Intel Corporation
Conductive via and metal line end fabrication and structures resulting therefrom

Abstract:

Conductive via and metal line end fabrication is described. In an example, an interconnect structure includes a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) on a hardmask layer, where the ILD includes a first ILD opening and a second ILD opening. The interconnect structure further includes an etch stop layer (ESL) on the ILD layer, where the ESL includes a first ESL opening aligned with the first ILD opening to form a first via opening, and where the ESL layer includes a second ESL opening aligned with the second ILD opening. The interconnect structure further includes a first via in the first via opening, a second ILD layer on the first ESL, and a metal line in the second ILD layer, where the metal line is in contact with the first via, and where the metal line includes a first metal opening, and where the metal line includes a second metal opening aligned with the second ILD opening and the ESL opening to form a second via opening. The interconnect structure further includes a metal line end in the first metal opening and further includes a second via in the metal line, where the second via is in the second via opening.