{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-11488857","patent":{"patent_number":"US-11488857","title":"Semiconductor device and method of manufacture using a contact etch stop layer (CESL) breakthrough process","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2020-06-19T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2022-11-01T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":20,"abstract":"Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are described herein. A method includes forming an opening through an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer to expose a contact etch stop layer (CESL) disposed over a conductive feature in a metallization layer. The opening is formed using photo sensitive materials, lithographic techniques, and a dry etch process that stops on the CESL. Once the CESL is exposed, a CESL breakthrough process is performed to extend the opening through the CESL and expose the conductive feature. The CESL breakthrough process is a flexible process with a high selectivity of the CESL to ILD layer. Once the CESL breakthrough process has been performed, a conductive fill material may be deposited to fill or overfill the opening and is then planarized with the ILD layer to form a contact plug over the conductive feature in an intermediate step of forming a semiconductor device."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Semiconductor device and method of manufacture using a contact etch stop layer (CESL) breakthrough process","description":"Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are described herein. A method includes forming an opening through an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer to expose a contact etch stop layer (CESL) disp","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-11488857","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-11488857","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Semiconductor device and method of manufacture using a contact etch stop layer (CESL) breakthrough process\" (US-11488857). https://patentable.app/patents/US-11488857","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-11488857","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-11488857","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-31T13:16:29.459Z"}