Fabricating dual damascene structures using multilayer photosensitive dielectrics

US12538778B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-12538778-B2
Application numberUS-202318228846-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateAug 1, 2023
Priority dateAug 1, 2023
Publication dateJan 27, 2026
Grant dateJan 27, 2026

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A method includes obtaining a base structure including a stack of dielectric layers disposed on a substrate. The stack of dielectric layers includes a first photosensitive dielectric layer including a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose, a second photosensitive dielectric layer including a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second radiation dose different from the first radiation dose, and a barrier layer disposed between the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a dual damascene structure from the base structure using a dual damascene process.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1 . A method comprising: obtaining a base structure comprising a stack of dielectric layers disposed on a substrate, the stack of dielectric layers comprising a first photosensitive dielectric layer comprising a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose, a second photosensitive dielectric layer comprising a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second radiation dose different from the first radiation dose, and a barrier layer disposed between the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer; and forming a dual damascene structure from the base structure using a dual damascene process. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer each comprise a respective photosensitive polyimide material. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer each comprise a respective photoresist. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base structure further comprises an additional dielectric layer disposed between the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the substrate, and wherein the additional dielectric layer comprises a polyimide material. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the base structure further comprises forming at least one of the first photosensitive dielectric layer or the second photosensitive dielectric layer using a spin-on deposition process. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ). 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ). 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer comprises a self-assembled monolayer. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the base structure further comprises: forming the barrier layer on the first photosensitive dielectric layer; and forming the second photosensitive dielectric layer on the barrier layer. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the barrier layer comprises using a thermal atomic layer deposition process. 11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the barrier layer comprises using a sputter deposition process. 12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein forming the barrier layer comprises using a spin-on deposition process. 13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the dual damascene structure further comprises: exposing a first region of the base structure to the first radiation dose to obtain a first exposed region of the first photosensitive dielectric layer; exposing a second region of the base structure to the second radiation dose to obtain a second exposed region of the second photosensitive dielectric layer; developing the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer using at least one developer solution to form an opening by removing the first exposed region and the second exposed region; and forming conductive material within the opening to simultaneously form a conductive line and a via. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one developer solution removes a portion of the barrier layer to form the opening. 15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the dual damascene structure further comprises performing an etch process to remove a portion of the barrier layer to form the opening. 16 . A device comprising: a substrate; a first photosensitive dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, the first photosensitive dielectric layer comprising a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose; a barrier layer disposed on the first photosensitive dielectric layer; a second photosensitive dielectric layer disposed on the barrier layer, the second photosensitive dielectric layer comprising a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second radiation dose different from the first radiation dose; and conductive material disposed within the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer, the conductive material forming a conductive line and a via. 17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer each comprise a respective photosensitive polyimide material. 18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer each comprise a respective photoresist. 19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the barrier layer comprises one of: aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ), or a self-assembled monolayer. 20 . The device of claim 16 , further comprising an additional dielectric layer comprising a polyimide disposed on the substrate, wherein the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the conductive material are disposed on the additional dielectric layer.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Electricity · mapped topic

  • Electricity · mapped topic

  • Electricity · mapped topic

  • Electricity · mapped topic

  • H10W20/074Primary

    of dielectric parts comprising thin functional dielectric layers, e.g. dielectric etch-stop, barrier, capping or liner layers · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US12538778B2 cover?
A method includes obtaining a base structure including a stack of dielectric layers disposed on a substrate. The stack of dielectric layers includes a first photosensitive dielectric layer including a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose, a second photosensitive dielectric layer including a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second r…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Applied Materials Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01L21/76807. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Jan 27 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).