Integrated circuits with aluminum via structures and methods for fabricating the same

1. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit that includes a stepped via structure comprising:

providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a metal interconnect wire, a lower dielectric layer disposed over and in contact with the metal interconnect wire, and an upper dielectric layer disposed over and in contact with the lower dielectric layer;

forming a first opening in the upper dielectric layer, the first opening being substantially centered over the metal interconnect wire and having a width that is substantially identical to a width of the metal interconnect wire, wherein the first opening extends to a depth within the upper dielectric layer that is less than a total thickness of the upper dielectric layer, but greater than half of the total thickness of the upper dielectric layer;

forming a sub-opening in the upper dielectric layer, the sub-opening being disposed below the first opening and centered with respect to the first opening, wherein the sub-opening has a width that is narrower than the width of the first opening, and wherein the sub-opening extends through the upper dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the lower dielectric layer;

simultaneously with forming the sub-opening, widening the first opening so as to form a widened first opening;

extending the depth of the widened first opening so as to extend through an entirety of the thickness of the upper dielectric layer, thereby forming an extended, widened first opening that is disposed entirely within the upper dielectric layer;

simultaneously with extending the depth of the widened first opening, extending a depth of the sub-opening so as to extend through an entirety of the lower dielectric layer and expose an upper surface of the interconnect wire, thereby forming an extended sub-opening that is disposed entirely within the lower dielectric layer, wherein the extended, widened first opening and the extended sub-opening comprise the stepped via structure;

conformally depositing an aluminum material layer in the stepped via structure, in contact with the interconnect wire, and over the upper dielectric layer, wherein conformally depositing the aluminum material layer comprises forming aluminum layer sidewalls over the stepped via structure; and

forming a passivation layer over the aluminum material layer, wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming the passivation layer along the aluminum layer sidewalls.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a copper interconnect wire.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a silicon nitride lower dielectric layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a silicon dioxide upper dielectric layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming a passivation layer comprising silicon dioxide in a first layer over the aluminum material layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming a passivation layer comprising silicon nitride in a second layer over the first layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising an interconnect wire wherein the interconnect wire is formed over a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of active integrated circuit devices.

8. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit that includes a stepped via structure comprising:

providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a metal interconnect wire, a lower dielectric layer disposed over and in contact with the metal interconnect wire, and an upper dielectric layer disposed over and in contact with the lower dielectric layer;

forming a first opening in the upper dielectric layer, the first opening being substantially centered over the metal interconnect wire and having a width that is substantially identical to a width of the metal interconnect wire, wherein the first opening extends to a depth within the upper dielectric layer that is less than half of a total thickness of the upper dielectric layer;

forming a sub-opening in the upper dielectric layer, the sub-opening being disposed below the first opening and centered with respect to the first opening, wherein the sub-opening has a width that is narrower than the width of the first opening, and wherein the sub-opening extends through the upper dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the lower dielectric layer;

simultaneously with forming the sub-opening, widening the first opening so as to form a widened first opening;

extending the depth of the widened first opening so as to extend further, but not entirety through the thickness of the upper dielectric layer, thereby forming an extended, widened first opening that is disposed entirely within the upper dielectric layer;

simultaneously with extending the depth of the widened first opening, extending a depth of the sub-opening so as to extend through an entirety of the lower dielectric layer and expose an upper surface of the interconnect wire, thereby forming an extended sub-opening that is disposed partially within the lower dielectric layer and partially within the upper dielectric layer, wherein the extended, widened first opening and the extended sub-opening comprise the stepped via structure;

conformally depositing an aluminum material layer in the stepped via structure, in contact with the interconnect wire, and over the upper dielectric layer, wherein conformally depositing the aluminum material layer comprises forming aluminum layer sidewalls over the stepped via structure; and

forming a passivation layer over the aluminum material layer, wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming the passivation layer along the aluminum layer sidewalls.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a copper interconnect wire.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a silicon nitride lower dielectric layer.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising a silicon dioxide upper dielectric layer.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming a passivation layer comprising silicon dioxide in a first layer over the aluminum material layer.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the passivation layer comprises forming a passivation layer comprising silicon nitride in a second layer over the first layer.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing or obtaining the integrated circuit structure comprises providing or obtaining an integrated circuit structure comprising an interconnect wire wherein the interconnect wire is formed over a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of active integrated circuit devices.