IP Library Granted Patent US 12,727,468
Granted Patent B2
US 12,727,468 · App. 17/819,678 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Interconnect structure pattern

Inventors: Fu-Chiang Kuo (Hsinchu City, TW); Guan Yu Chen (New Taipei City, TW); Hsin-Liang Chen (Hsinchu City, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
H10W20/435H10W20/40H10W20/42H10W90/736
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 12,727,468
App. No.
17/819,678
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure describes a structure with a substrate, a circuit element, a first metallization layer, and a second metallization layer. The circuit element is formed on the substrate. The first metallization layer is disposed over the substrate and includes a first metal line electrically connected to the circuit element and first dummy metal lines extending along a first direction. The second metallization layer is disposed directly above the first metallization layer and includes a second metal line electrically connected to the first metal line and second dummy metal lines extending along a second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

Claims (39)

1 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a substrate including a circuit element formed thereon;

a first metallization layer disposed over the substrate and comprising:

a first metal line electrically connected to the circuit element; and

a plurality of first dummy metal lines extending along a first direction and electrically isolated from the first metal line; and

a second metallization layer disposed directly above the first metallization layer and comprising:

a second metal line electrically connected to the first metal line; and

a plurality of second dummy metal lines directly above the plurality of first dummy metal lines, extending along a second direction, and electrically isolated from the first metal line, the second metal line, and the plurality of first dummy metal lines, wherein one or more of the plurality of second dummy metal lines comprise a concave portion, a void structure, or combinations thereof, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

2 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein an elongated side of the first metal line extends along the first direction and an elongated side of the second metal line extends along the second direction.

3 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein a dummy metal line and an other dummy metal line of the plurality of first dummy metal lines are offset with respect to one another along the first direction.

4 . The semiconductor structure of claim 3 , wherein the offset is less than a length of the dummy metal line along the first direction.

5 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is in a direction along a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal direction.

6 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein an elongated side of the first metal line extends along the second direction and an elongated side of the second metal line extends along the first direction.

7 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first metallization layer further comprises an other plurality of first dummy metal lines extending along the second direction.

8 . The semiconductor structure of claim 1 , wherein a dummy metal line of the plurality of first dummy metal lines and an other dummy metal line of the plurality of first dummy metal lines have different widths.

9 . A semiconductor structure, comprising:

a substrate including a circuit element formed thereon;

a first metallization layer disposed over the substrate and comprising:

a first metal line electrically connected to the circuit element; and

a plurality of first dummy metal lines extending along a first direction and electrically isolated from the first metal line, wherein one or more of the plurality of first dummy metal lines comprise a concave portion, a void structure, or combinations thereof; and

a second metallization layer disposed directly above the first metallization layer and comprising:

a second metal line electrically connected to the first metal line; and

a plurality of second dummy metal lines directly above the plurality of first dummy metal lines, extending along a second direction, and electrically isolated from the second metal line and the plurality of first dummy metal lines, wherein one or more of the plurality of second dummy metal lines comprise the concave portion, the void structure, or combinations thereof, and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

10 . The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein a length of an elongated side of the plurality of first dummy metal lines and a length of an elongated side of the plurality of second dummy metal lines is greater than a length of an elongated side of the first metal line and a length of an elongated side of the second metal line, respectively.

11 . The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein a length of an elongated side of the plurality of first dummy metal lines and a length of an elongated side of the plurality of second dummy metal lines is less than a length of an elongated side of the first metal line and a length of an elongated side of the second metal line, respectively.

12 . The semiconductor structure of claim 9 , wherein the void structure comprises a dielectric material or air.

13 . A method, comprising:

forming a circuit element on a substrate;

forming first metal lines over the substrate and electrically connected to the circuit element;

forming second metal lines directly above the first metal lines and electrically connected to the first metal lines;

forming, between the first metal lines, a plurality of first dummy metal lines that extend along a first direction; and

forming, between the second metal lines, a plurality of second dummy metal lines that extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the plurality of second dummy metal lines are directly above and isolated from the plurality of first dummy metal lines, wherein one or more of the plurality of second dummy metal lines comprise a concave portion, a void structure, or combinations thereof.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming additional dummy metal lines between the first metal lines and the plurality of first dummy metal lines, between the second metal lines and the plurality of second dummy metal lines, or combinations thereof.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the circuit element comprises forming a transistor device, a capacitor, or combinations thereof on the substrate.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the first metal lines comprises routing the first metal lines with a spacing between two or more of the first metal lines.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein forming the plurality of first dummy metal lines comprises forming the plurality of first dummy metal lines in the spacing.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein forming the second metal lines comprises routing the second metal lines with a spacing between two or more of the second metal lines.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein forming the plurality of second dummy metal lines comprises forming the plurality of second dummy metal lines in the spacing.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the plurality of first dummy metal lines and the plurality of second dummy metal lines comprises forming the plurality of first dummy metal lines with an elongated side perpendicular to an elongated side of the plurality of second dummy metal lines.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 60824 FRAME: 531. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jul 15, 2026
From: KUO, FU-CHIANG; CHEN, GUAN YU; CHEN, HSIN-LIANG
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 076011/0144 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 16, 2022
From: KUO, FU-CHIANG; CHEN, GUAN YU; CHEN, HSIN-LIANG
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060824/0531 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63337427 · May 2, 2022
Related Publication 20230352404A1 · Nov 2, 2023
References Cited (45)
US 6261883B1 · Koubuchi · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6614049B1 · Koyama · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 9105490B2 · Wang et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9236267B2 · De et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9236300B2 · Liaw · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9406804B2 · Huang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9443769B2 · Wang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9520482B1 · Chang et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9548366B1 · Ho et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9576814B2 · Wu et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9831183B2 · Lin et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9859386B2 · Ho et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 11080455B1 · Hu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11121047B2 · Shu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11848285B2 · Park · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20040084777A1 · Yamanoue · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040089915A1 · Nanjo · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20050086617A1 · Ciplickas · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20070013071A1 · Adkisson · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20090294912A1 · Chibahara · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20110031581A1 · West · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120098105A1 · Adkisson · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120326146A1 · Hui · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130017669A1 · Kogawa · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130020674A1 · Leal · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130256906A1 · Mori · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140319522A1 · Daubenspeck · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140353845A1 · Morita · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150371957A1 · Wang · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20170033041A1 · Morita · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170169153A1 · Hwang · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180025991A1 · Koketsu · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180286911A1 · Kagawa · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190122951A1 · Chen · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200058543A1 · Han · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210057361A1 · Isozaki · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210175133A1 · Choi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210202472A1 · Thomson · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210320040A1 · Fu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220037206A1 · Sawada · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220299887A1 · Han · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220328526A1 · Liaw · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20240136311A1 · Jeon · 2024 [cited by examiner]
TW 201917841A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Non-final Rejection Search Report, Feb. 20, 2025, 5 pages, Application No. 112110284, Taiwan. [cited by applicant]