Abstract: The present invention relates to lithographic methods for forming a dual relief pattern in a substrate, and the application of such methods to fabricating multilevel interconnect structures in semiconductor chips by a Dual Damascene process in which dual relief cavities formed in a dielectric are filled with conductive material to form the wiring and via levels. The invention comprises a twice patterned single mask layer Dual Damascene process modified by the addition of an easy-to-integrate sidewall liner to protect organic interlevel and intralevel dielectrics from potential damage induced by photoresist stripping steps during lithographic rework. The invention further comprises a method for forming a dual pattern hard mask which may be used to form dual relief cavities for use in Dual Damascene processing, said dual pattern hard mask comprising a first set of one or more layers with a first pattern, and a second set of one or more layers with a second pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides polymeric materials that can be used as a moisture/ion barrier layer for inhibiting the penetration of moisture and/or ions for coming into contact with the metal wiring found in chip level interconnects. The present invention also provides a means to protect the chip backside from being contaminated by metal atoms or metal ions which are capable of forming mobile silicides, which can migrate to the active sites of the semiconductor and destroy them. The present invention further provides methods of forming such polymeric barrier layers on at least one surface of an interconnect structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to lithographic methods for forming a dual relief pattern in a substrate, and the application of such methods to fabricating multilevel interconnect structures in semiconductor chips by a Dual Damascene process in which dual relief cavities formed in a dielectric are filled with conductive material to form the wiring and via levels. The invention comprises a twice patterned single mask layer Dual Damascene process modified by the addition of an easy-to-integrate sidewall liner to protect organic interlevel and intralevel dielectrics from potential damage induced by photoresist stripping steps during lithographic rework. The invention further comprises a method for forming a dual pattern hard mask which may be used to form dual relief cavities for use in Dual Damascene processing, said dual pattern hard mask comprising a first set of one or more layers with a first pattern, and a second set of one or more layers with a second pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides polymeric materials that can be used as a moisture/ion barrier layer for inhibiting the penetration of moisture and/or ions for coming into contact with the metal wiring found in chip level interconnects. The present invention also provides a means to protect the chip backside from being contaminated by metal atoms or metal ions which are capable of forming mobile silicides, which can migrate to the active sites of the semiconductor and destroy them. The present invention further provides methods of forming such polymeric barrier layers on at least one surface of an interconnect structure.

Abstract: A multilevel high density interconnect structure of a semiconductor device or package including a substrate having at least one conductive feature therein, a film of a polyimide composition on the substrate and selected from the group consisting of a cured product of a polyamic acid and a cured product of a polyamic ester. The polyamic acid is prepared by reacting a stoichiometric excess of a linear aromatic diamine and aromatic dianhydride to form a first reaction product where the molar ratio of said diamine to said aromatic anhydride is in the range from 100:97 to 100:99.5 and then reacting the first reaction product with an aromatic anhydride. The polyamic ester is prepared by reacting a stoichiometric excess of a linear aromatic diamine and an aromatic diester diacyl chloride to form a second reaction product where the molar ratio of said diamine to said diester diacyl chloride is in the range from 100:97 to 100:99.5 and then reacting the second reaction product with aromatic anhydride.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit device comprising (i) a substrate; (ii) metallic circuit lines positioned on the substrate and (iii) a dielectric material positioned on the circuit lines. The dielectric material comprises the reaction product of an organic polysilica and polyamic ester preferably terminated with an alkoxysilyl alkyl group.