<title>Advancements in organic antireflective coatings for dual-damascene processes</title>

Abstract

Dual Damascene (DD) process has been implemented in manufacturing semiconductor devices with smaller feature sizes (<EQ 0.20 micrometer), due to increased use of copper as a metal of choice for interconnects. Copper is preferred over aluminum due to its lower resistance which helps to minimize the effects of interconnect delays. Via first DD process is the most commonly used process for manufacturing semiconductor devices since it requires less number of processing steps and also it can make use of a via fill material to minimize the resist thickness variations in the trench patterning photolithography step. Absence of via fill material results in non-uniform fill of vias (in isolated and dense via regions) thus leading to non-uniform focus and dose for exposure of the resist in the deep vias. This results in poor resolution and poor critical dimension (CD) control in the trench-patterning step. When a via fill organic material such as a bottom anti- reflective coating (BARC) is used, then the resist thickness variations are minimized thus enhancing the resolution and CD control in trench patterning. Via fill organic BARC materials can also act as etch blocks at the base of the via to protect the substrate from over etch. In this paper we review the important role of via fill organic BARCs in improving the efficiency of via first DD process now being implemented in semiconductor manufacturing.