Abstract: An integrated circuit device having at least a bond pad for semiconductor devices and method for fabricating the same are provided. A bond pad has a first passivation layer having a plurality of openings. A conductive layer which overlies the openings and portions of the first passivation layer, having a first portion overlying the first passivation layer and a second portion overlying the openings. A second passivation layer overlies the first passivation layer and covers edges of the conductive layer.

Abstract: Bond pads for semiconductor devices and method for fabricating the same are provided. A bond pad has a first passivation layer having a plurality of openings. A conductive layer which overlies the openings and portions of the first passivation layer, having a first portion overlying the first passivation layer and a second portion overlying the openings. A second passivation layer overlies the first passivation layer and covers edges of the conductive layer.

Abstract: An extreme low-k (ELK) dielectric film scheme for advanced interconnects includes an upper ELK dielectric layer and a lower ELK dielectric with different refractive indexes. The refractive index of the upper ELK dielectric layer is greater than the refractive index of the lower ELK dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a low-k dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate; generating hydrogen radicals using a remote plasma method; performing a first hydrogen radical treatment to the low-k dielectric layer using the hydrogen radicals; forming an opening in the low-k dielectric layer; filling the opening with a conductive material; and performing a planarization to remove excess conductive material on the low-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure including reflective metal pads is provided. The integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first low-k dielectric layer overlying the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first low-k dielectric layer is a top low-k dielectric layer; a second low-k dielectric layer immediately underlying the first low-k dielectric layer; and a reflective metal pad in the second low-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: An extreme low-k (ELK) dielectric film scheme for advanced interconnects includes an upper ELK dielectric layer and a lower ELK dielectric with different refractive indexes. The refractive index of the upper ELK dielectric layer is greater than the refractive index of the lower ELK dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a first porous SiCOH dielectric layer, a second porous SiCOH dielectric layer, and an oxide layer. The first porous SiCOH dielectric layer overlies the substrate. The second porous SiCOH dielectric layer overlies the first porous SiCOH dielectric layer. The oxide layer overlies the second porous SiCOH dielectric layer. The atomic percentage of carbon in the second porous SiCOH dielectric layer is between 16% and 22% of that in the first porous SiCOH dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure having improved adhesion between a low-k dielectric layer and the underlying layer and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, an adhesion layer on the dielectric layer wherein the adhesion layer comprises a transition sub-layer over an initial sub-layer, and wherein the transition sub-layer has a composition that gradually changes from a lower portion to an upper portion. A low-k dielectric layer is formed on the adhesion layer. Damascene openings are formed in the low-k dielectric layer. A top portion of the transition sub-layer has a composition substantially similar to a composition of the low-k dielectric layer. A bottom portion of the transition sub-layer has a composition substantially similar to a composition of the initial sub-layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a first porous SiCOH dielectric layer, a second porous SiCOH dielectric layer, and an oxide layer. The first porous SiCOH dielectric layer overlies the substrate. The second porous SiCOH dielectric layer overlies the first porous SiCOH dielectric layer. The oxide layer overlies the second porous SiCOH dielectric layer. The atomic percentage of carbon in the second porous SiCOH dielectric layer is between 16% and 22% of that in the first porous SiCOH dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a cap layer for an interconnect structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate; depositing a low-k dielectric layer comprising a first porogen over the substrate; depositing a low-k cap layer comprising a second porogen on the low-k dielectric layer; and curing the low-k dielectric layer and the low-k cap layer simultaneously to remove the first and the second porogens, so that a first porosity in the low-k dielectric layer and a second porosity in the low-k cap layer are created. The second porosity is preferably less than the first porosity. Preferably, the low-k dielectric layer and the low-k cap layer comprise a common set of precursors and porogens, and are in-situ performed.

Abstract: A bilayer porous low dielectric constant (low-k) interconnect structure and methods of fabricating the same are presented. A preferred embodiment having an effective dielectric constant of about 2.2 comprises a bottom deposited dielectric layer and a top deposited dielectric layer in direct contact with the former. The bottom layer and the top layer have same atomic compositions, but a higher dielectric constant value k. The bottom dielectric layer serves as an etch stop layer for the top dielectric layer, and the top dielectric layer can act as CMP stop layer. One embodiment of making the structure includes forming a bottom dielectric layer having a first porogen content and a top dielectric layer having a higher porogen content. A curing process leaves lower pore density in the bottom dielectric layer than that left in the top dielectric layer, which leads to higher dielectric value k in the bottom dielectric layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an etch stop layer over a substrate; a UV blocker layer on the etch stop layer, wherein the UV blocker layer has a high extinction coefficient; and a low-k dielectric layer on the UV blocker layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor method of manufacturing involving low-k dielectrics is provided. The method includes depositing a hydrocarbon of the general composition CxHy on the surface of a low-k dielectric. The hydrocarbon layer is deposited by reacting a precursor material, preferably C2H4 or (CH3)2CHC6H6CH3, using a PECVD process. In accordance with embodiments of this invention, carbon diffuses into the low-k dielectric, thereby reducing low-k dielectric damage caused by plasma processing or etching. Other embodiments comprise a semiconductor device having a low-k dielectric, wherein the low-k dielectric has carbon-adjusted dielectric region adjacent a trench sidewall and a bulk dielectric region. In preferred embodiments, the carbon-adjusted dielectric region has a carbon concentration not more than about 5% less than in the bulk dielectric region.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit includes forming a low-k dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, etching the low-k dielectric layer to form an opening, forming a dielectric barrier layer covering at least sidewalls of the opening, performing a treatment to improve a wetting ability of the dielectric barrier layer, and filling the opening with a conductive material, wherein the conductive material is in contact with the dielectric barrier layer.

Abstract: Efficient and cost-effective systems and methods for detecting and correcting hot spots of semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes providing an input file having a device layout; performing a hot spot detection on the input file; and then modifying the device layout based on the hot spots detected to create an output file. In another aspect, a method includes providing an input file having a device layout; selecting a first local region of the device layout; performing a first hot spot detection on the first local region; modifying the first local region based on the hot spots detected to create a first output file; and repeating for other local regions of the device layout. In some aspects, hot spots are detected by comparing parameters of the device layout with a set of hot spot rules to determine if the device layout satisfies the hot spot rules.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure having improved adhesion between a low-k dielectric layer and the underlying layer and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, an adhesion layer on the dielectric layer wherein the adhesion layer comprises a transition sub-layer over an initial sub-layer, and wherein the transition sub-layer has a composition that gradually changes from a lower portion to an upper portion. A low-k dielectric layer is formed on the adhesion layer. Damascene openings are formed in the low-k dielectric layer. A top portion of the transition sub-layer has a composition substantially similar to a composition of the low-k dielectric layer. A bottom portion of the transition sub-layer has a composition substantially similar to a composition of the initial sub-layer.

Abstract: Bond pads for semiconductor devices and method for fabricating the same are provided. A bond pad has a first passivation layer having a plurality of openings. A conductive layer which overlies the openings and portions of the first passivation layer, having a first portion overlying the first passivation layer and a second portion overlying the openings. A second passivation layer overlies the first passivation layer and covers edges of the conductive layer.

Abstract: System and method for improving the process performance of a contact module. A preferred embodiment comprises improving the process performance of a contact module by reducing surface variations of an interlayer dielectric. The interlayer dielectric comprises a plurality of layers, a first layer (for example, a contact etch stop layer 610) protects devices on a substrate from subsequent etching operations, while a second layer (for example, a first dielectric layer 620) covers the first layer. A third layer (for example, a second dielectric layer 630) fills gaps that may be due to the topography of the devices. A fourth layer (for example, a third dielectric layer 640), brings the interlayer dielectric layer to a desired thickness and is formed using a process that yields a very flat surface completes the interlayer dielectric. Using multiple layers permit the elimination of variations (filling gaps and leveling bumps) without resorting to chemical-mechanical polishing.

Abstract: A new method of forming a composite etching stop layer is described. An etching stop layer is deposited on a substrate wherein the etching stop layer is selected from the group consisting of: silicon carbide, silicon nitride, SiCN, SiOC, and SiOCN. A TEOS oxide layer is deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition overlying the etching stop layer. The composite etching stop layer has improved moisture resistance, better etching selectivity, and lower dielectric constant than other etching stop layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect structure including a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor active device formed in the substrate, a layer of low-k dielectric material, a first patterned conducting layer, a second patterned conducting layer, and a cap layer formed thereon. The low-k material layer is formed over the semiconductor device. The first conducting line is formed in the low-k material layer and connected to the semiconductor active device. The second conducting line is formed in the low-k material layer but not electrically connected to the semiconductor active device. The cap layer is formed over the low-k material layer, the first and second conducting lines. The cap layer includes silicon and carbon.