Patent Abstract:
Method of forming a semiconductor structure which includes forming first conductive spacers on a semiconductor substrate; forming second conductive spacers with respect to the first conductive spacers, at least one of the second conductive spacers adjacent to and in contact with each of the first conductive spacers to form combined conductive spacers; recessing the second conductive spacers with respect to the first conductive spacers so that the first conductive spacers extend beyond the second conductive spacers; depositing an ILD to cover the first and second spacers except for an exposed edge of the first conductive spacers; patterning the exposed edges of the first conductive spacers to recess the edges of the first conductive spacers in predetermined locations to form recesses with respect to the ILD; and filling the recesses with an insulating material to leave unrecessed edges of the first conductive spacers as vias to subsequent wiring features.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to wiring in semiconductor structures and, more particularly, relates to dual-metal self-aligned wires and vias. 
     Current practice in back end of the wiring processing is to use self-aligned schemes, where metal troughs are defined in an interlayer dielectric layer or in a hard mask, and vias are printed and etched in such a way that only the union of the metal trough and the via shape form vias down to the previous metal wiring level. Reliable printing of small vias, however, is a major issue, so current practice is to design a bar shape to increase areal pattern printability, and where this bar crosses the union with the metal trough is the resulting via. However, if this bar overlaps onto an adjacent metal trough, then that union will result in an undesirable via and possibly short that adjacent line to underlying wires. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The various advantages and purposes of the exemplary embodiments as described above and hereafter are achieved by providing, according to a first aspect of the exemplary embodiments, a method of forming a semiconductor structure including: forming first conductive spacers on a semiconductor substrate; forming second conductive spacers with respect to the first conductive spacers, at least one of the second conductive spacers adjacent to and in contact with each of the first conductive spacers to form combined conductive spacers; recessing the second conductive spacers with respect to the first conductive spacers so that the first conductive spacers extend beyond the second conductive spacers; depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) to cover the first and second spacers except for an exposed edge of the first conductive spacers; patterning the exposed edges of the first conductive spacers to recess the edges of the first conductive spacers in predetermined locations to form recesses with respect to the ILD and unrecessed edges with respect to the ILD; and filling the recesses with an insulating material to leave the unrecessed edges of the first conductive spacers as vias to subsequent wiring features. 
     According to a second aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method of forming a semiconductor structure including: forming mandrels on a semiconductor substrate; depositing a first conductive layer on the mandrels so as to cover the mandrels; depositing a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer; removing a portion of the second conductive layer and a portion of the first conductive layer to form first conductive spacers comprising the first conductive layer and second conductive spacers comprising the second conductive layer, at least one of the second conductive spacers adjacent to and in contact with each of the first conductive spacers to form combined conductive spacers; depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) to cover the first and second spacers except for exposed edges of the first conductive spacers; patterning the exposed edges of the combined conductive spacers to recess the edges of the combined conductive spacers in predetermined locations to form recesses with respect to the ILD and unrecessed edges with respect to the ILD; and filling the recesses with an insulating material to leave the unrecessed edges of the first conductive spacers as vias to subsequent wiring features. 
     According to a third aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a semiconductor structure including: a semiconductor substrate; a wiring layer on the semiconductor substrate, the wiring layer including: a plurality of fin-like structures and having a height (H), width (W) and length (L) such that L&gt;H&gt;W, each of the fin-like structures comprising a first layer of a first metal and a second layer of a second metal wherein the first metal is different from the second metal; and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) covering the plurality of fin-like structures except for exposed edges of the plurality of fin-like structures at predetermined locations as vias to subsequent wiring features. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features of the exemplary embodiments believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the exemplary embodiments are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The Figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The exemplary embodiments, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIGS. 1A to 9A  and  1 B to  9 B illustrate a first method of practicing the exemplary embodiments. 
         FIGS. 10A to 16A  and  10 B to  16 B illustrate a second method of practicing the exemplary embodiments. 
         FIGS. 17A to 24A  and  17 B to  24 B illustrate a third method of practicing the exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The problem with prior art wiring schemes is the difficulty in forming small-pitch metal wiring and necessary interlevel vias. The present inventors propose making wiring levels using two dissimilar metals, where the metals are formed in such a way that one metal is formed adjacent to one or two layers of the other metal, and only that one metal layer is used as a “stud-up” via to the next level. That one metal (via) is self-aligned to the metal line in the width direction, and forms only a portion of the total line width. The mask employed to define the position of that via can thus overlap the other-metal portion of adjacent lines without resulting in parasitic vias. 
     Referring to the Figures in more detail, and particularly referring to  FIGS. 1A to 9A  and  1 B to  9 B, there is illustrated a first method for practicing the exemplary embodiments. In the Figures, the “A” Figures illustrate cross-sectional views taken in the direction of arrows A-A shown in  FIG. 1B , and the “B” Figures illustrate plan views. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a semiconductor structure  10  including a semiconductor substrate  12  having a plurality of mandrels  14  situated thereon. While only two mandrels  14  are shown, it should be understood that there will be many more such mandrels as these mandrels will form the basis for forming wiring lines. The mandrels  14  may be formed by depositing a layer of a sacrificial material such as silicon dioxide or carbon-doped oxide and then defining the mandrels  14  by a conventional photoresist process and reactive ion etching (RIE) such as by use of fluorine-containing plasmas, such as CF 4 , CHF 3 , and C 4 F 6 . After the mandrels  14  are defined, the photoresist may be stripped. An advantage of the exemplary embodiments is that the mandrels  14  may be conventionally defined since the pitch of the mandrels  14  is about twice the pitch of the wiring to be subsequently defined. The mandrels  14  may have a nominal width of 50-200 nm and height of 60-200 nm. 
     Semiconductor substrate  12  may be a bulk semiconductor or semiconductor on insulator substrate that has proceeded through front end of the line processing including forming transistors and vias and contacts with respect to these transistors. Semiconductor substrate  12  may also have one or more metal wiring levels (i.e., middle of the line or back end of the line wiring levels) before processing by the exemplary embodiments. Contacts or vias connecting to conductive structures within semiconductor substrate  12  intersect the top surface of semiconductor substrate  12 . These contacts or vias may make contact with the wiring layer to be built on semiconductor substrate  12  as described hereafter. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a first metal layer  16  is deposited, preferably conformally deposited, over the mandrels  14  and the semiconductor substrate  12 . The first metal layer  16  may be conventionally deposited by a process such as chemical vapor deposition. The thickness of the first metal layer  16  may be approximately one half to one quarter the desired final wire width, such as between 10 and 40 nm for current technologies. It is preferred that the first metal in first metal layer  16  is tungsten. 
     The semiconductor structure  10  may undergo a RIE process, indicated by arrows  18  in  FIG. 2A , to remove horizontal portions of first metal layer  16  to expose mandrels  14  but leave spacers of first metal on the sidewalls of mandrels  14 . The RIE process may be a process employing chlorine. The mandrels  14  may then be etched to remove them. If the mandrels  14  are silicon dioxide, they may be etched by hydrofluoric acid (HF) or buffered HF. If the mandrels  14  are carbon-doped oxide, the mandrels  14  may be etched by a RIE process such as fluorine plasmas or by chemical oxide removal as based on a mixture of ammonia and vapor-HF. The resulting structure is shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  where the spacers of first metal wiring layer  16  form fin-like structures  20  which have a height “H”, a width “W” and a length “L” usually such that L&gt;H&gt;W. That is, the fin-like structures  20  are tall and thin and have a length that is usually larger than the height of the fin-like structures  20 . The fin-like structures  20  may hereafter be referred to as spacers  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a second metal layer  22  is deposited, preferably conformally deposited, over the spacers  20  and the semiconductor substrate  12 . The thickness of the second metal layer  22  may be approximately one eighth to one third of the desired final wire width, such as between 5 and 35 nm for current technologies, and in any event may be selected so as to not fill the spaces  24  between spacers  20  except where connections between adjacent lines is desired such as at location  26  shown in  FIG. 4B . It should be understood that the spaces  24  between spacers  20  has been exaggerated for clarity in describing the exemplary embodiments. It is preferred that the second metal in the second metal layer  22  is aluminum. 
     The semiconductor structure  10  may then undergo a RIE process, indicated by arrows  28  in  FIG. 4A , to remove horizontal portions of second metal layer  22  to expose spacers  20  but leave spacers  30  of second metal on the sidewalls of spacers  20 . The RIE process used may be BCl 3  removal of Al 2 O 3  followed by low-power chlorine plasma. In this RIE process, indicated by arrows  28  in  FIG. 4A , the second metal layer  22  is also recessed to lower the height of second metal layer  22 . The resulting structure is shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  in which spacers  20  are “sandwiched” between shorter spacers  30 . Spacers  20  extend beyond shorter spacers  30 . Shorter spacers  30  are adjacent to and in physical contact with first spacers  20 . Shorter spacers  30  are also on either side of first spacers  20  to form the “sandwich”. Connection at location  26  between the second metal layer  22  (now second spacers  30 ) is preferably maintained. 
     The shorter spacers  30  provide an important advantage in that they form a wider line for greater conductivity and will be covered by an insulating material in a subsequent step. Interlayer wiring is conducted by the thinner first spacers  20 . Narrow first spacers  20  form refractory via material self-aligned to the more-conductive second spacers  30 , easing alignment of subsequent wire levels to vias from this level. 
     The first metal in spacers  20  and the second metal in spacers  30  should be selected such that they may be selectively etched by RIE or another process with respect to one another. Tungsten as the first metal and aluminum as the second metal meet this objective in that the aluminum spacers  30  may be etched with a chlorine-based RIE without adversely affecting the tungsten spacers  20 . 
     The combination of first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  will form wiring lines in the finished structure. It may be desirable to selectively remove portions of first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  to form these wiring lines. After applying a suitable photoresist and patterning, the unwanted portions of first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  may be selectively removed at  40  to result in the structure shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . In one etching process, a two-step etching process may be employed wherein the first spacers  20  (if tungsten) may be etched by the fluorine-based RIE process described above while the second spacers  30  (if aluminum) may be etched by the chlorine-based RIE process described above. The order of etching of the first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  may be reversed. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer  32  is applied and planarized to reveal the top edges of first spacers  20 . Sufficient ILD layer  32  must be maintained to avoid exposing second spacers  30 . As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , only the top edges of first spacers  20  are exposed. ILD layer  32  may consist of Carbon-doped oxide (CDO). ILD layer  32  may also consist of a combination of CDO preceeded by deposition of a thin barrier material to better isolate the first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  from the bulk of ILD layer  32 . 
     Then, vias are defined using photoresist applied to ILD layer  32  which is patterned using available lithography and etched using RIE to pull down (recess) the first conductive spacers  20  except where it is desired for the first conductive spacers  20  to form vias to the next metal wiring level. The RIE process utilized may be the fluorine-based process described above for etching the first spacers  20 .  FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate where first spacers  20  have been recessed  34  to leave only portions  36  of first spacers  20  which form the vias to the next wiring level. The first spacers  20  must be recessed sufficiently so that when the recesses  34  are filled with an insulating material, the first spacers  20 , except for portions  36 , will be insulated from the next wiring level. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate the deposition and planarization of insulating material  38  to fill the recesses  34  shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . The insulating material  38  must be planarized sufficiently so that portions  36  of first spacers  20  are exposed. The insulating material  38  may be any insulating material that is capable of filling the recesses  34 . Such insulating materials  38  may be silicon dioxide, carbon-doped oxide, polyimides, or polynorbornenes. 
     Further processing may then continue to form a second wiring level (not shown) according to processing illustrated in  FIGS. 1A to 9A  and  1 B to  9 B or by conventional processing. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 10A to 16A  and  10 B to  16 B, there is illustrated a second method for practicing the exemplary embodiments. In the Figures, the “A” Figures illustrate cross-sectional views taken in the direction of arrows A-A shown in  FIG. 10B , and the “B” Figures illustrate plan views. 
     The second method begins with the same semiconductor structure  100  including a semiconductor substrate  112  having a plurality of mandrels  114  situated thereon as previously illustrated and described with respect to  FIGS. 1A and 1B . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 11A and 11B , a first metal layer  116  is deposited, preferably conformally deposited, over the mandrels  114  and the semiconductor substrate  12 . The thickness of the first metal layer  16  is approximately one half to one third the desired final wire width, such as between 10 and 40 nanometers. It is preferred that the first metal in first metal layer  116  is tungsten. Then, a second metal layer  122  is deposited, preferably conformally deposited, over the first metal layer  116 . The thickness of the second metal layer  122  is approximately one half to two thirds of the desired final wire width, such as between 15 to 40 nanometers and in any event may be selected so as to not fill the spaces  124  between mandrels  114  except where connection between adjacent lines is desired such as at location  126  shown in  FIG. 11B . It should be understood that the spaces  124  between mandrels  114  has been exaggerated for clarity in describing the exemplary embodiments. It is preferred that the second metal in the second metal layer  122  is aluminum. 
     The semiconductor structure  100  undergoes a RIE process, indicated by arrows  128  in  FIG. 11A , to remove horizontal portions of second metal layer  122  and first metal layer  116  to expose mandrels  114 . The RIE process may include a two-step RIE process in which a chlorine-based RIE (described above) may be utilized to etch the second metal layer  122  to form spacers  132  of second metal on sidewalls of first metal  116 , and a fluorine-based RIE (described above) may be utilized to etch the first metal layer  116  to form spacers  130  of first metal on sidewalls of mandrels  114 . The second metal layer  122  may be etched to recess the spacers  132  below the top of the first metal layer  116 . The mandrels  114  may then be etched by HF, buffered HF or RIE, as described in the first exemplary embodiment, to remove them. The resulting structure is shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B  where the remnants of first metal wiring layer  116  form fin-like structures  130  which have a height “H”, a width “W” and a length “L” usually such that L&gt;H&gt;W. That is, the fin-like structures  130  are tall and thin and have a length that is usually larger than the height of the fin-like structures  130 . The fin-like structures  130  will hereafter be referred to as first spacers  130 . Adjacent to and in physical contact with the first spacers  130  are second spacers  132  which are the remnants of second metal layer  122 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the mandrels  114  may remain in place and need not be etched away if they are made of appropriate insulators, such as carbon-doped oxides or SiO 2 . 
     It is noted that in the semiconductor structure  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the second spacers  132  are only on one side of the first spacers  130 . An advantage of the second exemplary method is that fewer processing steps may be required and second spacers  132  provide physical support to first spacers  130  after removal of the mandrels  114 . Connection at location  126  between the second metal layer  122  (now second spacers  132 ) is preferably maintained. 
     The combination of first spacers  130  and second spacers  132  may form wiring lines in the finished structure. It may be desirable to selectively remove portions of first spacers  130  and second spacers  132  to form these wiring lines. After applying a suitable photoresist and patterning, the unwanted first spacers  130  and second spacers  132  may be selectively removed at  142  by etching to result in the structure shown in  FIGS. 13A and 13B . In one etching process, a two-step etching process may be employed wherein the second spacers  132  (if aluminum) may be etched by the chlorine-based RIE process described above and the first spacers  130  (if tungsten) may be etched by the fluorine-based RIE process described above. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 14A and 14B , an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer  134  is applied and planarized to reveal the top edges of first spacers  130 . Sufficient ILD layer  134  must be maintained to avoid exposing second spacers  132 . As shown in  FIGS. 14A and 14B , only the top edges of first spacers  130  are exposed. 
     Then, ILD layer  134  is masked with a photoresist and the first spacers  130  are etched using a fluorine-based RIE as previously described to pull down (recess) the first spacers  130  except where it is desired for the first spacers  130  to connect as vias to the next metal wiring level.  FIGS. 15A and 15B  illustrate where first spacers  130  have been recessed  136  to leave only portions  138  of first spacers  130  which will contact as vias to the next metal wiring level. The first spacers  130  must be recessed sufficiently so that when the recesses  136  are filled with an insulating material, the first spacers  130 , except for portions  138 , will be insulated from the next wiring level. 
       FIGS. 16A and 16B  illustrate the deposition and planarization of insulating material  140  to fill the recesses  136  shown in  FIGS. 15A and 15B . The insulating material  140  must be planarized sufficiently so that portions  138  of first spacers  130  are exposed. The insulating material may be, for example, silicon dioxide, carbon-doped oxide or SiLK. 
     Further processing may then continue to form a second wiring level (not shown) according to processing illustrated in  FIGS. 1A to 9A  and  1 B to  9 B,  FIGS. 10A to 16A  and  10 B to  16 B, or by conventional processing. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 17A to 24A  and  17 B to  24 B, there is illustrated a third method for practicing the exemplary embodiments. In the Figures, the “A” Figures illustrate cross-sectional views taken in the direction of arrows A-A shown in  FIG. 17B , and the “B” Figures illustrate plan views. 
     The third method begins with the same semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate  12  having a plurality of first spacers  20  situated thereon as previously illustrated and described with respect to  FIGS. 1A to 3A  and  1 B to  3 B. In the third exemplary embodiment, it is desired to place a thin layer of material, in this case another layer of first metal, between the second metal layer to be deposited and substrate  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 18A and 18B , a second layer of first metal  216  is deposited, preferably conformally, over first spacers  20 . The thickness of second layer of first metal  216  is desired to be between 3 and 6 nm, although other thicknesses sufficient to prevent interaction between second metal layer  222  (deposited hereafter) and substrate  12  can be employed. 
     Thereafter, as shown in  FIGS. 19A and 19B , second metal layer  222  is deposited, preferably conformally, over second layer of first metal  216 . As discussed with respect to the first exemplary embodiment, the first metal in first spacers  20  and second layer of first metal  216  may be tungsten while the second metal in second metal layer  222  may be aluminum. The semiconductor structure  200  then undergoes a multiple step RIE process  228  which includes first employing a chlorine-based RIE to remove horizontal portions of second metal layer  222  and recess second metal layer  222  to form second spacers  30 . In a next step, a fluorine-based RIE is employed to remove horizontal portions of second layer of first metal  216 . The result is shown in  FIGS. 20A and 20B . It is noted that a portion  217  of second layer of first metal layer  216  is situated underneath second spacer  30  to isolate second spacer  30  from physical contact with substrate  12 . 
     Further processing of semiconductor structure  200  may continue as described with respect to the first exemplary embodiment. 
     That is, wiring lines that are formed by the combination of first spacers  20  and second spacers  30  may be selectively removed as illustrated in  FIGS. 21A and 21B  and as described above. 
     Then, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer  32  is applied and planarized to reveal the top edges of first spacers  20  and second layer of first metal  216  as shown in  FIGS. 22A and 22B . Only the top edges of first spacers  20  are exposed. 
     Then, as shown in  FIGS. 23A and 23B , recesses  34  are formed in ILD layer  32  to leave only portions  36  of first spacers  20  and second layer of first metal  216  which constitute the vias to the next metal wiring level. 
       FIGS. 24A and 24B  illustrate the deposition and planarization of insulating material  38  to fill the recesses  34  shown in  FIGS. 23A and 23B . 
     Further processing may then continue to form a second wiring level (not shown) according to processing illustrated in  FIGS. 1A to 9A  and  1 B to  9 B,  FIGS. 10A to 16A  and  10 B to  16 B,  FIGS. 17A to 24A  and  17 B to  24 B, or by conventional processing. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having regard to this disclosure that other modifications of the exemplary embodiments beyond those embodiments specifically described here may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications are considered within the scope of the invention as limited solely by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7