Patent ID: 7838429

Claim:
. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: forming transistors on a semiconductor substrate; forming a pre-metal insulating layer over the transistors; forming first metal contacts through the pre-metal insulating layer into contact with the transistors; forming at least one interlevel dielectric layer over the first metal contacts and pre-metal insulating layer; and forming one or more thin film resistors over the at least one interlevel dielectric layer; wherein at least one thin film resistor is fabricated by a process that includes: forming an NiCr resistive material layer over the at least one interlevel dielectric layer; forming an insulating hard mask layer on the resistive material layer; performing a first dry etch process to pattern the hard mask insulating layer to form an insulative body; performing a second dry etch process using the insulative body as a hard mask to pattern the resistive material layer to form a resistive body, the insulative body remaining over the resistive body to prevent oxidation of the resistive body; forming another insulating layer over the insulative body and over the resistive body; and forming openings through the another insulating layer and the insulative body down to opposite ends of the resistive body; and filling the openings with metal to form interconnects, wherein said interconnects couple said resistive body to at least one of said transistors or another of said thin film resistors.