{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659860","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9659860","title":"Method and structure to contact tight pitch conductive layers with guided vias","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2013-08-21T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-05-23T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":20,"abstract":"An apparatus including a circuit substrate; a first interconnect layer in a first plane on the substrate and a second interconnect layer in a different second plane on the substrate; and a hardmask layer separating the first interconnect layer and the second interconnect layer, wherein the hardmask layer comprises alternating guide sections comprising different hard mask materials, and a via guide. A method including forming a dielectric layer on an integrated circuit structure; forming a first interconnect layer having interconnect lines in the dielectric layer; forming a hardmask layer on a surface of the dielectric layer, the hardmask layer comprising alternating hardmask materials which form guide sections over the interconnect lines; forming a via guide in one of the guide sections; and forming a second interconnect layer over the hardmask guide layer which is electrically connected to one of the interconnect lines through the via guide."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Method and structure to contact tight pitch conductive layers with guided vias","description":"An apparatus including a circuit substrate; a first interconnect layer in a first plane on the substrate and a second interconnect layer in a different second plane on the substrate; and a hardmask la","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659860","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-9659860","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Method and structure to contact tight pitch conductive layers with guided vias\" (US-9659860). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659860","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9659860","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9659860","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T07:32:32.229Z"}