Planarization of metal films for multilevel interconnects

Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:866887

Tuckerman, David B ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

In the fabrication of multilevel integrated circuits, each metal layer is anarized by heating to momentarily melt the layer. The layer is melted by sweeping laser pulses of suitable width, typically about 1 microsecond duration, over the layer in small increments. The planarization of each metal layer eliminates irregular and discontinuous conditions between successive layers. The planarization method is particularly applicable to circuits having ground or power planes and allows for multilevel interconnects. Dielectric layers can also be planarized to produce a fully planar multilevel interconnect structure. The method is useful for the fabrication of VLSI circuits, particularly for wafer-scale integration.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4814578
• OSTI ID: 866887
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/219/438/
allows
anarized
applicable
circuits
conditions
dielectric
dielectric layer
dielectric layers
discontinuous
discontinuous conditions
duration
eliminates
eliminates irregular
fabrication
films
ground
heating
increments
integrated
integrated circuit
integrated circuits
integration
interconnect
interconnect structure
interconnects
irregular
laser
laser pulse
laser pulses
layer
layer eliminates
layers
melt
melted
metal
metal film
metal films
metal layer
method
microsecond
microsecond duration
momentarily
momentarily melt
multilevel
multilevel integrated
multilevel interconnect
multilevel interconnects
particularly
particularly applicable
planar
planar multilevel
planarization
planarization method
planarized
planes
power
power planes
produce
pulses
structure
successive
successive layer
successive layers
suitable
suitable width
sweeping
sweeping laser
typically
useful
vlsi
vlsi circuits
wafer-scale
wafer-scale integration
width