IP Library Granted Patent US 11,942,361
Granted Patent B2
US 11,942,361 · App. 17/348,093 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

Semiconductor device cavity formation using directional deposition

Inventors: Armin Saeedi Vahdat (Burlington, MA); Tristan Y. Ma (Lexington, MA); Johannes M. van Meer (Middleton, MA); John Hautala (Beverly, MA); Naushad K. Variam (Marblehead, MA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01L21/7682H01L21/0226H01L21/764
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,942,361
App. No.
17/348,093
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are approaches for forming semiconductor device cavities using directional dielectric deposition. One method may include providing a plurality of semiconductor structures and a plurality of trenches of a semiconductor device, and forming a dielectric atop the plurality of semiconductor structures by delivering a dielectric material at a non-zero angle of inclination relative to a normal extending perpendicular from a top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures. The dielectric may be further formed by delivering the dielectric material at a second non-zero angle of inclination relative to the normal extending perpendicular from the top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures.

Claims (25)

1. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of semiconductor structures and a plurality of trenches of a semiconductor device;

forming a dielectric atop the plurality of semiconductor structures by:

delivering a dielectric material at a non-zero angle of inclination relative to a normal extending perpendicular from a top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures; and

delivering the dielectric material at a second non-zero angle of inclination relative to the normal extending perpendicular from the top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures, wherein the dielectric material forms a dielectric bridge extending over a cavity within at least one trench of the plurality of trenches.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dielectric atop the plurality of semiconductor structures comprises forming the dielectric along the top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures without entirely filling each of the plurality of trenches with the dielectric material.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the cavity to extend above the top surface of the plurality of semiconductor structures.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the plurality of semiconductor structures atop a base layer, wherein at least two semiconductor structures of the plurality of semiconductor structures are metal lines.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of semiconductor structures comprises forming a tungsten layer over a nitride layer, and wherein the plurality of trenches are formed through the tungsten layer and the nitride layer.

6. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of vertical structures and a plurality of trenches;

forming a first portion of a dielectric bridge by delivering a dielectric material at a non-zero angle of inclination relative to a normal extending perpendicular from a top surface of the plurality of vertical structures, wherein the dielectric bridge extends over at least one trench of the plurality of trenches; and

forming a second portion of the dielectric bridge by delivering the dielectric material at a second non-zero angle of inclination relative to the normal extending perpendicular from the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures, wherein the second portion of the dielectric bridge is connected to the first portion of the dielectric bridge, and wherein a cavity is formed beneath the dielectric bridge.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein forming the dielectric bridge over the at least one trench of the plurality of trenches comprises forming the dielectric material along the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures without entirely filling each of the plurality of trenches with the dielectric material.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cavity is disposed within the at least one trench of the plurality of trenches.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising extending the cavity above the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing the plurality of vertical structures atop a base layer, wherein each of the plurality of vertical structures is a metal line.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the plurality of vertical structures comprises forming a tungsten layer over a nitride layer, and wherein the plurality of trenches are formed through the tungsten layer and the nitride layer.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising forming a second dielectric over the dielectric material and the plurality of vertical structures.

13. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of vertical structures and a plurality of trenches;

forming a first portion of a dielectric bridge by delivering a dielectric material at a first non-zero angle of inclination relative to a normal extending perpendicular from a top surface of the plurality of vertical structures, wherein the dielectric bridge extends over at least one trench of the plurality of trenches; and

forming a second portion of the dielectric bridge by delivering the dielectric material at a second non-zero angle of inclination relative to the normal extending perpendicular from the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures, wherein the second portion of the dielectric bridge is connected to the first portion of the dielectric bridge, wherein the dielectric bridge partially defines a cavity within the at least one trench of the plurality of trenches, and wherein the cavity is beneath the dielectric bridge.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein delivering the dielectric material at the first non-zero angle of inclination and the second non-zero angle of inclination comprises forming the dielectric material along the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures without entirely filling each of the plurality of trenches with the dielectric material.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising extending the cavity above the top surface of the plurality of vertical structures.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2021
From: SAEEDI VAHDAT, ARMIN; MA, TRISTAN Y.; VAN MEER, JOHANNES M.; HAUTALA, JOHN; VARIAM, NAUSHAD K.
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 056576/0065 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220399225A1 · Dec 15, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,255,067