US 11,688,701 B2
Semiconductor devices having an electro-static discharge protection structure
Yi-Feng Chang, Xinbei (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/945,988.
Application 16/945,988 is a division of application No. 14/609,498, filed on Jan. 30, 2015, granted, now 10,734,330.
Prior Publication US 2020/0365529 A1, Nov. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. H01L 23/60 (2006.01); H01L 23/482 (2006.01); H01L 23/522 (2006.01); H01L 27/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 23/60 (2013.01) [H01L 23/4824 (2013.01); H01L 21/02697 (2013.01); H01L 23/522 (2013.01); H01L 27/0248 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
receiving a substrate having an active region that includes opposite first and second edges;
forming a dielectric material above the substrate;
patterning the dielectric material to form a plurality of first holes therethrough;
forming a first metal material over the dielectric material and in the first holes in the dielectric material;
removing the first metal material that is on the dielectric material, wherein the first metal material that is in the first holes in the dielectric material includes
a pair of first metal lines that extend toward the second edge of the active region, and
a first metal plate that horizontally interconnects the pair of first metal lines;
forming a second dielectric material above the substrate;
patterning the second dielectric material to form a plurality of second holes therethrough;
forming a second metal material over the second dielectric material and in the second holes in the second dielectric material; and
removing the second metal material that is on the second dielectric material,
wherein:
the second metal material that is in the second holes in the second dielectric material includes
a pair of second metal lines that extend toward the second edge of the active region,
a second metal plate that horizontally interconnects the pair of second metal lines of the second metal material, and
a plurality of distinct metal lines that are parallel to each other and arranged along a length of the active region underneath all of the first pair of metal lines and the second pair of metal lines,
wherein:
the plurality of distinct metal lines have a length that extends, on a first end, from a position underneath an intermediate portion of the first metal plate to, on a second end, a position underneath an intermediate portion of the second metal plate,
the plurality of distinct metal lines are of equal length to each other, and
each distinct metal line of the plurality of distinct metal lines serves as a horizontal interconnect.