Patent ID: 7982286

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device formed over a semiconductor substrate, comprising: depositing a metal layer over a dielectric layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, the metal layer having an overall thickness of about 1 micron or greater, the metal layer formed by: depositing a first portion of the metal layer over the dielectric layer, the first portion having a compressive or tensile stress associated therewith; placing a stress-compensating layer over the first portion, such that the stress-compensating layer has a stress opposite to the compressive or tensile stress associated with the first portion; depositing a second portion the metal layer over the stress-compensating layer; and depositing and patterning a photoresist layer over the second portion of the metal layer; and etching the metal layer to form the semiconductor device such that any remaining first portion of the metal layer remains entirely in contact with the dielectric layer.