Abstract: A phase-shift reticle for a photolithography process in semiconductor fabrication is provided. The reticle includes a substrate, a reflective structure, a pattern defining layer and a phase shifter. The reflective structure is disposed over the substrate. The pattern defining layer includes a first material and is deposited over the reflective structure. The pattern defining layer comprises a pattern trench. The phase shifter includes a second material and disposed in the pattern trench. A transmittance of the second material is different from a transmittance of the first material.

Abstract: Provided are carbon-free (i.e., less than about 0.1 atomic percentage of carbon) Zr doped HfO2 films, where Zr can be up to the same level of Hf in terms of atomic percentage (i.e., 1% to 60%). The Zr doping can be achieved also by nanometer m laminated ZrO2 and HfO2 films useful in ferroelectric memories (FeRAM). The laminated films are comprised of about 5 to 10 layers of HfO2 and ZrO2 (i.e., alternating) films, each of which for example can be a thickness of about 1 to about 2 nm, wherein the laminated films are a total of about 5 to 10 nm in thickness.

Abstract: A double self-aligned phase change memory device structure, comprising spaced-apart facing phase change memory film members symmetrically arranged with respect to one another, each of the phase change memory film members at an upper portion thereof being in contact with a separate conductive element, and each of the phase change memory film members being in a range of from 5 nm to 25 nm in thickness. Also described are various methods of making such phase change memory device structure.

Abstract: A phase change memory structure, including a substrate having a cavity extending from a surface of the substrate into an interior region thereof, wherein the cavity is bounded by side wall surface, wherein the cavity is coated on the side wall surface with a film of phase change memory material defining a core that is at least partially filled with dielectric material such as alumina. Such phase change memory structure can be fabricated in a substrate containing a cavity closed at one end thereof with a bottom electrode, by a method including: conformally coating sidewall surface of the cavity and surface of the bottom electrode closing the cavity, with a phase change memory material film, to form an open core volume bounded by the phase change memory material film; at least partially filling the open core volume with alumina or other dielectric material; and forming a top electrode at an upper portion of the cavity.

Abstract: A chalcogenide alloy composition, having an atomic composition comprising from 34 to 45 Ge, from 2 to 16% Sb, from 48 to 55% Te, from 3 to 15% carbon and from 1 to 10% nitrogen, wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Material of such composition is useful to form phase change films, e.g., as conformally coated on a phase change memory device substrate to fabricate a phase change random access memory cell.

Abstract: A double self-aligned phase change memory device structure, comprising transversely spaced-apart facing phase change memory film members symmetrically arranged with respect to one another, each of the phase change memory film members at an upper portion thereof being in contact with a separate conductive element, and each of the phase change memory film members being in a range of from 5 nm to 25 nm in thickness. Also described are various methods of making such phase change memory device structure.

Abstract: A deposition process to form a conformal phase change material film on the surface of a substrate to produce a memory device wafer comprises providing a substrate to a chamber of a deposition system; providing an activation region; introducing one or more precursors into the chamber upstream of the substrate; optionally introducing one or more co-reactants upstream of the substrate; activating the one or more precursors; heating the substrate; and depositing the phase change material film on the substrate from the one or more precursors by chemical vapor deposition. The deposited phase change material film comprises GexSbyTezAm in which A is a dopant selected from the group of N, C, In, Sn, and Se. In one implementation, the process is carried out to form GST films doped with carbon and nitrogen, to impart beneficial film growth and performance properties to the film.

Abstract: Germanium antimony telluride materials are described, e.g., material of the formula GexSbyTezCmNn, wherein x is about 0.1-0.6, y is about 0-0.7, z is about 0.2-0.9, m is about 0.02-0.20, and n is about 0.2-0.20. One specific composition includes from 0 to 50% Sb, from 50 to 80% Te, from 20 to 50% Ge, from 3 to 20% N and from 2 to 15% carbon, wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Another specific composition includes from 10 to 50% Sb, from 50 to 80% Te, from 10 to 50% Ge, from 3 to 20% N and from 3 to 20% carbon, and wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Material of such composition is useful to form phase change films, e.g., as conformally coated on a phase change memory device substrate to fabricate a phase change random access memory cell.

Abstract: A deposition process to form a conformal phase change material film on the surface of a substrate to produce a memory device wafer comprises providing a substrate to a chamber of a deposition system; providing an activation region; introducing one or more precursors into the chamber upstream of the substrate; optionally introducing one or more co-reactants upstream of the substrate; activating the one or more precursors; heating the substrate; and depositing the phase change material film on the substrate from the one or more precursors by chemical vapor deposition. The deposited phase change material film comprises GexSbyTezAm in which A is a dopant selected from the group of N, C, In, Sn, and Se. In one implementation, the process is carried out to form GST films doped with carbon and nitrogen, to impart beneficial film growth and performance properties to the film.

Abstract: A deposition process to form a conformal phase change material film on the surface of a substrate to produce a memory device wafer comprises providing a substrate to a chamber of a deposition system; providing an activation region; introducing one or more precursors into the chamber upstream of the substrate; optionally introducing one or more co-reactants upstream of the substrate; activating the one or more precursors; heating the substrate; and depositing the phase change material film on the substrate from the one or more precursors by chemical vapor deposition. The deposited phase change material film comprises GexSbyTezAm in which A is a dopant selected from the group of N, C, In, Sn, and Se. In one implementation, the process is carried out to form GST films doped with carbon and nitrogen, to impart beneficial film growth and performance properties to the film.

Abstract: A phase change memory structure, including a substrate having a cavity extending from a surface of the substrate into an interior region thereof, wherein the cavity is bounded by side wall surface, wherein the cavity is coated on the side wall surface with a film of phase change memory material defining a core that is at least partially filled with dielectric material such as alumina. Such phase change memory structure can be fabricated in a substrate containing a cavity closed at one end thereof with a bottom electrode, by a method including: conformally coating sidewall surface of the cavity and surface of the bottom electrode closing the cavity, with a phase change memory material film, to form an open core volume bounded by the phase change memory material film; at least partially filling the open core volume with alumina or other dielectric material; and forming a top electrode at an upper portion of the cavity.

Abstract: A chalcogenide alloy composition, having an atomic composition comprising from 34 to 45 Ge, from 2 to 16% Sb, from 48 to 55% Te, from 3 to 15% carbon and from 1 to 10% nitrogen, wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Material of such composition is useful to form phase change films, e.g., as conformally coated on a phase change memory device substrate to fabricate a phase change random access memory cell.

Abstract: A memory cell structure, including a substrate having a via therein bound at first and second ends thereof by electrodes. The via is coated on side surfaces thereof with GST material defining a core that is hollow or at least partially filled with material, e.g., germanium or dielectric material. One or more of such memory cell structures may be integrated in a phase change memory device. The memory cell structure can be fabricated in a substrate containing a via closed at one end thereof with a bottom electrode, by conformally coating GST material on sidewall surface of the via and surface of the bottom electrode enclosing the via, to form an open core volume bounded by the GST material, optionally at least partially filling the open core volume with germanium or dielectric material, annealing the GST material film, and forming a top electrode at an upper portion of the via.

Abstract: Germanium antimony telluride materials are described, e.g., material of the formula GexSbyTezCmNn, wherein x is about 0.1-0.6, y is about 0-0.7, z is about 0.2-0.9, m is about 0.02-0.20, and n is about 0.2-0.20. One specific composition includes from 0 to 50% Sb, from 50 to 80% Te, from 20 to 50% Ge, from 3 to 20% N and from 2 to 15% carbon, wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Another specific composition includes from 10 to 50% Sb, from 50 to 80% Te, from 10 to 50% Ge, from 3 to 20% N and from 3 to 20% carbon, and wherein all atomic percentages of all components of the film total to 100 atomic %. Material of such composition is useful to form phase change films, e.g., as conformally coated on a phase change memory device substrate to fabricate a phase change random access memory cell.

Abstract: A PCM device has the composition GexTeyNzAm deposited onto a substrate, where x is about 40% to about 60%, y is about 30% to about 49%, and z is about 5% to about 20% and more preferably about 5% to about 40%. The component represented as A is optional and representative of an element of Sb, Sn, In, Ga, or Zn, and m is up to about 15%. The composition is in the form of a film, and the nitrogen allows for the substantially conformal deposition of the film onto the substrate. A CVD process for depositing the PCM comprises delivering a Ge-based precursor and a Te-based precursor in vapor form to a CVD chamber, heating and pressurizing the chamber, and depositing the film onto a substrate. In making a phase change device using this process, the film is annealed and polished.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method including: providing a Group III-V component semiconductor material; forming a first layer over a surface of the Group III-V component semiconductor material, the first layer to unpin a Fermi level at the surface; forming a second layer over the first layer, the second layer for scaling an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT); and annealing the first layer before or after forming the second layer to remove bulk trap defects in the first layer.

Abstract: A deposition process to form a conformal phase change material film on the surface of a substrate to produce a memory device wafer comprises providing a substrate to a chamber of a deposition system; providing an activation region; introducing one or more precursors into the chamber upstream of the substrate; optionally introducing one or more co-reactants upstream of the substrate; activating the one or more precursors; heating the substrate; and depositing the phase change material film on the substrate from the one or more precursors by chemical vapor deposition. The deposited phase change material film comprises GexSbyTezAm in which A is a dopant selected from the group of N, C, In, Sn, and Se. In one implementation, the process is carried out to form GST films doped with carbon and nitrogen, to impart beneficial film growth and performance properties to the film.

Abstract: A PCM device has the composition GexTeyNzAm deposited onto a substrate, where x is about 40% to about 60%, y is about 30% to about 49%, and z is about 5% to about 20% and more preferably about 5% to about 40%. The component represented as A is optional and representative of an element of Sb, Sn, In, Ga, or Zn, and m is up to about 15%. The composition is in the form of a film, and the nitrogen allows for the substantially conformal deposition of the film onto the substrate. A CVD process for depositing the PCM comprises delivering a Ge-based precursor and a Te-based precursor in vapor form to a CVD chamber, heating and pressurizing the chamber, and depositing the film onto a substrate. In making a phase change device using this process, the film is annealed and polished.

Abstract: A multilayer film stack containing germanium, antimony and tellurium that can be annealed to form a GST product material of homogeneous and smooth character, wherein at least one antimony-containing layer is isolated from a tellurium-containing layer by an intervening germanium layer, and the multilayer film stack comprises at least two intervening germanium layers. The multilayer film stack can be formed by vapor deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. The annealable multilayer film stack can be formed in high aspect ratio vias to form phase change memory devices of superior character with respect to the stoichiometric and morphological characteristics of the GST product material.

Abstract: A supply of a germanium precursor such as germanium n-butylamidinate is provided in close proximity to a microelectronic device substrate to be contacted therewith for deposition of germanium-containing material on the substrate. Specific arrangements are described, including tray and reservoir structures from which solid, liquid, suspended or dissolved germanium precursor can be volatilized for transport to the substrate surface together with other precursors, carrier gases, co-reactants or the like. In such manner, the germanium precursor can be activated independently of the activation of other precursors, within the deposition chamber, to achieve highly efficient formation of germanium-containing material on the substrate, e.g., a GST film of a phase change memory device.