Top corner rounding of damascene wire for insulator crack suppression

Abstract

A structure and method for fabricating the structure that provides a metal wire having a first height at an upper surface. An insulating material surrounding said metal wire is etched to a second height below said first height of said upper surface. The metal wire from said upper surface, after etching said insulating material, is planarized to remove sufficient material from a lateral edge portion of said metal wire such that a height of said lateral edge portion is equivalent to said second height of said insulating material surrounding said metal wire.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A structure comprising:
 a metal wire having a first height at a central portion, a second height at a first distal edge less than said first height, and a radius defined from said second height at said first distal edge to said first height at said central portion; and   an insulating material surrounding said metal wire to said second height at said first distal edge of said metal wire,   said first height of said metal wire extending above said second height of said first distal edge and said insulating material.   
     
     
         2 . The structure according to  claim 1 , said metal wire comprising a non-planar damascene metal wire. 
     
     
         3 . The structure according to  claim 2 , said non-planar metal wire comprising Cu. 
     
     
         4 . The structure according to  claim 1 , said insulating material comprising an oxide material. 
     
     
         5 . The structure according to  claim 4 , said oxide material comprising SiO 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The structure according to  claim 1 , a coefficient of thermal expansion of said metal wire being greater than 10 times a coefficient of thermal expansion of said insulating material. 
     
     
         7 . The structure according to  claim 1 , said metal wire having a second distal edge equal to said second height and a second radius defined from said second height at said second distal edge to said first height at said central portion. 
     
     
         8 . A structure comprising:
 a non-planar damascene metal wire having a first height at a central portion, a second height at a first distal edge less than said first height, and a radius defined from said second height at said first distal edge to said first height at said central portion; and   an oxide material surrounding said non-planar damascene metal wire to said second height at said first distal edge of said non-planar damascene metal wire,   said first height of said non-planar damascene metal wire extending above said second height of said first distal edge and said oxide material.   
     
     
         9 . The structure according to  claim 8 , said non-planar damascene metal wire comprising Cu. 
     
     
         10 . The structure according to  claim 8 , said oxide material further comprising SiO 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The structure according to  claim 8 , a coefficient of thermal expansion of said non-planar damascene metal wire being greater than 10 times a coefficient of thermal expansion of said oxide material. 
     
     
         12 . The structure according to  claim 8 , said metal wire having a second distal edge equal to said second height and a second radius defined from said second height at said second distal edge to said first height at said central portion. 
     
     
         13 . The structure according to  claim 8 , said non-planar damascene metal wire having a lateral length perpendicular to said first height, said first distal edge running along said lateral length. 
     
     
         14 . A structure comprising:
 a non-planar damascene metal wire having a first height at a central portion, a second height at a first distal edge less than said first height, and a radius defined from said second height at said first distal edge to said first height at said central portion; and   an insulating material surrounding said non-planar damascene metal wire to said second height at said first distal edge of said non-planar damascene metal wire,   said first height of said non-planar damascene metal wire extending above said second height of said first distal edge and said insulating material.   
     
     
         15 . The structure according to  claim 14 , said non-planar damascene metal wire comprising Cu. 
     
     
         16 . The structure according to  claim 14 , said insulating material comprising an oxide material. 
     
     
         17 . The structure according to  claim 16 , said oxide material comprising SiO 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The structure according to  claim 14 , a coefficient of thermal expansion of said non-planar damascene metal wire being greater than 10 times a coefficient of thermal expansion of said insulating material. 
     
     
         19 . The structure according to  claim 14 , said non-planar damascene metal wire having a second distal edge equal to said second height and a second radius defined from said second height at said second distal edge to said first height at said central portion. 
     
     
         20 . The structure according to  claim 14 , said non-planar damascene metal wire having a lateral length perpendicular to said first height, said first distal edge running along said lateral length.