AIR GAP IN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT INDUCTOR FABRICATION

In accordance with the invention, there are inductors with an air gap, semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and methods of fabricating them. The method of making an inductor with an air gap can include fabricating a first level of inductor in an intra-metal dielectric layer including one or more inductor loops, one or more vias, and one or more copper bulkhead structures, forming an inter-level dielectric layer over the first level and repeating the steps to form two or more levels of inductor. The method can also include forming an extraction via, forming an air gap between the inductor loops by removing portions of the intra-metal dielectric layer coupled to the extraction via using super critical fluid process, and forming a non-conformal layer to seal the extraction via.