Patents by Inventor Dan Gealy

Dan Gealy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20030001194
    Abstract: A capacitor has a tantalum oxynitride film. One method for making the film comprises forming a bottom plate electrode and then forming a tantalum oxide film on the bottom plate electrode. Nitrogen is introduced to form a tantalum oxynitride film. A top plate electrode is formed on the tantalum oxynitride film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Jeffrey DeBoer, Husam N. Al-Shareef, Randhir P.S. Thakur, Dan Gealy
  • Publication number: 20020190303
    Abstract: A structure and method are disclosed for forming a capacitor for an integrated circuit. The capacitor includes a rhodium-rich structure, a rhodium oxide layer in direct contact with the rhodium-rich structure, a capacitor dielectric in direct contact with the rhodium oxide layer and a top electrode over the capacitor. The rhodium-rich structure can include rhodium alloys and the capacitor dielectric preferably has a high dielectric constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Haining Yang, Dan Gealy, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Howard Rhodes, Mark Visokay
  • Patent number: 6492241
    Abstract: A capacitor for a memory device is formed with a conductive oxide for a bottom electrode. The conductive oxide (RuOx) is deposited under low temperatures as an amorphous film. As a result, the film is conformally deposited over a three dimensional, folding structure. Furthermore, a subsequent polishing step is easily performed on the amorphous film, increasing wafer throughput. After deposition and polishing, the film is crystallized in a non-oxidizing ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard E. Rhodes, Mark Visokay, Tom Graettinger, Dan Gealy, Gurtej Sandhu, Cem Basceri, Steve Cummings
  • Publication number: 20020151107
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes depositing a dielectric film and subjecting the dielectric film to a wet oxidation in a rapid thermal process chamber. The technique can be used, for example, in the formation of various elements in an integrated circuit, including gate dielectric films as well as capacitive elements. The tight temperature control provided by the RTP process allows the wet oxidation to be performed quickly so that the oxidizing species does not diffuse significantly through the dielectric film and diffuse into an underlying layer. In the case of capacitive elements, the technique also can help reduce the leakage current of the dielectric film without significantly reducing its capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald A. Weimer, Scott J. DeBoer, Dan Gealy, Husam N. Al-Shareef
  • Patent number: 6458645
    Abstract: A capacitor has a tantalum oxynitride film. One method for making the film comprises forming a bottom plate electrode and then forming a tantalum oxide film on the bottom plate electrode. Nitrogen is introduced to form a tantalum oxynitride film. A top plate electrode is formed on the tantalum oxynitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Jeffrey DeBoer, Husam N. Al-Shareef, Randhir P. S. Thakur, Dan Gealy
  • Publication number: 20020132374
    Abstract: A method for controlling stoichiometry of dielectric films, e.g., BST films, preferably formed at low deposition temperatures. A deposition process may use an adjustment in oxidizer flow and/or partial pressure, the provision of a hydrogen-containing component, an adjustment in hydrogen-containing component flow and/or partial pressure, an adjustment in deposition pressure, and/or a modification of system component parameters (e.g., heating a shower head or adjusting a distance between a shower head of the deposition system and a wafer upon which the film is to be deposited), to control the characteristics of the dielectric film, e.g., film stoichiometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Dan Gealy, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 6444478
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a dielectric film, e.g., a barium-strontium-titanate film, preferably having a thickness of less than about 600 Å. According to the present invention, the dielectric film is preferably formed using a chemical vapor deposition process in which an interfacial layer and a bulk layer are formed. The interfacial layer has an atomic percent of titanium less than or equal to the atomic percent of titanium in the bulk layer. Such films are particularly vantageous for use in memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cem Basceri, Dan Gealy
  • Publication number: 20020113260
    Abstract: A structure and method are disclosed for forming a capacitor for an integrated circuit. The capacitor includes a rhodium-rich structure, a rhodium oxide layer in direct contact with the rhodium-rich structure, a capacitor dielectric in direct contact with the rhodium oxide layer and a top electrode over the capacitor. The rhodium-rich structure can include rhodium alloys and the capacitor dielectric preferably has a high dielectric constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Haining Yang, Dan Gealy, Gurtej S. Sandhu, Howard Rhodes, Mark Visokay
  • Publication number: 20020079531
    Abstract: Titanium boride (TiBx), zirconium boride (ZrBx) and hafnium boride (HfBx) barriers and electrodes for cell dielectrics for integrated circuits, particularly for DRAM cell capacitors. The barriers protect cell dielectrics from diffusion and other interaction with surrounding materials during subsequent thermal processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Husam N. Al-Shareef, Scott J. DeBoer, Dan Gealy, Randir P.S. Thakur
  • Publication number: 20020045358
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes depositing a dielectric film and subjecting the dielectric film to a wet oxidation in a rapid thermal process chamber. The technique can be used, for example, in the formation of various elements in an integrated circuit, including gate dielectric films as well as capacitive elements. The tight temperature control provided by the RTP process allows the wet oxidation to be performed quickly so that the oxidizing species does not diffuse significantly through the dielectric film and diffuse into an underlying layer. In the case of capacitive elements, the technique also can help reduce the leakage current of the dielectric film without significantly reducing its capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald A. Weimer, Scott J. DeBoer, Dan Gealy, Husam N. Al-Shareef
  • Publication number: 20020036313
    Abstract: An improved dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device with a capacitor having reduced current leakage from the dielectric layer, and materials and methods for fabricating the improved DRAM device are disclosed. The capacitor is formed using an oxygen anneal after a top conducting layer of the capacitor is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Sam Yang, Dan Gealy
  • Publication number: 20010051406
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes depositing a dielectric film and subjecting the dielectric film to a wet oxidation in a rapid thermal process chamber. The technique can be used, for example, in the formation of various elements in an integrated circuit, including gate dielectric films as well as capacitive elements. The tight temperature control provided by the RTP process allows the wet oxidation to be performed quickly so that the oxidizing species does not diffuse significantly through the dielectric film and diffuse into an underlying layer. In the case of capacitive elements, the technique also can help reduce the leakage current of the dielectric film without significantly reducing its capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: RONALD A. WEIMER, SCOTT J. DEBOER, DAN GEALY, HUSAM N. AL-SHAREEF
  • Patent number: 6316800
    Abstract: Titanium boride (TiBx), zirconium boride (ZrBx) and hafnium boride (HfBx) barriers and electrodes for cell dielectrics for integrated circuits, particularly for DRAM cell capacitors. The barriers protect cell dielectrics from diffusion and other interaction with surrounding materials during subsequent thermal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Husam N. Al-Shareef, Scott J. DeBoer, Dan Gealy, Randhir P. S. Thakur
  • Publication number: 20010011740
    Abstract: A capacitor has a tantalum oxynitride film. One method for making the film comprises forming a bottom plate electrode and then forming a tantalum oxide film on the bottom plate electrode. Nitrogen is introduced to form a tantalum oxynitride film. A top plate electrode is formed on the tantalum oxynitride film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: SCOTT JEFFREY DEBOER, HUSAM N. AL-SHAREEF, RANDHIR P.S. THAKUR, DAN GEALY
  • Patent number: 6111285
    Abstract: Titanium boride (TiB.sub.x), zirconium boride (ZrB.sub.x) and hafnium boride (HfB.sub.x) barriers and electrodes for cell dielectrics for integrated circuits, particularly for DRAM cell capacitors. The barriers protect cell dielectrics from diffusion and other interaction with surrounding materials during subsequent thermal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Husam N. Al-Shareef, Scott J. DeBoer, Dan Gealy, Randhir P. S. Thakur