PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16015714
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-06
Publication Date: 2018-12
Patent Classification: ["438", "656000"]

Abstract:
Methods and apparatus to form fully self-aligned vias are described. First conductive lines are recessed in a first insulating layer on a substrate. A first metal film is formed in the recessed first conductive lines and pillars are formed from the first metal film. Some of the pillars are selectively removed and a second insulating layer is deposited around the remaining pillar. The remaining pillars are removed to form vias in the second insulating layer. A third insulating layer is deposited in the vias and an overburden is formed on the second insulating layer. Portions of the overburden are selectively etched from the second insulating layer to expose the second insulating layer and the filled vias and leaving portions of the third insulating layer on the second insulating layer. The third insulating layer is etched from the filled vias to form a via opening to the first conductive line.

Claim (Index 1):
A method to provide a self-aligned via, the method comprising:\n recessing first conductive lines on a first insulating layer on a substrate, the first conductive lines extending along a first direction on the first insulating layer; forming a first metal film in the recessed first conductive lines; forming pillars from the first metal film in the recessed first conductive lines; selectively removing some of the pillars and leaving at least one pillar; depositing a second insulating layer around the remaining pillars; removing the remaining pillars to form vias in the second insulating layer; depositing a third insulating layer in the vias onto the recessed first conductive lines to form filled vias; forming an overburden of third insulating layer on the second insulating layer; selectively etching a portion of the overburden from the second insulating layer to expose the second insulating layer and the filled vias and leaving portions of third insulating layer on the second insulating layer; and etching the third insulating layer from the filled vias to form a via opening to the first conductive line.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 14.0
- Percentile: 94.0
- Lexical Diversity: 3.01923
- Patent Class: 438.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['16003827', '15679458', '15812119', '10121792', '16070172']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.8457646031351358
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5263282529133768
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.81382096811296
- Mean Citation Score: 265.32462400000003
- Max Citation Score: 338.45865
- Similarity Product: 288.8387935649693

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test