Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A capacitor having a storage node electrode, comprising: a) a plug region having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a sidewall, said bottom surface contacting a substrate, said sidewall adjacent to an electrically insulative region, and said top surface recessed from a top surface of said electrically insulative region; b) a diffusion barrier region overlying said plug rigid, said diffusion barrier region having at least a portion of a top surface substantially planar to said top surface of said electrically insulative region; c) a contact region interposed between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; said contact region minimizing an electrical resistance between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; and d) protective region selected in order to prohibit oxidation of said storage node electrode, said protective region overlying said diffusion barrier region, said diffusion barrier region minimizing diffusion of atoms between said plug and said protective region, said plug region, said diffusion barrier region, said contact region and said protective region forming the storage node electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A capacitor having a storage node electrode, comprising: a) a plug region having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a sidewall, said bottom surface contacting a substrate, said sidewall adjacent to an electrically insulative region, and said top surface recessed from a top surface of said electrically insulative region; b) a diffusion barrier region overlying said plug rigid, said diffusion barrier region having at least a portion of a top surface substantially planar to said top surface of said electrically insulative region; c) a contact region interposed between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; said contact region minimizing an electrical resistance between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; and d) protective region selected in order to prohibit oxidation of said storage node electrode, said protective region overlying said diffusion barrier region, said diffusion barrier region minimizing diffusion of atoms between said plug and said protective region, said plug region, said diffusion barrier region, said contact region and said protective region forming the storage node electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer overlying said protective region and physically isolated at all points from said diffusion barrier region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The capacitor a specified in claim 2, wherein said dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than 50.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 2, further comprising a conductive layer overlying said dielectric layer said conductive layer forming a cell plate of the capacitor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 2, wherein said dielectric layer is a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of Ba x Sr.sub.(1-x)TiO 3 , BaTiO 3 , SrTiO 3 , PbTiO 3 , Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , (Pb,La) (Zr,Ti)O 3 , (Pb,La)TiO 3 , KNO 3 , and LiNbO 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said diffusion barrier region prohibits silicon diffusion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said diffusion barrier is a material selected from groups consisting of refractory metals, conductive metal oxides, and metal nitrides.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said diffusion barrier is a material selected from a group of materials consisting of Ta, TiN, TaN, Ti, RuO 2 , Ru.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said protective region is a material selected from non-oxidizing materials and conductive oxides.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said protective region is a material selected from a group consisting of platinum and with RuO 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said contact rigid is a material selected from a group of materials consisting of refractory metals and metal nitrides.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said contact rigid is a material selected from a group consisting of Ti, W, Co, Ta, and Mo.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said contact region is a material which forms a silicide with a silicon during a thermal anneal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The capacitor as specified in claim 1, wherein said plug region is doped polysilicon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
203 words
A capacitor having a storage node electrode, comprising: a) a plug region having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a sidewall, said bottom surface contacting a substrate, said sidewall adjacent to an electrically insulative region, and said top surface recessed from a top surface of said electrically insulative region; b) a diffusion barrier region overlying said plug region, said diffusion barrier region having at least a portion of a top surface substantially planar to said top surface of said electrically insulative region; c) a contact region interposed between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region, said contact region minimizing an electrical resistance between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; and d) protective region selected in order to prohibit oxidation of said storage node electrode during annealing performed during a fabrication of the capacitor, said protective region overlying said Lop surface of said diffusion barrier region in its entirety and overlying portions of said electrically insulative region at all points surrounding said diffusion barrier region, said diffusion barrier region minimizing diffusion of atoms between said plug region and said protective region, said plug region, said diffusion barrier region, said contact region and said protective region forming the storage node electrode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
203 words
A capacitor having a storage node electrode, comprising: a) a plug region having a bottom surface, a top surface, and a sidewall, said bottom surface contacting a substrate, said sidewall adjacent to an electrically insulative region, and said top surface recessed from a top surface of said electrically insulative region; b) a diffusion barrier region overlying said plug region, said diffusion barrier region having at least a portion of a top surface substantially planar to said top surface of said electrically insulative region; c) a contact region interposed between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region, said contact region minimizing an electrical resistance between said diffusion barrier region and said plug region; and d) protective region selected in order to prohibit oxidation of said storage node electrode during annealing performed during a fabrication of the capacitor, said protective region overlying said Lop surface of said diffusion barrier region in its entirety and overlying portions of said electrically insulative region at all points surrounding said diffusion barrier region, said diffusion barrier region minimizing diffusion of atoms between said plug region and said protective region, said plug region, said diffusion barrier region, said contact region and said protective region forming the storage node electrode.