IP Library Granted Patent US 9,768,116
Granted Patent B2
US 9,768,116 · App. 15/260,679 · Granted Sep 19, 2017

Optimized wires for resistance or electromigration

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,768,116
App. No.
15/260,679
Granted
Sep 19, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Optimized metal wires for resistance or electromigration, methods of manufacturing thereof and design methodologies are disclosed. The method includes depositing metal material within openings and on a surface of dielectric material resulting in metal filled openings and a topography of recessed areas aligned with the metal filled openings. The method further includes depositing an alloying material over the metal material, including within the recessed areas. The method further includes planarizing the metal material, leaving the alloying material within the recessed areas. The method further includes diffusing the alloying material into the metal material forming alloyed regions self-aligned with the metal filled openings.

Claims (12)

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether metal lines are to need electromigration (EM) resistance through circuit analysis by supplying a current through the metal lines and determining whether an EM threshold has been met;

assigning a shape of the metal lines that require EM resistance;

constructing a mask for the shape using a material that generate the mask; and

determining timing for the assigned shape of the metal lines by propagation of a signal through the metal line.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the metal line is provided by constructing a new mask for forming an opening in a capping layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each metal line is analyzed for EM concerns for low resistance case.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein when the metal lines pass the circuit analysis, the metal line will remain low resistance and the timing will be closed with this condition.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the metal lines fail the circuit analysis, a new design shape is added to the metal lines to construct a mask.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising controlling out diffusion of material into a copper line to adjust the alloying effect and EM effects by changing a shape of the mask.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the circuit analysis is based on a dimension of the metal line and an overall circuit requirement.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a resistance of the metal lines slows the propagation of the signal through the metal line.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: TESSERA, INC.
To: TESSERA LLC
Reel/Frame 073658/0439 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 21, 2025
From: TESSERA LLC
To: ADEIA SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 073658/0823 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2020
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: TESSERA, INC.
Reel/Frame 051489/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2016
From: CLEVENGER, LAWRENCE A.; LI, BAOZHEN; PETERSON, KIRK D.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039691/0438 →