Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is a conductive fuse for a semiconductor device, comprising: a pair of contact portions integrally connected to a fusible portion by connecting portions; the contact portions thicker than the connecting portions and the connecting portions thicker than the fusible portion; a first dielectric under the connecting portions and the fusible portion and extending between the pair of contact portions; and a second dielectric between the first dielectric and the fusible portion, the second dielectric extending between the connecting portions and defining the length of the fusible portion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor integrated circuits; more specifically, it relates to a fuse for semiconductor integrated circuits and the method of fabricating said fuse.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Semiconductor integrated circuits include a semiconductor substrate containing active devices, such as transistors and diodes, passive devices, such as capacitors and resistors and interconnection layers formed on top of the substrate containing wires for joining the active and passive devices into integrated circuits.  
         [0003]     Many semiconductor devices such as logic circuits such as complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS), Bipolar, and BiCMOS and memory devices such as dynamic random access memory (DRAMs) and static random access memory (SRAMs) are designed to be tailored after manufacture by “blowing fuses” (deleting fuses.) Tailoring includes adjusting circuit parameters and deleting failed circuit elements and replacing them with redundant circuit elements.  
         [0004]     Fuses are usually formed from narrow wires in the interconnection layers designed to be opened by vaporizing a portion of the wire by either passing an electric current through the fuse or now more commonly by a laser pulse. Modern semiconductor integrated circuits often require many thousands of fuses arranged in closely spaced banks. Fuses are most often located in the uppermost interconnection wiring levels in order to minimize damage to adjoining structures, to minimize the thickness of dielectric passivation covering the fuse and to allow an optically clear path for a laser to the fuse.  
         [0005]     Many semiconductor integrated circuits use a hierarchical wiring scheme; thin, tight pitched wiring in lower wiring levels for performance purposes and thick, relaxed pitch wiring in higher wiring levels for current carrying requirements. Fuses fabricated in these higher wiring levels being formed of thick metal require high fuse energy to vaporize than fuses formed in thin wiring levels. Since fuses generally must be formed in upper levels of wiring for the reasons given above a difficult problem is created. The high power, for example of a laser, required to delete thick fuses can create similar collateral damage to adjoining fuses and wires (resulting in reduced yields) as well as create cracks and craters in the dielectric layers separating wiring levels (resulting in reliability problems) that locating the fuse in lower wiring levels can cause. Further, thick fuses must often be spaced wide apart to reduce these problems resulting in an excessive area of the die being required for fuses.  
         [0006]     Dielectric damage is also a great concern when low-k dielectric materials are used between wiring levels. Low-k dielectrics are generally not thermally stable, have a low modulus and can melt, deform, or collapse when subjected to thermal and mechanical stress, such as induced by fuse blow. Examples of low-k dielectrics include spin on glass, porous silicon oxide, polyimide, polyimide siloxane, polysilsequioxane polymer, benzocyclobutene, paralyene, polyolefin, poly-naphthalene, amorphous Teflon (a fluropolymer resin), SiLK™ (a polyphenylene oligomer and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,679) manufactured by Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich., Black Diamond™ (silica doped with about 10 mole % methane), manufactured by Applied Materials Corp., polymer foam and aerogel. Common dielectrics include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, diamond, and fluorine doped silicon oxide.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A first aspect of the present invention is a conductive fuse for a semiconductor device, comprising: a pair of contact portions integrally connected to a fusible portion by connecting portions; the contact portions thicker than the connecting portions and the connecting portions thicker than the fusible portion; a first dielectric under the connecting portions and the fusible portion and extending between the pair of contact portions; and a second dielectric between the first dielectric and the fusible portion, the second dielectric extending between the connecting portions and defining the length of the fusible portion.  
         [0008]     A second aspect of the present invention is a method for fabricating a fuse for a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a first dielectric layer on a top surface of the substrate; forming a dielectric mandrel on a top surface of the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer on top of the mandrel and a top surface of the first dielectric layer; forming contact openings down to the substrate in the first and second dielectric layers on opposite sides of the mandrel; removing the first dielectric layer from over the mandrel between the contact openings to form a trough; and filling the trough and contact openings with a conductor.  
         [0009]     A third aspect of the present invention is a method for fabricating a fuse for a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a first dielectric layer on a top surface of the substrate; forming a dielectric mandrel on a top surface of the first dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer on top of the mandrel and a top surface of the first dielectric layer; forming, in a first region, contact openings down to the substrate in the first and second dielectric layers on opposite sides of the mandrel; removing the first dielectric layer from over the mandrel and the first dielectric layer and a portion of the first dielectric layer between the contact openings and the mandrel to form a trough and simultaneously, in a second region, removing the first dielectric layer and a portion of the second dielectric to form a trench; and filling the trough and contact openings with a conductor to form a fuse and filling the trench with the conductor to form a wire.  
         [0010]     A fourth aspect of the present invention is a semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having integrated circuits; and at least one fuse, the fuse comprising: a pair of contact portions integrally connected to a fusible portion by connecting portions; the contact portions thicker than the connecting portions and the connecting portions thicker than the fusible portion; a first dielectric under the connecting portions and the fusible portion and extending between the pair of contact portions; and a second dielectric between the first dielectric and the fusible portion, the second dielectric extending between the connecting portions and defining the length of the fusible portion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIGS. 1 through 10  are partial cross-section views illustrating the fabrication of a triple damascene fuse is according to the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIGS. 11 through 14  are top views of alternative embodiments of the triple damascene fuse according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIGS. 1 through 10 , are partial cross-section views illustrating the fabrication of a triple damascene fuse is according to the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , a barrier layer  100  is formed on a substrate  105 . In one example, barrier layer  100  is silicon nitride and is about 0.03 to 0.10 microns thick. Formed on top of barrier layer  100  is a first dielectric layer  110 . In one example, first dielectric layer  110  is silicon oxide or fluoridated silicon oxide and is about 0.80 to 2.0 microns thick. In a second example, first dielectric layer  110  is a low-k dielectric such as spin on glass, porous silicon oxide, polyimide, polyimide siloxane, polysilsequioxane polymer, benzocyclobutene, paralyene, polyolefin, poly-naphthalene, amorphous Teflon (a fluropolymer resin), SiLK™ (a polyphenylene oligomer) manufactured by Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich., Black Diamond™-(silica doped with about 10 mole % methane), manufactured by Applied Materials Corp., polymer foam or aerogel. Formed on top of first dielectric layer  110  is a mandrel layer  115 . In one example, mandrel layer  115  is silicon nitride, silicon carbide, boron nitride or aluminum oxide and is about 0.15 to 0.50 microns thick. Formed in substrate  105  is a pair of conductive wires  120 . Conductive wires  120  are electrically connected to circuits in substrate  105 . Conductive wires  120  comprise a core conductor  125  and a liner  130 . In one example, core conductor  125  is copper and liner  130 . In a second example, core conductor  125  is aluminum or aluminum-copper, aluminum-copper-silicon or aluminum alloy. In one example liner  130  is formed from, titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten, tungsten nitride, tantalum, tantalum nitride, chromium or layers thereof.  
         [0015]     In  FIG. 2 , a first photolithographic process is performed to form a first photoresist pattern  135  on top of mandrel layer  115 . First photoresist pattern  135  is used as an etch mask to form a mandrel in mandrel layer  115  as illustrated in  FIG. 3  and described below.  
         [0016]     In FIG.,  3 , a first reactive ion etch (RIE) is performed and first photoresist pattern  135  removed to form mandrel  140 . In the example, where mandrel layer  115  is silicon nitride and first dielectric layer  110  is silicon oxide, the first RIE process chemistry is selected to be selective to silicon nitride over silicon oxide and comprises about 30 to 40 SCCM of CF 4 , about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar.  
         [0017]     In  FIG. 4 , a second dielectric layer  145  is formed on top of first dielectric layer  110  and mandrel  140  and polished using a first chemical-mechanical-polish (CMP) process to form a flat top surface  150 . In one example, second dielectric layer is silicon oxide or fluoridated silicon oxide and is about 0.20 to 0.9 microns thick. In a second example, second dielectric layer  145  is a low-k dielectric such as spin on glass, porous silicon oxide, polyimide, polyimide siloxane, polysilsequioxane polymer, benzocyclobutene, paralyene, polyolefin, poly-naphthalene, amorphous Teflon (a fluropolymer resin), SiLK™ (a polyphenylene oligomer) (Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich.), polymer foam or aerogel. It should be understood that many spun on low-k materials (for example, paralene&#39;s) do not require a CMP process step as they are self planarizing when applied.  
         [0018]     In  FIG. 5 , a second photolithographic process is performed to form a second photoresist pattern  155  on top of second dielectric layer  145 . Second photoresist pattern  155  is used as an etch mask to form a contact hole down to conductive wires  120  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  and described below.  
         [0019]     In  FIG. 6 , a second RIE is performed and second photoresist pattern  155  removed to form a pair of contact holes  160  in first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  down to barrier layer  100 . Contact holes  160  are aligned to conductive wires  120 . In the example, where barrier layer  100  is silicon nitride and first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  are silicon oxide, the second RIE process chemistry is selected to be selective to silicon oxide over silicon nitride and comprises about 15 to 45 SCCM of CF 4 , about 15 to 45 SCCM of CHF 3 , about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar. A second suitable etch chemistry comprises about 15 to 45 SCCM of C 2 F 6 , about 15 to 45 SCCM of CH 3 F, about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar.  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 7 , a third photolithographic process is performed to form a third photoresist pattern  165  on top of second dielectric layer  145 . Third photoresist pattern  165  is used as an etch mask to form a trough in first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  that defines the triple damascene fuse geometry and a trench in the second dielectric layer that defines normal last metal (LM) wiring as illustrated in  FIG. 8  and described below.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 8 , a third RIE is performed to form a trough  170  in first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  and a trench  175  in second dielectric layer  145  and third photoresist pattern  165  is removed. In the example, where barrier layer  100  and mandrel  140  are silicon nitride and first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  are silicon oxide, the third RIE process chemistry is selected to be selective to silicon oxide over silicon nitride and comprises about 15 to 45 SCCM of CF 4 , about 15 to 45 SCCM of CHF 3 , about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar. A second suitable etch chemistry comprises about 15 to 45 SCCM of C 2 F 6  about 15 to 45 SCCM of CH 3 F, about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar. All exposed second dielectric  145  is etched away but only a portion of first dielectric layer  110  is etched away.  
         [0022]     These chemistries do not significantly etch silicon nitride, so most of mandrel  140  and barrier layer  100  are not removed. Mandrel  140  protects the portion of second dielectric layer  145  under the mandrel from being etched and barrier layer  100  protects core conductor  125  from exposure oxide RIE photoresist strip processes. Protecting core conductor  125  is especially important when the core conductor comprises copper and oxygen-containing RIE processes and oxygen plasma and/or oxidizing acid photoresist strip processes are used. After removal of third photoresist pattern  165 , (assuming the barrier layer  100  and mandrel  140  are silicon nitride and first and second dielectric layers  110  and  145  are silicon oxide) those portions of barrier layer  100  exposed in contact holes are removed by a fourth RIE process selective to silicon nitride over silicon oxide which comprises about 30 to 40 SCCM of CF 4 , about 3 to 10 SCCM of O 2  and about 450 to 500 SCCM of Ar. Since mandrel  140  is exposed, a portion of the mandrel of approximately the same thickness as barrier layer  100  is also removed. Thus it is possible to completely remove mandrel  140  depending on the relative thicknesses and etch rates of the mandrel and barrier layer  100 .  
         [0023]     In  FIG. 9 , a conformal liner  180  is deposited on all surfaces of trough  170  and trench  175  as well as on a top surface  185  of second dielectric layer  145 . A core conductor  190  is deposited sufficiently thick to completely fill trough  170  and trench  175 . A second CMP process is performed to remove excess liner and core conductor from top surface  185  of second dielectric layer  145  and to polish a fuse  195  and a wire  200  co-planer with the top surface of the second dielectric layer.  
         [0024]     The thickness of the second dielectric layer  145  and the depth of the third RIE into first dielectric  110  will largely determine the thickness of wire  200 . In one example, wire  200  is about 0.13 to 0.55 microns thick. In a second example, wire  200  is about 0.7 to 2.0 microns thick. In a third example, wire  200  is about 0.13 to 2.0 microns thick.  
         [0025]     Fuse  195  includes a contact portion  205  integral with a connecting portion  210 , which is integral with a fusible portion  215 . Note, if mandrel  140  was removed during the etch of barrier layer  100 , fusible portion  215  would be thicker by thickness of the mandrel layer. The thickness of second dielectric layer  145  and mandrel  140  will largely determine the thickness of fusible portion  215  of fuse  195 . The thickness of the second dielectric layer  145  and the depth of the third RIE into first dielectric  110  will largely determine the thickness of connecting portion  210 . In one example, connecting portion  205  is about 0.13 to 0.55 or about 0.7 to 2.0 microns thick or about 0.13 to 2.0 microns thick with core conductor  190  comprising copper and with liner  185  comprising a layer of about 0.01 to 0.14 microns of tantalum over a layer of about 0.005 to 0.070 microns of tantalum nitride. The total thickness of fusible portion  215  is 0.075 to 1.5 microns thick. In a second example, core conduct r  190  comprises aluminum or aluminum-copper, aluminum-copper-silicon or aluminum alloy and liner  195  comprises titanium over titanium nitride, the thickness of the layers being the same as for TaN/Ta/Cu example above. Other liner materials include tungsten, tungsten nitride and chromium, the liner total thicknesses being about 0.015 to 0.21 microns.  
         [0026]     In  FIG. 10 , a passivation layer  220  is formed on top surface  185  of second dielectric layer  145 , wire  200  and fuse  195 . In one example, passivation layer  220  comprises about 0.035 to 0.12 microns of silicon nitride over about 0 to 0.5 microns of silicon oxide over about 0 to 0.5 microns of silicon nitride.  
         [0027]      FIGS. 11 through 14  are top views of alternative embodiments of the triple damascene fuse according to the present invention.  FIG. 11  illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 11 , three fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are illustrated. Fusible portion  215  of each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C has a length “L” equal to the width of mandrel  140 . The width of each fusible portion is the same as the width “W1” of connecting portions  210 . Mandrel  140  is common to each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C. In each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C, connecting portion  210  connects fusible portion  215  to contact portion  205 . Each contact portion  205  is in electrical contact with conductive wire(s)  120 . Fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are spaced a distance “S” apart. Also illustrated in  FIG. 11 , is wire  200 . In one example, “L” is about 8 to 20 microns, “W1”, is about 0.3 to 1.8 microns and “S” is about 1 to 10 microns. If a laser is used to delete fusible portion  215  comprised of copper, a laser with a wavelength of 1.3 microns and having a pulse duration sufficient to provide 0.5 to 3.9 micro-joules will suffice if the thickness of passivation layer  220  is less than about 1.1 microns.  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 12 , three fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are illustrated. Fusible portion  215  of each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C has a length “L” equal to the width of mandrel  140 . Mandrel  140  is common to each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C. The width of each fusible portion “W2” is less than the width “W1” of connecting portions  210 . Each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C, connecting portion  210  connects fusible portion  215  to contact portion  205 . Each contact portion  205  is in electrical contact with conductive wire(s)  120 . Fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are spaced a distance “S” apart. Also illustrated in  FIG. 12 , is wire  200 . In one example, “L” is about 8 to 20 microns, “W2” is about 0.3 to 1.8 microns and “S” is about 1 to 10 microns. If a laser is used to delete fusible portion  215  comprised of copper, a laser with a wavelength of 1.3 microns and having a pulse duration sufficient to provide 0.5 to 3.9 micro-joules will suffice if the thickness of passivation layer  220  is less than about 1.1 microns.  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 13 , three fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are illustrated. Fusible portion  215  of each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C has a length “L” equal to the width of mandrel  140 . The width of each fusible portion is the same as the width “W1” of connecting portions  210 . A separate mandrel  140  is provided for each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C. Each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C, connecting portion  210  connects fusible portion  215  to contact portion  205 . Each contact portion  205  is in electrical contact with conductive wire(s)  120 . Fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are spaced a distance “S” apart. Also illustrated in  FIG. 13 , is wire  200 . In one example, “L” is about 8 to 20 microns, “W1” is about 0.3 to 1.8 microns and “S” is about 1 to 10 microns. If a laser is used to delete fusible portion  215  comprised of copper, a laser with a wavelength of 1.3 microns and having a pulse duration sufficient to provide 0.5 to 3.9 micro-joules will suffice if the thickness of passivation layer  220  is less than about 1.1 microns.  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 14 , three fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are illustrated. Fusible portion  215  of each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C has a length “L” equal to the width of mandrel  140 . A separate mandrel  140  is provided for each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C. The width of each fusible portion “W2” is less than the width “W3” of connecting portions  210 . Each fuse  225 A,  225 B and  225 C, connecting portion  210  connects fusible portion  215  to contact portion  205 . Each contact portion  205  is in electrical contact with conductive wire(s)  120 . Fuses  225 A,  225 B and  225 C are spaced a distance “S” apart. Also illustrated in  FIG. 14 , is wire  200 . In one example, “L” is about 8 to 20 microns, “W2” is about 0.3 to 1.8 microns and “S” is about 1 to 10 microns. If a laser is used to delete fusible portion  215  comprised of copper, a laser with a wavelength of 1.3 microns and having a pulse duration sufficient to provide 0.5 to 3.9 micro-joules will suffice if the thickness of passivation layer  220  is less than about 1.1 microns.  
         [0031]     It should be noted that while mandrel  140  is necessary to the fabrication of fuse  195 , the mandrel also acts to protect the underlying dielectric and metal layers from damage caused by “deleteing” the fuse. Mandrel  140 , also acts to contain the fuse blow energy, allowing lower power to be used, limiting collateral damage and allowing tighter pitch fuses.  
         [0032]     The description of the embodiments of the present invention is given above for the understanding of the present invention. It will be understood that the invention is not to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the fuse of the present invention may be fabrication in the next to last metal level (LM-1). Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7