconductor device using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process which can be suitable for easily recognizing an alignment key. Such a method can reduce or otherwise eliminate alignment key erosion due to CMP by previously forming an alignment key pattern of polysilicon in an active region of a semiconductor scribe lane.

Claims (29)

1. A method comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having a semiconductor device;

forming an etch-stop layer over the semiconductor substrate;

forming a plurality of alignment key patterns composed of polysilicon over the etch-stop layer in an active region of a scribe lane of the semiconductor substrate;

forming a first PMD layer over the semiconductor substrate including the etch-stop layer and the alignment key patterns;

forming a second PMD layer over the semiconductor substrate including the first PMD layer; and then

forming a plurality of contacts against sidewalls of the plurality of alignment patterns.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the etch-stop layer comprises:

depositing a SiN layer having a thickness of between 300 to 500Åover the semiconductor substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first PMD layer comprises:

depositing a TEOS oxide layer having a thickness of between over the semiconductor substrate including the first PMD layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of alignment key patterns have a removal rate lower than the removal rates of the first PMD layer and the second PMD layer.

5. A method comprising: forming at least one STI-type isolation layer in a semiconductor substrate; and forming an alignment key pattern in the STI isolation layer, wherein forming the alignment key pattern comprises:

forming an etch-stop layer over the semiconductor substrate including the at least one STI isolation layer;

forming an insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate including the etch-stop layer;

forming an oxide layer over the first insulating layer;

forming a plurality of contact holes in the at least one STI isolation layer; and then

forming a contact in each of the plurality of contact holes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the etch-stop layer comprises SiN.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the etch-stop layer has a thickness of between 300 to 500Å.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the insulating layer has a thickness of approximately 7000Åor more.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the insulating layer comprises a pre-metal dielectric material.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pre-metal dielectric material comprises at least one of O 3 -TEOS oxide, BPSG insulating material and HDP CVD oxide.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the oxide layer comprises a pre-metal dielectric material.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pre-metal dielectric material comprises a TEOS oxide.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the plurality of contact holes comprises performing a dry etch on the etch-stop layer, the insulating layer and the oxide layer.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein forming the contacts comprises gap-filling a conductive layer in each one of the plurality of contact holes.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a polysilicon material doped with an impurity of a metal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polysilicon material is doped with the impurity of tungsten.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2021
From: CAVIUM INTERNATIONAL
To: MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD.
Reel/Frame 057336/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2021
From: MARVELL TECHNOLOGY CAYMAN I
To: CAVIUM INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 057279/0519 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2021
From: INPHI CORPORATION
To: MARVELL TECHNOLOGY CAYMAN I
Reel/Frame 056649/0823 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2017
From: DONGBU HITEK, CO., LTD.
To: INPHI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041447/0080 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT REMOVE PATENT NO. 878209 FROM EXHIBIT B PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 034009 FRAME: 0157. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Oct 24, 2014
From: DONGBU HITEK, CO., LTD.
To: INPHI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034087/0097 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2014
From: DONGBU HITEK, CO., LTD.
To: INPHI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034009/0157 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2007
From: MOON, SANG-TAE
To: DONGBU HITEK CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020179/0963 →