IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,588,487
Granted Patent B2
US 12,588,487 · App. 18/211,283 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Tight pitch directional selective via growth

Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Lanzillo (Wynantskill, NY); Koichi Motoyama (Clifton Park, NY); Ruilong Xie (Niskayuna, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H10W20/42H10W20/081H10W20/425
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,588,487
App. No.
18/211,283
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor interconnect structure and formation thereof. The semiconductor interconnect structure includes a subtractively formed via located on top of a lower level metal line. The subtractively formed via has a bottom portion and a top portion. The semiconductor interconnect structure further includes a selectively grown region formed onto the top portion of the subtractively formed via. A portion of the selectively grown region overhangs the bottom portion of the subtractively formed via in one or more directions.

Claims (31)

1 . A semiconductor interconnect structure, comprising:

a via located on top of a lower level metal line, wherein the via includes a bottom portion and a top portion; and

an arc-shaped region located on the top portion of the via, wherein the arc-shaped region overhangs the bottom portion of the via, and wherein the arc-shaped region is visible from a top view of the semiconductor interconnect structure.

2 . The semiconductor interconnect structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

an upper level metal line located on top of the arc-shaped region, wherein the arc-shaped region and the top portion of the via are recessed within the upper level metal line.

3 . The semiconductor structure of claim 2 , wherein the upper level metal line direction runs perpendicular to the lower level metal line direction.

4 . The semiconductor structure of claim 2 , wherein the via electrically connects the lower level metal line to the upper level metal line.

5 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein:

the bottom portion of the via is recessed within, and located below a top surface of an interlayer dielectric layer; and

the top portion of the via is located above the top surface of the inter layer dielectric layer.

6 . The semiconductor interconnect structure of claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped region located on the top portion of the via and the top portion of the via are formed from a same conductive metal material.

7 . The semiconductor interconnect structure of claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped region located on the top portion of the via and the top portion of the via are formed from different conductive metal materials.

8 . The semiconductor interconnect structure of claim 1 , wherein the lower level metal line and the via comprise a conductive metal material selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), and an alloy thereof.

9 . The semiconductor interconnect structure of claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped region comprises a conductive metal material selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), and an alloy thereof.

10 . A method of forming a semiconductor interconnect structure, comprising:

forming a via on top of a lower level metal line, wherein the via includes a bottom portion and a top portion; and

forming an arc-shaped region on the top portion of the via, wherein the arc-shaped region overhangs the bottom portion of the via, and wherein the arc-shaped region is visible from a top view of the semiconductor interconnect structure.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the via on top of the lower metal line comprises:

depositing a conductive metal material onto a substrate; and

performing one or more subtractive etch processes to pattern the conductive metal material into the lower level metal line and the via formed on top thereof.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming an interlayer dielectric layer, wherein forming the interlayer dielectric comprises:

depositing an interlayer dielectric material onto the lower level metal line and the via; and

recessing the interlayer dielectric material below the top surface of the via.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the arc-shaped region on the top portion of the via comprises:

forming a block mask onto a first portion of the top portion of the via; and

depositing, using area selective deposition, a conductive metal material onto a second portion of the top portion of the via left exposed by the block mask.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the conductive metal material is selective to a material of the top portion of the via over a material of the block mask.

15 . The method claim 13 , wherein the arc-shaped region and the top portion of the via comprise a same conductive metal material.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the arc-shaped region and the top portion of the via comprise different conductive metal materials.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the arc-shaped region comprises a conductive metal material selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu) aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), and an alloy thereof.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lower level metal line and the via comprise a conductive metal material selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), and an alloy thereof.

Assignments (1)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPRLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 063981 FRAME: 0856. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 5, 2023
From: LANZILLO, NICHOLAS ANTHONY; MOTOYAMA, KOICHI; XIE, RUILONG
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064207/0579 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240421069A1 · Dec 19, 2024
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