Spacer - defined dual damascene process method

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and in particular, dual damascene processing of conductive lines and vias.

[0004] 2. Background

[0005] An integrated circuit is formed by successive fabrication steps of depositing insulative material, forming grooves in the insulative material according to a specific pattern, and filling those grooves with conductive material. The filled material forms conductive lines and vias. Successive layers of conductive material form the integrated circuit elements and their interconnections. This fabrication process is known as damascene processing.

[0006] Dual damascene is a process whereby multilevel grooves are formed creating both conductive line openings and via openings to be filled in one process step with conductive material. An insulative material is coated with a resist layer, also known as a photomask, which is exposed to a mask with an image pattern of via openings. The upper half of the insulative material is etched. The photomask is then removed. The insulative material is again coated with a resist layer, which is exposed to a second mask with an image pattern of conductive lines. The insulative material is etched again. Grooves for the conductive lines are formed in the upper half of the insulative material and the already existing via openings are simultaneously etched in the lower half of the insulative material. The grooves are then filled with a conductive material, forming vias and conductive lines.

[0007] Dual damascene processing allows simultaneous filling of conductive lines and vias eliminating process steps. However, when using dual damascene processing with soft materials as the insulative material, such as a polymer material, the edges of the via openings are poorly defined due to the dual etchings.

[0008] A method of integrated circuit fabrication using soft materials for the insulative layer, such as a polymer material, utilizing dual damascene processing is disclosed. A spacer layer is utilized to improve the vertical edges of conductive lines and vias in an insulative material. Hard mask layers deposited on insulative material layers are utilized to improve the definition of horizontal edges of conductive lines and vias in the insulative material.

[0009] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.

[0010] So that the manner in which the above recited advantages and features of the present invention, as well as others which will become apparent, are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0011] FIGS. 1(a) through (e), prior art, are typical process steps for a damascene process.

[0012] FIGS. 2(a) through (h), prior art, are typical process steps for a dual damascene process.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows typical problems resulting from a dual damascene process utilizing a polymer material as the insulative material.

[0014] FIGS. 4(a) through (n) are the preferred process steps for the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows typical problems resulting from non-use of a spacer layer in a dual damascene process utilizing a polymer material as the insulative material.

[0016] FIGS. 1(a) through (e), prior art, are typical process steps for a damascene process. FIG. 1(a) shows the deposition of an insulative material 120 on substrate 110. Typical insulative materials include silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and fluorinated oxides. FIG. 1(b) shows the creation of a photomask 130 with an opening for a conductive line. A photoresist layer added onto the insulative material and exposed to an image pattern of a conductive line opening creates the photomask. Using an etching process, the insulative material 120 is etched as shown in FIG. 1(c), creating a conductive line opening 140. Any etching technique may be used, such as plasma etching processes including RIE (Reactive Ion Etch) and MERIE (Magnetically Enhanced Reactive Ion Etch). The photomask 130 is removed as shown in FIG. 1(d). A conductive material 150 is deposited in conductive line opening 140 as shown in FIG. 1(e). Typical conductive materials used are copper and aluminum.

[0017] FIGS. 2(a) through (h), prior art, are typical process steps for a dual damascene process. FIG. 2(a) shows the deposition of an insulative material 220 on substrate 210. Typical insulative materials include silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and fluorinated oxides. FIG. 2(b) shows the creation of a photomask 230 with an opening for a via. Using any available etching process, the insulative material 220 is etched partially, approximately half way through insulative material 220, as shown in FIG. 2(c), creating a via opening 225. The photomask 230 is removed as shown in FIG. 2(d). FIG. 2(e) shows the creation of a second photomask 240 with an opening for a conductive line. Using any available etching process, the insulative material 220 is etched partially, creating a conductive line opening 245 and deepening the via opening 225 to the substrate 210 as shown in FIG. 2(f). The second photomask 240 is removed as shown in FIG. 2(g). A conductive material 250 is deposited in via opening 225 and conductive line opening 245 as shown in FIG. 2(h). Typical conductive materials used are copper and aluminum.

[0018] The insulative materials typically used in dual damascene processes are rigid and have high dielectric constants. The strength of the material, also referred to as etch resistance, enables the edges of the via openings to withstand degradation due to the dual etching steps. However, materials with high dielectric constants have higher capacitance, requiring the circuits to run slower. The industry is moving towards the use of materials with low dielectric constants as the insulative materials. Typically the insulative materials used are spin-on polymers such as BCB (benzocyclobutilene), FLARE and SiLK (hydrocarbon polymers). Other polymers or soft insulative materials may be used. Polymers have low dielectric constants, which lowers the capacitance of the circuits enabling the circuits to run faster. However, polymers are softer, i.e., have lower etch resistance, and have higher elasticity than the oxides typically used in a dual damascene process.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows typical problems resulting from a dual damascene process where a soft material, such as a polymer material, is used as the insulative material. Insulative material 320 is deposited on substrate 310. After similar processing as shown in FIGS. 2(a)-(g), a via and conductive line opening is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, both the vertical and horizontal edges 340 of the via and conductive line opening are degraded from the dual etching steps. The edges slope inward and the corners are not well defined.

[0020] FIG. 4(a) through (n) are the preferred process steps for the present invention. FIG. 4(a) shows the deposition of a first insulative material 420 on substrate 410. The insulative materials are typically spin-on polymers such as BCB (benzocyclobutilene), FLARE and SiLK (hydrocarbon polymers). Other polymers or soft insulative materials may be used. Approximately 7000 angstroms of insulative material 420 is deposited. FIG. 4(b) shows the deposition of a first thin hard mask 430. Typical materials used for the hard mask include silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, however, any insulative material may be used if it has a higher etch resistance than the insulative material the hard mask is deposited on. Approximately 500-1000 angstroms of hard mask material 430 is deposited on the first insulative material 420. FIG. 4(c) shows the creation of a photomask 440 with an opening for a via. Using an etching process, the first thin hard mask 430 is etched through to the underlying first insulative material 420 as shown in FIG. 4(d). The photomask 440 is removed as shown in FIG. 4(e). FIG. 4(f) shows the deposition of a second insulative material 450. The second insulative material 450 may or may not be the same material as the first insulative material 420. Approximately 7000 angstroms of insulative material 450 is deposited. FIG. 4(g) shows the deposition of a second hard mask 460. The second hard mask 460 may or may not be the same material as the first hard mask 430. Approximately 500-1000 angstroms of hard mask material 460 is deposited. FIG. 4(h) shows the creation of a second photomask 470 with an opening for a conductive line. Using an etching process, the hard mask 460 and the second insulative material 450 are etched to the first hard mask 430 and first insulative material 420, creating conductive line opening 455, as shown in FIG. 4(i). The second photomask 470 is removed as shown in FIG. 4(j). A thin layer of spacer material 480 is deposited on second hard mask 460 and in conductive line opening 455 as shown in FIG. 4(k). Approximately 500 angstroms of spacer material 480 is deposited forming horizontal and vertical layers of material. Typical materials used for the spacer material include silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Using a directional etching process, the horizontal spacer material is removed as shown in FIG. 4(l), leaving vertical spacer material 480. Using any available etching process, the first insulative material 420 is etched through to the underlying substrate 410, creating via opening 425, as shown in FIG. 4(m). Remaining spacer material 480 may optionally be removed. A conductive material 490 is deposited in via opening 425 and conductive line opening 455 as shown in FIG. 4(n). Via opening X is typically 0.25 microns and conductive line opening Y is typically 0.35 microns.

[0021] Typically spacer layers have been used in doping technologies, such as in processes to create a lightly doped drain. In the present invention, the spacer layer is used to form a vertical etching barrier. Although the spacer layer and hard mask layers have a higher dielectric constant than the polymer material, the overall capacitance of the circuit is raised only slightly. Both the spacer layer and the hard mask layer have higher etch resistances than the polymer used as the insulative material.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a demonstration of typical problems resulting from non-use of a spacer layer. First insulative material 520 is deposited on substrate 510. After similar processing as shown in FIGS. 4(a)-(m), but not including the deposition of the spacer layer, the side walls 560 of the conductive line opening are barrel shaped as shown in FIG. 5. The well-defined edges of vias and conductive line openings created by using the present invention allows smaller geometries to be used, reducing via widths below 0.25 micron.

[0023] This new method of dual damascene processing may be used with any soft materials or at any time well defined conductive line and via openings are desired.

[0024] Although the present invention has been fully described above with reference to specific embodiments, other alternative embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention that is defined by the appended claims.