Patent ID: 8017490

Claim:
A method of forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor comprising: forming a copper interconnect layer in an interlayer dielectric layer (ILD); sequentially forming a lower electrode layer, a dielectric material, an upper electrode layer on the copper interconnect, and a capping insulation layer thereon; forming a first photo-resist pattern on the capping insulation layer off-set from an interface between the lower electrode layer and the copper interconnect layer; using the first photo-resist pattern as an etch mask to remove portions of the upper electrode layer and capping insulation layer outside the first photo-resist pattern to form an upper electrode beneath the first photo-resist pattern and to expose a portion of the dielectric material above the interface; forming a passivation layer directly on the exposed dielectric material and on the upper electrode; and forming a second photo-resist pattern on the passivation layer covering the interface and the upper electrode.