US5683930A — SRAM cell employing substantially vertically elon…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 228 words

A method of forming an SRAM cell comprising the following steps: forming a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; forming a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; forming a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the pull-up resistor nodes; forming a pair of contact openings through the first insulating layer to the pair of pull-up resistor nodes, the contact openings having respective open widths; forming a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths to less than completely fill the pair of contact openings; anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating annulus spacers received within the respective pair of contact openings and a pair of elongated pull-up resistor openings laterally inward thereof; forming electrically conductive material within the pair of elongated pull-up resistor openings in electrical connection with the pair of pull-up resistor nodes to define the pull-up resistors; and forming a Vcc line in electrical connection with the pull-up resistors.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 228 words

A method of forming an SRAM cell comprising the following steps: forming a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; forming a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; forming a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the pull-up resistor nodes; forming a pair of contact openings through the first insulating layer to the pair of pull-up resistor nodes, the contact openings having respective open widths; forming a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths to less than completely fill the pair of contact openings; anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating annulus spacers received within the respective pair of contact openings and a pair of elongated pull-up resistor openings laterally inward thereof; forming electrically conductive material within the pair of elongated pull-up resistor openings in electrical connection with the pair of pull-up resistor nodes to define the pull-up resistors; and forming a Vcc line in electrical connection with the pull-up resistors.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the pair of contact openings are formed to have open widths which are at the minimum capable photolithographic feature dimension, the pull-up resistor openings thereby having respective open widths which are less than the minimum capable photolithographic feature dimension at the time of cell fabrication.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 comprising forming the resistors into diode constructions.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 comprising forming the resistors into back-to-back diode constructions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the pair of pull-down gates comprise respective top surfaces, the respective nodes comprising the pull-down gate top surfaces, the contact openings being formed to the pull-down gate top surfaces.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second insulating layers are the same in predominant composition.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer comprises undoped SiO 2 deposited by decomposition of TEOS.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition; and further comprising forming the resistors into diode constructions.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition; and further comprising forming the resistors into back-to-back diode constructions.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition; and the pair of pull-down gates comprise respective top surfaces, the respective nodes comprising the pull-down gate top surfaces, the contact openings being provided to the pull-down gate top surfaces.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer comprises predominately BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus; and further comprising forming the resistors into diode constructions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus; and further comprising forming the resistors into back-to-back diode constructions.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 66 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus; and the pair of pull-down gates comprise respective top surfaces, the respective nodes comprising the pull-down gate top surfaces, the contact openings being formed to the pull-down gate top surfaces.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 134 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the electrically conductive material comprises: depositing a layer of semiconductive material over the first insulative layer and within the pair of contact openings to completely fill such openings; forming that portion of the semiconductive material layer received within the contact openings to be electrically conductive to a first degree; forming that portion of the semiconductive material layer received outwardly of the contact openings over the first insulative material layer to be electrically conductive to a second degree, the second degree of electrical conductivity being greater than the first; and patterning that portion of the semiconductive material layer material layoff/an SRAM Vcc line common to the pair of pull-up received outwardly of the contact openings over the first insulative resistors.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 95 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 16 wherein the pair of pull-down gates comprise semiconductive material which is conductively doped with a conductivity enhancing impurity and comprise respective top surfaces, the respective nodes comprising the pull-down gate top surfaces, the contact openings being formed to the pull-down gate top surfaces, the step of forming that portion of the semiconductive material layer received within the contact openings electrically conductive to a first degree comprising out-diffusion of conductivity enhancing impurity from the respective pull-down gates into the semiconductive material received with the contact openings.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 16 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 16 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 177 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 1 comprising: forming the resistor into a back-to-back diode construction; depositing a layer of semiconductive material over the first insulative layer and within the pair of contact openings to completely fill such openings; forming respective first portions of the semiconductive material layer received within the contact openings which are closest to the respective nodes electrically conductive with a conductivity enhancing impurity of a first type; forming that portion of the semiconductive material layer received outwardly of the contact openings over the first insulative material layer electrically conductive with a conductivity enhancing impurity of the first type; forming respective second portions of the semiconductive material layer received within the contact openings which are intermediate the respective first portions and that portion of the semiconductive material layer received outwardly of the contact openings electrically conductive with a conductivity enhancing impurity of a second type; and patterning that portion of the semiconductive material layer received outwardly of the contact openings over the first insulative material layer into an SRAM Vcc line.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 87 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 20 wherein the pair of pull-down gates comprise semiconductive material which is conductively doped with a conductivity enhancing impurity and comprise respective top surfaces, the respective nodes comprising the pull-down gate top surfaces, the contact openings being formed to the pull-down gate top surfaces, the step of forming the first portions of the semiconductive material layer received within the contact openings electrically conductive comprising out-diffusion of conductivity enhancing impurity from the respective pull-down gates into the first portions.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 20 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 20 wherein the first insulating layer predominately comprises BPSG and the second insulating layer predominately comprises an insulating material which is not doped with boron or phosphorus.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of forming an SRAM cell comprising the following steps: forming a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of a resistor node; forming a contact opening through the first insulating layer to the resistor node, the contact opening having an open width; forming a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the contact opening to a thickness which is less than one-half the open width to less than completely fill the contact opening; anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define an electrical insulating annulus spacer received within the contact opening and an elongated resistor opening laterally inward thereof; forming electrically conductive material within the elongated resistor opening in electrical connection with the resistor node to define the resistor; and associating the resistor within a memory cell circuitry.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 133 words

A method of forming an SRAM cell comprising the following steps: forming a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of a resistor node; forming a contact opening through the first insulating layer to the resistor node, the contact opening having an open width; forming a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the contact opening to a thickness which is less than one-half the open width to less than completely fill the contact opening; anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define an electrical insulating annulus spacer received within the contact opening and an elongated resistor opening laterally inward thereof; forming electrically conductive material within the elongated resistor opening in electrical connection with the resistor node to define the resistor; and associating the resistor within a memory cell circuitry.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 24 wherein the contact opening is formed to have an open width which is at the minimum capable photolithographic feature dimension, the resistor opening thereby having an open width which is less than the minimum capable photolithographic feature dimension at the time of resistor fabrication.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 24 comprising forming the resistor into a diode construction.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 24 comprising forming the resistor into a back-to-back diode construction.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 24 wherein the first and second insulating layers are different in predominant composition.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of forming an SRAM cell of claim 24 wherein the first and second insulating layers are the same in predominant composition.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-11-03	2001-05-05	2001-11-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-11-03	2005-05-05	2005-11-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-11-03	2009-05-05	2009-11-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

SRAM cell employing substantially vertically elongated pull-up resistors and methods of making, and resistor constructions and methods of making

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