A robust embedded ladder-oxide/Cu multilevel interconnect technology for 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS generation

A robust embedded ladder-oxide (k=2.9)/Cu multilevel interconnect is demonstrated for the 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS generation. A stable ladder-oxide IMD is integrated into the Cu metallization with minimum wiring pitch of 0.34 /spl mu/m, and a single damascene (S/D) Cu-plug structure is applied. An 18% reduction in wiring capacitance is obtained compared with SiO/sub 2/ IMD. The stress-migration lifetime of vias on wide metals for S/D Cu-plug structure is much longer than for dual damascene (D/D). The reliability test results such as those for electromigration (EM), Cu interconnect TDDB, and pressure cooker test (PCT) are quite acceptable. Moreover, high flexibility in thermal design and packaging is obtained.