Methods of fabricating a passive element and a semiconductor device
including the passive element are disclosed including the use of a dummy
passive element. A dummy passive element is a passive element or wire
which is added to the chip layout to aid in planarization but is not used
in the active circuit. One embodiment of the method includes forming the
passive element and a dummy passive element adjacent to the passive
element; forming a dielectric layer over the passive element and the
dummy passive element, wherein the dielectric layer is substantially
planar between the passive element and the dummy passive element; and
forming in the dielectric layer an interconnect to the passive element
through the dielectric layer and a dummy interconnect portion overlapping
at least a portion of the dummy passive element. The methods eliminate
the need for planarizing.