IP Library Granted Patent US 8,120,182
Granted Patent B2
US 8,120,182 · App. 12/354,140 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

Integrated circuit comprising conductive lines and contact structures and method of manufacturing an integrated circuit

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,120,182
App. No.
12/354,140
Granted
Feb 21, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit comprises a first conductive lines and second lines as well as contact structures being in contact with the first and second conductive lines. The first conductive lines are arranged in a first metallization level, and second conductive lines are arranged in a second metallization level arranged above the first metallization level. The second conductive lines are arranged above the contact structures, and a pitch of neighboring contact structures is equal to a pitch of neighboring second conductive lines. The distance between neighboring contact structures is smaller than 100 nm.

Claims (18)

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of separate continuous first conductive lines, wherein the plurality of first conductive lines are arranged within a first metallization level and extend along a first direction;

a plurality of separate continuous second conductive lines, wherein the plurality of second conductive lines are arranged in a second metallization level over the first metallization level and extend in the first direction;

a plurality of contact structures, each of the plurality of contact structures being in electrical contact with an associated one of the plurality of first and one of the plurality of second conductive lines and being arranged along a line that extends into a second direction,

wherein the plurality of second conductive lines are arranged over the contact structures, and wherein a pitch of adjacent contact structures is equal to a pitch of adjacent second conductive lines and wherein a distance between adjacent contact structures is smaller than 100 nm.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first conductive lines comprise a first material and the plurality of second conductive lines comprise a second material being different from the first material.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first conductive lines comprise a first material and the plurality of second conductive lines comprise the first material.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between neighboring contact structures is smaller than 80 nm.

6. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the distance between neighboring contact structures is smaller than 50 nm.

7. An integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of separate first conductive lines comprising a first conductive material, wherein the plurality of first conductive lines are arranged within a first metallization level;

a plurality of separate second conductive lines, wherein the plurality of second conductive lines are arranged in a second metallization level over the first metallization level;

a plurality of contact structures, each of the plurality of contact structures being in electrical contact with an associated one of the first and an associated one of the second conductive lines, wherein the plurality of second conductive lines are arranged over the plurality of contact structures, and wherein each of the plurality of contact structures comprises a second conductive material, the second conductive material being in contact with the plurality of second conductive lines, a boundary between the plurality of contact structures and an intermediate layer forming a horizontal line without vertical components, the intermediate layer being disposed between the plurality of separate first conductive lines and the plurality of contact structures.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein the second conductive material is the same as the first conductive material.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein a diameter of an upper portion of the plurality of contact structures is smaller than a width of the first conductive lines.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein a pitch of adjacent contact structures is equal to a pitch of adjacent first conductive lines.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein a distance between adjacent contact structures is smaller than 100 nm.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2020
From: POLARIS INNOVATIONS LIMITED
To: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Reel/Frame 051917/0581 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2015
From: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
To: POLARIS INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037254/0782 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2015
From: QIMONDA AG
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
Reel/Frame 035623/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2010
From: THIES, ANDREAS; KRAMP, SIRKO; SCHNEIDER, HELMUT; SCHNABEL, RAINER FLORIAN
To: QIMONDA AG
Reel/Frame 024670/0880 →