Having High Dielectric Constant Insulator (e.g., Ta2o5, Etc.) Patents (Class 438/240)
  • Patent number: 9054225
    Abstract: An embodiment of an electronic device integrated in a chip of semiconductor material and an embodiment of a corresponding production method are proposed. The electronic device includes a capacitor having a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, and an insulating layer for insulating the first plate from the second plate. In an embodiment of the disclosure, at least a selected one between the first plate and the second plate has a non-uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Antonio Di Franco
  • Patent number: 9048186
    Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit is provided. The method includes forming a gate dielectric structure over a substrate. A titanium-containing sacrificial layer is formed, contacting the gate dielectric structure. The whole titanium-containing sacrificial layer is substantially removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kuo Bin Huang, Hsin-Chien Lu, Ryan Chia-Jen Chen, Chi-Ming Yang, Chyi Shyuan Chern, Chin-Hsiang Lin
  • Publication number: 20150132905
    Abstract: The NVM device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region. The NVM device includes a data-storing structure formed in the first region and designed operable to retain charges. The NVM device includes a capacitor formed in the second region and coupled with the data-storing structure for data operations. The data-storing structure includes a first doped well of a first-type in the semiconductor substrate. The data-storing structure includes a first gate dielectric feature on the first doped well. The data-storing structure includes a first gate electrode disposed on the first gate dielectric feature and configured to be floating. The capacitor includes a second doped well of the first-type. The capacitor includes a second gate dielectric feature on the second doped well. The capacitor also includes a second gate electrode disposed on the second gate dielectric feature and connected to the first gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Ta-Chuan Liao, Chien-Kuo Yang, Felix Ying-Kit Tsui, Shih-Hsien Chen, Liang-Tai Kuo, Chun-Yao Ko
  • Patent number: 9029178
    Abstract: A method for producing a device including plural cavities defined between a substrate in at least one given semiconductor material and a membrane resting on a top of insulating posts projecting from the substrate, the method allowing a height of the cavity or cavities to be adapted independently of a height of the insulating posts and allowing cavities of different heights to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Vincent Larrey, Jean-Philippe Polizzi
  • Patent number: 9029170
    Abstract: A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device is formed by a process that includes forming a trench in a substrate and depositing an MTJ structure within the trench. The MTJ structure includes a bottom electrode, a fixed layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer, and a top electrode. The process includes applying reverse photo etching to remove material that is not directly over the trench. The process also includes plagiarizing the MTJ structure without performing a photo-etch process on the MTJ structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Xia Li
  • Patent number: 9012298
    Abstract: A method for reducing the leakage current in DRAM Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitors includes forming a flash layer between the dielectric layer and the first electrode layer. A method for reducing the leakage current in DRAM Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitors includes forming a capping layer between the dielectric layer and the second electrode layer. The flash layer and the capping layer can be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The precursor materials used for forming the flash layer and the capping layer are selected such they include at least one metal-oxygen bond. Additionally, the precursor materials are selected to also include “bulky” ligands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra G. Malhotra, Hiroyuki Ode, Xiangxin Rui
  • Patent number: 8999811
    Abstract: An insulating layer containing a silicon peroxide radical is used as an insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer for forming a channel. Oxygen is released from the insulating layer, whereby oxygen deficiency in the oxide semiconductor layer and an interface state between the insulating layer and the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Accordingly, a semiconductor device where reliability is high and variation in electric characteristics is small can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Endo, Toshinari Sasaki, Kosei Noda, Mizuho Sato
  • Patent number: 8987080
    Abstract: Provided are methods for making metal gates suitable for FinFET structures. The methods described herein generally involve forming a high-k dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate; depositing a high-k dielectric cap layer over the high-k dielectric material; depositing a PMOS work function layer having a positive work function value; depositing an NMOS work function layer; depositing an NMOS work function cap layer over the NMOS work function layer; removing at least a portion of the PMOS work function layer or at least a portion of the NMOS work function layer; and depositing a fill layer. Depositing a high-k dielectric cap layer, depositing a PMOS work function layer or depositing a NMOS work function cap layer may comprise atomic layer deposition of TiN, TiSiN, or TiAlN. Either PMOS or NMOS may be deposited first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinliang Lu, Seshadri Ganguli, Atif Noori, Maitreyee Mahajani, Shih Chung Chen, Yu Lei, Xinyu Fu, Wei Tang, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Patent number: 8980744
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor stack and associated device, such as a capacitor and DRAM cell. In particular, a bottom electrode has a material selected for lattice matching characteristics. This material may be created from a relatively inexpensive metal oxide which is processed to adopt a conductive, but difficult-to-produce oxide state, with specific crystalline form; to provide one example, specific materials are disclosed that are compatible with the growth of rutile phase titanium dioxide (TiO2) for use as a dielectric, thereby leading to predictable and reproducible higher dielectric constant and lower effective oxide thickness and, thus, greater part density at lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanhong Chen, Toshiyuki Hirota, Pragati Kumar, Xiangxin Rui, Sunil Shanker
  • Patent number: 8975134
    Abstract: A doped fullerene-based conductive material can be used as an electrode, which can contact a dielectric such as a high k dielectric. By aligning the dielectric with the band gap of the doped fullerene-based electrode, e.g., the conduction band minimum of the dielectric falls into one of the band gaps of the doped fullerene-based material, thermionic leakage through the dielectric can be reduced, since the excited electrons or holes in the electrode would need higher thermal excitation energy to overcome the band gap before passing through the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Barabash, Dipankar Pramanik, Xuena Zhang
  • Patent number: 8956939
    Abstract: A method for forming a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device is disclosed. The method comprises forming a first electrode, forming a resistive switching oxide layer comprising a metal oxide by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and forming a second electrode by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD), where the resistive switching layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. Forming the resistive switching oxide may be performed without exposing a surface of the switching oxide layer to a surface-modifying plasma treatment after depositing the metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Qi Xie, Vladimir Machkaoutsan, Jan Willem Maes, Michael Givens, Petri Raisanen
  • Patent number: 8940388
    Abstract: Methods of forming an insulative element are described, including forming a first metal oxide material having a first dielectric constant, forming a second metal oxide material having a second dielectric constant different from the first, and heating at least portions of the structure to crystallize at least a portion of at least one of the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material. Methods of forming a capacitor are described, including forming a first electrode, forming a dielectric material with a first oxide and a second oxide over the first electrode, and forming a second electrode over the dielectric material. Structures including dielectric materials are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vassil Antonov, Jennifer K. Sigman, Vishwanath Bhat, Matthew N. Rocklein, Bhaskar Srinivasan, Chris Carlson
  • Patent number: 8940601
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the following steps. Firstly, a lower electrode is formed over a substrate (semiconductor substrate). Successively, the lower electrode is primarily crystallized. Successively, a capacitance dielectric layer is formed over the lower electrode after primarily crystallized. Successively, the capacitance dielectric layer is secondarily crystallized. Then, an upper electrode is formed over the capacitance dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Misato Sakamoto, Youichi Yamamoto, Masayuki Tachikawa, Yoshitake Kato
  • Patent number: 8937020
    Abstract: One object is to provide a deposition technique for forming an oxide semiconductor film. By forming an oxide semiconductor film using a sputtering target including a sintered body of a metal oxide whose concentration of hydrogen contained is low, for example, lower than 1×1016 atoms/cm3, the oxide semiconductor film contains a small amount of impurities such as a compound containing hydrogen typified by H2O or a hydrogen atom. In addition, this oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer of a transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toru Takayama, Keiji Sato
  • Publication number: 20140370673
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided on a substrate. A thin-film capacitor is attached to the substrate, the thin-film capacitor includes a pyrochlore or perovskite dielectric layer between a plurality of electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin-film material. A reactive barrier layer is deposited over the thin-film capacitor. The reactive barrier layer includes an oxide having an element with more than one valence state, wherein the element with more than one valence state has a molar ratio of the molar amount of the element that is in its highest valence state to its total molar amount in the barrier of 50% to 100%. Optionally layers of other materials may intervene between the capacitor and reactive barrier layer. The reactive barrier layer may be paraelectric and the electronic component may be a tunable capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Marina Zelner, Paul Bun Cheuk Woo, Mircea Capanu, Susan C. Nagy
  • Patent number: 8906704
    Abstract: A lower electrode film is formed above a substrate. A ferroelectric film is formed above the lower electrode film. An amorphous intermediate film of a perovskite-type conductive oxide is formed above the ferroelectric film. A first upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the intermediate film. The intermediate film is crystallized by carrying out a first heat treatment in an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas after the formation of the first upper electrode film. After the first heat treatment, a second upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the first upper electrode film, at a temperature lower than the growth temperature for the first upper electrode film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Wensheng Wang
  • Patent number: 8907405
    Abstract: Semiconductor structures with dual trench regions and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor structures are provided herein. The method includes forming a gate structure on an active region and high-k dielectric material formed in one or more trenches adjacent to the active region. The method further includes forming a sacrificial material over the active region and portions of the high-k dielectric material adjacent sidewalls of the active region. The method further includes removing unprotected portions of the high-k dielectric material, leaving behind a liner of high-k dielectric material on the sidewalls of the active region. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material and forming a raised source and drain region adjacent to sidewalls of the gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Reinaldo A. Vega, Hongwen Yan
  • Patent number: 8895442
    Abstract: Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus include cobalt titanium oxide on a substrate for use in a variety of electronic systems. The cobalt titanium oxide may be structured as one or more monolayers. The cobalt titanium oxide may be formed by a monolayer by monolayer sequencing process such as atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kie Y. Ahn, Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 8853068
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, forming a high-k dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate, forming a capping layer over the high-k dielectric layer in the first region, forming a first metal layer over capping layer in the first region and over the high-k dielectric in the second region, thereafter, forming a first gate stack in the first region and a second gate stack in the second region, protecting the first metal layer in the first gate stack while performing a treatment process on the first metal layer in the second gate stack, and forming a second metal layer over the first metal layer in the first gate stack and over the treated first metal layer in the second gate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng-Fu Hsu, Kang-Cheng Lin, Kuo-Tai Huang
  • Patent number: 8846468
    Abstract: A method for reducing the leakage current in DRAM Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitors includes forming a capacitor stack including an oxygen donor dopant incorporated within the dielectric layer. The oxygen donor dopants may be incorporated within the dielectric layer during the formation of the dielectric layer. The oxygen donor materials provide oxygen to the dielectric layer and reduce the concentration of oxygen vacancies, thus reducing the leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangxin Rui, Sergey Barabash
  • Patent number: 8835273
    Abstract: A first electrode layer for a Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) DRAM capacitor is formed wherein the first electrode layer contains a conductive metal oxide formed using a high temperature, low pressure ALD process. The high temperature ALD process results in a layer with enhanced crystallinity, higher density, reduced shrinkage, and lower carbon contamination. The high temperature ALD process can be used for either or both the bottom electrode and the top electrode layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanhong Chen, Edward L Haywood, Sandra G Malhotra, Hiroyuki Ode
  • Patent number: 8828821
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor stack and associated device such as a capacitor and DRAM cell. In particular, a bottom electrode upon which a dielectric layer is to be grown may have a ruthenium-based surface. Lattice matching of the ruthenium surface with the dielectric layer (e.g., titanium oxide, strontium titanate or barium strontium titanate) helps promote the growth of rutile-phase titanium oxide, thereby leading to higher dielectric constant and lower effective oxide thickness. The ruthenium-based material also provides a high work function material, leading to lower leakage. To mitigate nucleation delay associated with the use of ruthenium, an adherence or glue layer based in titanium may be employed. A pretreatment process may be further employed so as to increase effective capacitor plate area, and thus promote even further improvements in dielectric constant and effective oxide thickness (“EOT”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanhong Chen, Nobumichi Fuchigami, Imran Hashim, Pragati Kumar, Sandra Malhotra, Sunil Shanker
  • Patent number: 8815678
    Abstract: In a thin film transistor, each of an upper electrode and a lower electrode is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of a metal and a metal nitride, represented by TiN, Ti, W, WN, Pt, Ir, Ru. A capacitor dielectric film is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, HfO2, (Zrx, Hf1-x)O2 (0<x<1), (Zry, Ti1-y)O2 (0<y<1), (Hfz, Ti1-z)O2 (0<z<1), (Zrk, Til, Hfm)O2 (0<k, l, m<1, k+l+m=1), by an atomic layer deposition process. The thin film transistor thus formed has a minimized leakage current and an increased capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Iizuka, Tomoe Yamamoto, Mami Toda, Shintaro Yamamichi
  • Patent number: 8796044
    Abstract: Device structures, fabrication methods, and design structures for a capacitor of a memory cell of ferroelectric random access memory device. The capacitor may include a first electrode comprised of a first conductor, a ferroelectric layer on the first electrode, a second electrode on the ferroelectric layer, and a cap layer on an upper surface of the second electrode. The second electrode may be comprised of a second conductor, and the cap layer may have a composition that is free of titanium. The second electrode may be formed by etching a layer of a material formed on a layer of the second conductor to define a hardmask and then modifying the remaining portion of that material in the hardmask to have a comparatively less etch rate, when exposed to a chlorine-based reactive ion etch chemistry, than when initially formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Beecher, William J. Murphy, James S. Nakos, Bruce W. Porth
  • Patent number: 8785272
    Abstract: A method of reducing impurities in a high-k dielectric layer comprising the following steps. A substrate is provided. A high-k dielectric layer having impurities is formed over the substrate. The high-k dielectric layer being formed by an MOCVD or an ALCVD process. The high-k dielectric layer is annealed to reduce the impurities within the high-k dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Liang-Gi Yao, Ming-Fang Wang, Shih-Chang Chen, Mong-Song Liang
  • Patent number: 8778755
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIMCap) is disclosed. A first metal layer is provided on top of an oxide layer. A nitride layer is then deposited on the first metal layer. The nitride layer and the first metal layer are etched to form a MIMCap metal layer. The gaps among the MIMCap metal layer are filled with a plasma oxide, and the excess plasma oxide is polished using the nitride layer a polish stop. After removing the nitride layer, a dielectric layer and a second metal layer are deposited on the MIMCap metal layer. Finally, the dielectric layer and the second metal layer are etched to form a set of MIMCap structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Jason F. Ross, Chi-Hua Yang, Thomas J. McIntyre
  • Patent number: 8765547
    Abstract: An on-chip decoupling capacitor is disclosed. One or more carbon nanotubes are coupled to a first electrode of the capacitor. A dielectric skin is formed on the one or more carbon nanotubes. A metal coating is formed on the dielectric skin. The dielectric skin is configured to electrically isolate the one or more carbon nanotubes from the metal coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Damon B. Farmer, Aaron D. Franklin, Shu-Jen Han, George S. Tulevski
  • Patent number: 8765555
    Abstract: A phase change memory cell includes a first electrode having a cylindrical portion. A dielectric material having a cylindrical portion is longitudinally over the cylindrical portion of the first electrode. Heater material is radially inward of and electrically coupled to the cylindrical portion of the first electrode. Phase change material is over the heater material and a second electrode is electrically coupled to the phase change material. Other embodiments are disclosed, including methods of forming memory cells which include first and second electrodes having phase change material and heater material in electrical series there-between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Damon E. Van Gerpen
  • Patent number: 8766346
    Abstract: A method for reducing the leakage current in DRAM Metal-Insulator-Metal capacitors includes forming a capacitor stack including an oxygen donor layer inserted between the dielectric layer and at least one of the two electrode layers. In some embodiments, the dielectric layer may be doped with an oxygen donor dopant. The oxygen donor materials provide oxygen to the dielectric layer and reduce the concentration of oxygen vacancies, thus reducing the leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiangxin Rui, Sergey Barabash
  • Patent number: 8748258
    Abstract: An ETSOI transistor and a capacitor are formed respectively in a transistor and capacitor region thereof by etching through an ETSOI and thin BOX layers in a replacement gate HK/MG flow. The capacitor formation is compatible with an ETSOI replacement gate CMOS flow. A low resistance capacitor electrode makes it possible to obtain a high quality capacitor or varactor. The lack of topography during dummy gate patterning are achieved by lithography in combination accompanied with appropriate etch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Ghavam Shahidi
  • Patent number: 8741712
    Abstract: A method for forming a DRAM MIM capacitor stack having low leakage current involves the use of a first electrode that serves as a template for promoting the high-k phase of a subsequently deposited dielectric layer. The high-k dielectric layer includes a doped material that can be crystallized after a subsequent annealing treatment. An amorphous blocking is formed on the dielectric layer. The thickness of the blocking layer is chosen such that the blocking layer remains amorphous after a subsequent annealing treatment. A second electrode layer compatible with the blocking layer is formed on the blocking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpidia Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony P. Chiang, Wim Y. Deweerd, Sandra G Malhotra
  • Patent number: 8735243
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an FET device is disclosed. The FET device has a gate insulator with a high-k dielectric portion, and a threshold modifying material. The method introduces a stabilizing material into the gate insulator in order to hinder one or more metals from the threshold modifying material to penetrate across the high-k portion of the gate insulator. The introduction of the stabilizing material may involve disposing a stabilizing agent over a layer which contains an oxide of the one or more metals. A stabilizing material may also be incorporated into the high-k dielectric. Application of the method may lead to FET devices with unique gate insulator structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew W. Copel, Bruce B. Doris, Vijay Narayanan, Yun-Yu Wang
  • Patent number: 8728901
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a non-volatile, ferroelectric random access memory (F-RAM) device is described. In one embodiment, the method includes forming an opening in an insulating layer over a surface of a substrate, and forming bottom electrode spacers proximal to sidewalls of the opening. Next, a ferroelectric dielectric layer is formed in the opening over the surface of the substrate and between the bottom electrode spacers, and a pair of top electrodes is formed within the opening comprising first and second side portions displaced laterally from respective ones of the bottom electrode spacers by the ferroelectric dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Shan Sun, Thomas Davenport, John Cronin
  • Patent number: 8722504
    Abstract: A method for reducing leakage current in DRAM capacitor stacks by introducing dielectric interface layers between the electrodes and the bulk dielectric material. The dielectric interface layers are typically amorphous dielectric materials with a k value between about 10 and about 30 and are less than about 1.5 nm in thickness. Advantageously, the thickness of each of the dielectric interface layers is less than 1.0 nm. In some cases, only a single dielectric interface layer is used between the bulk dielectric material and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Wim Deweerd, Hiroyuki Ode
  • Patent number: 8716833
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming on a substrate an insulating interlayer through which a capacitor contact is interposed; forming on the insulating interlayer a first upper electrode having an opening through which the capacitor contact is exposed; forming a first dielectric layer pattern on a lateral wall of the opening; forming a lower electrode on the first dielectric layer pattern formed in the opening and the capacitor contact; forming a second dielectric layer pattern on the lower electrode formed in the opening and the first dielectric layer pattern; and forming on the second dielectric layer pattern a second upper electrode so as to fill the opening and to contact the first upper electrode. The semiconductor device may prevent a lower electrode of a capacitor from collapsing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-woong Koo
  • Patent number: 8709890
    Abstract: An ETSOI transistor and a combination of capacitors, junction diodes, bank end contacts and resistors are respectively formed in a transistor and capacitor region thereof by etching through an ETSOI and BOX layers in a replacement gate HK/MG flow. The capacitor and other devices formation are compatible with an ETSOI replacement gate CMOS flow. A low resistance capacitor electrode makes it possible to obtain a high quality capacitor, and devices. The lack of topography during dummy gate patterning are achieved by lithography in combination accompanied with appropriate etch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Thomas N. Adam, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek
  • Patent number: 8709891
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods for providing the memory devices are provided. The memory devices utilize multiple metal oxide layers. The methods for providing the memory devices can include providing a transistor; producing a capacitor that includes metal layers and metal oxide layers; connecting the capacitor to a side of the transistor; and providing a wordline, bitline, and driveline through connection with the transistor or the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: 4D-S Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhida Lan, Dongmin Chen
  • Patent number: 8710567
    Abstract: The semiconductor device of the present invention includes a silicon substrate having a logic region and a RAM region, an NMOS transistor formed in the logic region, and an NMOS transistor formed in the RAM region. The NMOS transistor has a stack structure obtained by sequentially stacking the gate insulating film and the metal gate electrode over the silicon substrate. The NMOS transistor has a cap film containing an element selected from a group consisting of lanthanum, ytterbium, magnesium, strontium, and erbium as a composition element between the silicon substrate and metal gate electrode. The cap film is not formed in the NMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiko Moriya
  • Patent number: 8697517
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides reduced substrate coupling for inductors in semiconductor devices. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having reduced substrate coupling includes providing a substrate having a first region and a second region. The method also includes forming a first gate structure over the first region and a second gate structure over the second region, wherein the first and second gate structures each include a dummy gate. The method next includes forming an inter layer dielectric (ILD) over the substrate and forming a photoresist (PR) layer over the second gate structure. Then, the method includes removing the dummy gate from the first gate structure, thereby forming a trench and forming a metal gate in the trench so that a transistor may be formed in the first region, which includes a metal gate, and an inductor component may be formed over the second region, which does not include a metal gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Harry Hak-Lay Chuang, Ming Zhu, Lee-Wee Teo
  • Patent number: 8697516
    Abstract: A capacitor (110), wherein the capacitor (110) comprises a capacitor dielectric (112) comprising a dielectric matrix (114) of a first value of permittivity, and a plurality of nanoclusters (116) of a second value of permittivity which is larger than the first value of permittivity which are at least partially embedded in the dielectric matrix (114), wherein the plurality of nanoclusters (116) are formed in the dielectric matrix (114) by spontaneous nucleation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: NXP, B.V.
    Inventors: Yukiko Furukawa, Jinesh Balakrishna Pillai Kochupurackal, Johan Hendrik Klootwijk, Frank Pasveer
  • Patent number: 8692266
    Abstract: A circuit substrate structure including a substrate, a dielectric stack layer, a first plating layer and a second plating layer is provided. The substrate has a pad. The dielectric stack layer is disposed on the substrate and has an opening exposing the pad, wherein the dielectric stack layer includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a third dielectric layer located between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, and there is a gap between the portion of the first dielectric layer surrounding the opening and the portion of the second dielectric layer surrounding the opening. The first plating layer is disposed at the dielectric stack layer. The second plating layer is disposed at the pad, wherein the gap isolates the first plating layer from the second plating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Optromax Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kuo-Tso Chen
  • Patent number: 8685819
    Abstract: A method for making a crossbar array of crossed conductive or semi-conductive access lines on a substrate, the crossbar array including on a crossbar array insulator, in a plane parallel to the substrate, a first level of lines including a plurality of first lines parallel with each other made of a conductive or semi-conductive material; on the first level of lines, a second level of lines including a plurality of second lines parallel with each other made of a conductive or semi-conductive material, the second lines being substantially perpendicular to the first lines. The method includes forming, on the substrate, a first cavity of substantially rectangular shape; forming a second cavity of substantially rectangular shape superimposed to the first cavity, the first and second cavities intersecting each other perpendicularly so as to form a resultant cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Universite Joseph Fourier
    Inventors: Julien Buckley, Karim Aissou, Thierry Baron, Gabriel Molas
  • Patent number: 8685815
    Abstract: Embodiments of a dielectric layer containing a hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film structured as one or more monolayers include the dielectric layer disposed in a transistor. An embodiment may include forming a hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film using a monolayer or partial monolayer sequencing process such as reaction sequence atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kie Y. Ahn, Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 8679913
    Abstract: A film is formed so that the atomic numbers ratio of Sr to Ti, i.e., Sr/Ti, in the film is not less than 1.2 and not more than 3. The film is then annealed in an atmosphere containing not less than 0.001% and not more than 80% of O2 at 500° C. or above. An SrO film forming step or a TiO film forming step are repeated a plurality of times so that a sequence, in which a plurality of SrO film forming steps or/and a plurality of TiO film forming steps are performed continuously, is included. When Sr is oxidized after the adsorption of Sr, O3 and H2O are used as an oxidizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yumiko Kawano, Susumu Arima, Akinobu Kakimoto, Toshiyuki Hirota, Takakazu Kiyomura
  • Patent number: 8664061
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods and apparatus for manufacturing a memory cell. The invention includes forming a feature having sidewalls in a first dielectric material; forming a first conductive material on the sidewalls of the feature; depositing a layer of a second dielectric material on the conductive material; and exposing the second dielectric material to oxidizing species and ultraviolet light to oxidize the second dielectric material. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Xie, Alexandros T. Demos, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Patent number: 8659066
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor includes a first semiconductor layer and a gate stack located on the first semiconductor layer. The gate stack includes a metal layer and a first high-k dielectric layer. A gate spacer is located on sidewalls of the gate stack. The first high-k dielectric layer is located between the first semiconductor layer and the metal layer and between the gate spacer and sidewalls of the metal layer. A first silicide region is located on a first source/drain region. A second silicide region is located on a second source/drain region. The capacitor includes a first terminal that comprises a third silicide region located on a portion of the second semiconductor. A second high-k dielectric layer is located on the silicide region. A second terminal comprises a metal layer that is located on the second high-k dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Ghavam G. Shahidi
  • Patent number: 8658493
    Abstract: An aluminum oxide film covering a ferroelectric capacitor is formed. Next, an opening (51t) where a portion of a top electrode is exposed and an opening (51b) where a portion of a bottom electrode is exposed are formed in the aluminum oxide film. Thereafter, films (23 to 26) are formed and a resist pattern (92) is formed. Then, etching of the films (23 to 26) is performed with using the resist pattern (92) as a mask thereby forming contact holes (27t) and (27b). At this time, since the openings (51t) and (51b) are formed in the aluminum oxide film, the aluminum oxide film is not required to be processed. Consequently, the contact holes (27t) and (27b) can be formed easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Kouichi Nagai
  • Patent number: 8659062
    Abstract: A lower electrode film is formed above a substrate. A ferroelectric film is formed above the lower electrode film. An amorphous intermediate film of a perovskite-type conductive oxide is formed above the ferroelectric film. A first upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the intermediate film. The intermediate film is crystallized by carrying out a first heat treatment in an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas after the formation of the first upper electrode film. After the first heat treatment, a second upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the first upper electrode film, at a temperature lower than the growth temperature for the first upper electrode film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Wensheng Wang
  • Patent number: 8648992
    Abstract: A thin film capacitor is characterized by forming a lower electrode, coating a composition onto the lower electrode without applying an annealing process having a temperature of greater than 300° C., drying at a predetermined temperature within a range from ambient temperature to 500° C., and calcining at a predetermined temperature within a range of 500 to 800° C. and higher than a drying temperature. The process from coating to calcining is performed the process from coating to calcining once or at least twice, or the process from coating to drying is performed at least twice, and then calcining is performed once. The thickness of the dielectric thin film formed after the first calcining is 20 to 600 nm. The ratio of the thickness of the lower electrode and the thickness of the dielectric thin film formed after the initial calcining step (thickness of lower electrode/thickness of the dielectric thin film) is preferably in the range 0.10 to 15.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, STMicroelectronics(Tours) SAS
    Inventors: Hideaki Sakurai, Toshiaki Watanabe, Nobuyuki Soyama, Guillaume Guegan
  • Patent number: 8647988
    Abstract: A memory device includes a mesa structure and a word line. The mesa structure, having two opposite side surfaces, includes at least one pair of source/drain regions and at least one channel base region corresponding to the pair of source/drain regions formed therein. The word line includes two linear sections and at least one interconnecting portion. Each linear section extends on the respective side surface of the mesa structure, adjacent to the channel base region. The at least one interconnecting portion penetrates through the mesa structure, connecting the two linear sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ying Cheng Chuang, Ping Cheng Hsu, Sheng Wei Yang, Ming Cheng Chang, Hung Ming Tsai