Patent ID: 7223680

Claim:
A method of forming a conductor on a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure having a layer of insulation material and a via that contacts the layer of insulation material, the layer of insulation material having a top surface, the method comprising: etching the top surface of the layer of insulation material to form a plurality of spaced-apart first openings in the layer of insulation material, each first opening having a bottom surface that lies below the top surface of the layer of insulation material; and simultaneously etching the top surface of the layer of insulation material and the bottom surface of each first opening to form a second opening in the layer of insulation material, and lower the bottom surface of each first opening to form a plurality of spaced-apart lowered first openings that each have a bottom surface, the bottom surfaces of two or more of the plurality of spaced-apart lowered first openings exposing the via, the second opening having a top that lies in a common plane with the top surface of the layer of insulation material, and a bottom that lies below the top surface of the layer of insulation material, each of the plurality of spaced-apart lowered first openings extending away from the bottom of the second opening.