US20260143763
2026-05-21
Electricity
H10D62/115
The patent application describes a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, focusing on reducing parasitic capacitance and RC time delay in integrated circuits. This is achieved by forming air gaps between conductive features on a substrate. The process involves creating conductive features, applying a sacrificial layer, and then forming a sustaining layer that defines the air gaps after removing parts of the sacrificial layer.
As semiconductor technology advances, the need to decrease feature sizes leads to increased parasitic capacitance between metal features, resulting in higher power consumption and RC time delays. The invention aims to address these issues by incorporating structures that reduce line-to-line capacitance, thereby improving the performance of semiconductor devices.
The manufacturing process begins with forming conductive features on a substrate, followed by filling the spaces between them with a sacrificial layer. The upper portion of this layer is removed to expose the conductive features, after which a sustaining layer is applied. The removal of the lower portion of the sacrificial layer creates air gaps, which are crucial for reducing parasitic capacitance.
The substrate can be made from various semiconductor materials, including silicon and compound semiconductors like GaAs and InP. Conductive features may include materials such as copper, cobalt, or tungsten, and are deposited using techniques like PVD or CVD. A mask layer is applied over the metal layer, and photolithography is used to pattern vias, which are then etched to form the final structure.
This method is applicable to various semiconductor devices, including CMOS transistors and FinFETs. By reducing parasitic capacitance, the invention enhances the efficiency and speed of integrated circuits, making it particularly beneficial for high-density electronic components where space and performance are critical.