International Business Machines Corporation
SELF-ALIGNED TOP VIAS OVER METAL LINES FORMED BY A DAMASCENE PROCESS

Abstract:

A method includes forming a plurality of elongated dielectric members on a semiconductor substrate. The elongated dielectric members each extend vertically from the semiconductor substrate and define opposed vertical walls. The method further includes forming opposed spacer walls on the vertical walls of the elongated dielectric members. Adjacent spacer walls of longitudinally adjacent elongated dielectric members define first trenches therebetween. The method also includes depositing a first metal material within the first trenches to form a first set of first metal lines, removing the elongated dielectric members to define second trenches between the opposed spacer wails on the opposed vertical wails of each elongated dielectric member, and depositing a second metal material within the second trenches to form a second set of second metal lines. The first and second metal lines of the first and second sets are disposed in alternating arrangement.