Abstract: An method including forming multiple interconnect levels on top of one another, each level comprising a metal interconnect and a crack stop both embedded in a dielectric layer, and a dielectric capping layer directly on top of the dielectric layer and directly on top of the metal interconnect, the crack stop is an air gap which intersects an interface between the dielectric layer and the dielectric capping layer of each interconnect level, and forming a through substrate via through the multiple interconnect levels adjacent to, but not in direct contact with, the crack stop, the crack stop of each interconnect level is directly between the metal interconnect of each interconnect level and the through substrate via to prevent cracks caused during fabrication from propagating away from the through substrate via and damaging the metal interconnect.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated metal line and interconnect. The method may include forming a first trench in a first ILD exposing a lower metal line, the first ILD is above a substrate, and the lower metal line is in the substrate; forming a first barrier layer in the first trench; forming an integrated metal layer (including a first metal line and a first via) on the first barrier layer; forming a first hardmask on the integrated metal layer; forming an isolation trench in the first hardmask and in the first metal line; forming a second barrier layer in the isolation trench; removing a portion of the second barrier layer from a bottom of the isolation trench exposing the first ILD; and forming a second ILD on the second barrier and in the isolation trench, where a bottom of the second ILD is in the first ILD.

Abstract: A back end of the line (BEOL) fuse structure having a stack of vias. The stacking of vias leads to high aspect ratios making liner and seed coverage inside the vias poorer. The weakness of the liner and seed layers leads to a higher probability of electromigration (EM) failure. The fuse structure addresses failures due to poor liner and seed coverage. Design features permit determining where failures occur, determining the extent of the damaged region after fuse programming and preventing further propagation of the damaged dielectric region.

Abstract: An electronic fuse structure including an Mx level including a first Mx metal, a second Mx metal, and an Mx cap dielectric above of the first and second Mx metal, an Mx+1 level above the Mx level, the Mx+1 level including an Mx+1 metal and a via electrically connecting the Mx metal to the Mx+1 metal in a vertical orientation, and a nano-pillar located within the via and above the second Mx metal.

Abstract: A structure including a first metal line in a first interconnect level, the first metal line comprising one or more graphene portions, a second metal line in a second interconnect level above the first interconnect level, the second metal line comprising one or more graphene portions, and a metal via comprising a palladium liner extends vertically and electrically connects the first metal line with the second metal line, the via is at least partially embedded in the first metal line such that the palladium liner is in direct contact with at least an end portion of the one or more graphene portions of the first metal line.

Abstract: Methods and systems determine an original statistical variance of an original failure distribution of a component (that is common to all chips tested) that occurs during manufacturing of wafers containing such chips. These methods and systems determine a first statistical variance of a reconstructed failure distribution, relative to sample size; and determine a second statistical variance of a mean time to failure of the component, relative to sample size. The first and second statistical variances are combined into a total reconstruction variance. Methods and systems determine whether the original statistical variance is less than the total reconstruction variance to identify whether the process of creating the reconstructed failure distribution can be used. Therefore, these methods and systems prohibit testing of the additional wafers manufactured using the specific wafer design and manufacturing process when on the original statistical variance is less than the total reconstruction variance.

Abstract: Hybrid metal-graphene interconnect structures and methods of forming the same. The structure may include a first end metal, a second end metal, a conductive line including one or more graphene portions extending from the first end metal to the second end metal, and one or more line barrier layers partially surrounding each of the one or more graphene portions. The conductive line may further include one or more intermediate metals separating each of the one or more graphene portions. Methods of forming said interconnect structures may include forming a plurality of metals including a first end metal and a second end metal in a dielectric layer, forming one or more line trenches between each of the plurality of metals, forming a line barrier layer in each of the one or more line trenches, and filling the one or more line trenches with graphene.

Abstract: A BEOL e-fuse is disclosed which reliably blows in the via and can be formed even in the tightest pitch BEOL layers. The BEOL e-fuse can be formed utilizing a line first dual damascene process to create a sub-lithographic via to be the programmable link of the e-fuse. The sub-lithographic via can be patterned using standard lithography and the cross section of the via can be tuned to match the target programming current.

Abstract: A graphene and metal interconnect structure and methods of making the same are disclosed. The graphene is a multiple layer graphene structure that is grown using a graphene catalyst. The graphene forms an electrical connection between two or more VIAs or components, or a combination of VIAs and components. A VIA includes a fill metal, with at least a portion of the fill metal being surrounded by a barrier metal. A component may be a routing track, a clock signal source, a power source, an electromagnetic signal source, a ground terminal, a transistor, a macrocell, or a combination thereof. The graphene is grown, using a graphene catalyst, from both solid and liquid carbon sources using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a temperature between 300° C.-400° C. The graphene catalyst can be an elemental form of, or alloy including, nickel, palladium, ruthenium, iridium or copper.

Abstract: A structure including a first interconnect including a first line overlying a first via and a second interconnect including a second line overlying a second via. The first line and the second line are co-planar. The first interconnect comprises a first conductor, the first conductor comprises a metal silicide including titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide, tungsten silicide, platinum silicide, molybdenum silicide, tantalum silicide, or some combination thereof. The second interconnect comprises a second conductor, the second conductor comprising copper.

Abstract: E-fuse structures in back end of the line (BEOL) interconnects and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming an interconnect via in a substrate in alignment with a first underlying metal wire and forming an e-fuse via in the substrate, exposing a second underlying metal wire. The method further includes forming a defect with the second underlying metal wire and filling the interconnect via with metal and in contact with the first underlying metal wire thereby forming an interconnect structure. The method further includes filling the e-fuse via with the metal and in contact with the defect and the second underlying metal wire thereby forming an e-fuse structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines.

Abstract: A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines.

Abstract: A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines.

Abstract: A metal fuse structure using redundant vias. The redundant vias are formed on one metal level in a stacked via metal fuse structure to force failures to occur in the metal level that does not have the redundant vias. The metal fuse structure includes: a first dielectric layer having a metal feature; a second dielectric layer having a first metal connector embedded therein; and a third dielectric layer having a second metal connector embedded therein. The metal connectors include at least one via and one line, and at least one metal connector has at least two vias.

Abstract: An electronic fuse structure including an Mx level having a first Mx metal, and a second Mx metal, and an Mx+1 level having a first Mx+1 metal, a second Mx+1 metal, a first via, a second via, and a conductive path extending from the first via to the second via and partially encircling the first via, the first via extending vertically and electrically connecting the first Mx metal to the first Mx+1 metal, and the second via extending vertically and electrically connecting the second Mx metal to the second Mx+1 metal.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device comprises a non-fuse area that has a non-fuse via, a non-fuse line, and a non-fuse dielectric stack. The semiconductor device further comprises a fuse area that has a fuse via, a fuse line, and a fuse dielectric stack. The fuse dielectric stack comprises at least a first dielectric and a second dielectric material. The fuse via is at least partially embedded in the first dielectric material and the fuse line is embedded in the second dielectric material.

Abstract: A dielectric stack and method of depositing the stack to a substrate using a single step deposition process. The dielectric stack includes a dense layer and a porous layer of the same elemental compound with different compositional atomic percentage, density, and porosity. The stack enhances mechanical modulus strength and enhances oxidation and copper diffusion barrier properties. The dielectric stack has inorganic or hybrid inorganic-organic random three-dimensional covalent bonding throughout the network, which contain different regions of different chemical compositions such as a cap component adjacent to a low-k component of the same type of material but with higher porosity.

Abstract: An electronic fuse and method for forming the same. Embodiments of the invention include e-fuses having a first metallization level including a metal structure, a second metallization level above the first metallization level, a metal via in the second metallization level, an interface region where the metal via meets the first metallization level, and a damaged region at the interface region. Embodiments further include a method including providing a first metallization level including a metal structure, forming a capping layer on the first metallization level, forming an opening in the capping layer that exposes a portion of the metal structure; forming above the capping layer an adhesion layer contacting the metal structure, forming an insulating layer above the adhesion layer, etching the insulating layer and the adhesion layer to form a recess exposing the metal structure, and filling the fuse via recess to form a fuse via.

Abstract: A metal fuse structure using redundant vias formed on one metal level in a stacked via metal fuse structure to force failures to occur in the metal level that does not have the redundant vias. The metal fuse structure includes a first dielectric layer having a conductor, a second dielectric layer above the first dielectric layer having a first conductive line and a first via, the first via is on the conductor, the first conductive line is on the first via, the first via is the only electrical connection between the first conductive line and the conductor, and a third dielectric layer above the second dielectric layer having a second conductive line, a second via and a third via, the second via and the third via are both on the first conductive line, the second conductive line is on both the first via and the second via.