Abstract:
A method for fabricating a capacitor on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The method may include simultaneously forming at least one via and at least one upper capacitor plate opening in a first dielectric layer having an underlying cap dielectric layer deposited over a first material region having a first conductive material within a conductive region and forming a trench above the via. The method may also include filling the via, trench, and upper capacitor plate opening with a second conductive material resulting in an integrated circuit structure and employing CMP to remove any excess second conductive material from the integrated circuit structure.
Abstract:
A low dispersion comb filter or interleaver assembly has a first interleaver element and a second interleaver element. The first interleaver element is configured so as to provide a dispersion vs. wavelength curve wherein each dispersion value thereof is approximately opposite in value to a dispersion value at the same wavelength for the second interleaver element, so as to mitigate net or total dispersion in the interleaver assembly.
Abstract:
A method is provided for forming an improved interconnect structure on a semiconductor body. A first metal layer is deposited on the semiconductor body. A sacrificial layer having a height is deposited on the first metal layer. The sacrificial layer and the metal layer are patterned to form separate metal lines with the sacrificial layer remaining on said metal lines. A look material is then deposited to fill the gaps bet n metal lines and to cover the sacrificial layer. The low-k material is then removed to a level within the height of the sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer is then removed. A prove layer is deposited on top of the metal lines and the look material. A dielectric layer is deposited over the protective layer. The protective layer protects the low-k material from attack by chemicals utilized by subsequent process steps to etch vias in the dielectric layer, to strip photoresist, and to clean the vias. The protective layer is then selectively etched away to make contact between a via plug and the metal lines.
Abstract:
A dispersion mitigating interleaver assembly has a first unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) assembly which includes first and second output ports and which has first transmission vs. wavelength curve and a first dispersion vs. wavelength curve. The dispersion mitigating interleaver assembly also includes a second unbalanced MZI assembly which has a second transmission vs. wavelength curve and a second dispersion vs. wavelength curve. The second unbalanced MZI assembly receives an output from one of the first and second output ports of the first unbalanced MZI assembly. The second transmission vs. wavelength curve is substantially the same as the first transmission vs. wavelength curve and the second dispersion vs. wavelength curve is substantially opposite with respect to the first dispersion vs. wavelength curve, such that dispersion is substantially cancelled by the cooperation of the first and second unbalanced MZI assemblies.
Abstract:
Fabrication of improved low-k dielectric structures is disclosed. Low-k dielectric structures are fabricated while overcoming the otherwise existing problems associated with the use of low-k dielectric materials. In one embodiment, the physical properties of a low-k dielectric material is modified by exposing the low-k dielectric material to electron beams. The exposed portion of the low-k dielectric material becomes easier to etch and clean and exhibits greater mechanical strength and a reduction in absorption of moisture. In another embodiment, a number of incremental exposure and etch steps are performed to fabricate a desired structure. In yet another embodiment, the steps of exposure of a low-k dielectric material are combined with the etch steps. The exposure and the etching of the low-k dielectric material are performed concurrently in the same system. In still another embodiment, a single exposure and a single etch step are utilized to fabricate a desired structure. All the disclosed embodiments can be practiced by exposing the low-k dielectric material to ion beams instead of electron beams.
Abstract:
A via is first etched in a dielectric. Then a conformal layer is deposited over the dielectric and the via to reduce an initial width of the via to a target width. A trench is then etched in the dielectric and the conformal layer. Since the width of the via is reduced from the initial width to the target width, the resulting final via has a high aspect ratio. The via and the trench are then filled with metal which contacts an interconnect metal situated below the via. In one embodiment, copper is used to fill the via and the trench and also as the interconnect metal below the via. In one embodiment, the dielectric is silicon dioxide or fluorinated silicon dioxide and the conformal layer is silicon dioxide. In another embodiment, the dielectric is silicon dioxide or fluorinated silicon dioxide while the conformal layer is silicon nitride. To etch the trench in the dielectric and the conformal layer, a timed exposure to a carbon fluoride based plasma is employed. Alternatively, instead of timing the exposure to plasma, a suitable etch stop layer is used. In the embodiment where a conformal layer of high dielectric constant is used, the conformal layer remaining on the dielectric surface is removed using either chemical mechanical polishing or by plasma etching. The final structure is a via and a trench where the via's side walls are covered by the conformal layer while the trench's side walls are not covered by the conformal layer.