US5759895A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fabricating a capacitor storage node having a rugged-fin surface
Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1997-10-14
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Granted: 1998-06-02
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Expires: 2017-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming a high capacitance capacitor which does not require additional integrated circuit chip surface area. A capacitor storage electrode or first capacitor plate is formed from amorphous silicon and attached to a polysilicon stud. Dielectric is removed from the under side of the first capacitor plate. The amorphous silicon is then annealed at low pressure to form hemispherical grain polysilicon on the surface of the amorphous silicon thereby increasing the surface area. In one embodiment polysilicon spacers are used to increase the first capacitor plate surface area. The first capacitor plate is then covered by a conformal dielectric layer and a polysilicon second capacitor plate is formed. The capacitor extends over the active integrated circuit chip area but is above the surface of the chip and thereby does not use additional chip area.
Inventors
- 👤 Horng-Huei Tseng
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10B; H10B12/00; H10B12/01; H10B12/02; H10B12/03; H10B12/033; H10B12/30; H10B12/31; H10B12/318; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D1/711; H10D1/712; H10D1/714; H10D1/716
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of fabricating a capacitor, comprising the steps of: providing an integrated circuit wafer having devices formed therein and electrodes and contact regions formed thereon; forming a first dielectric layer having a top surface over said integrated circuit wafer; forming a contact hole in said first dielectric layer directly over one of said contact regions; depositing a layer of first polysilicon on said integrated circuit wafer thereby filling said contact hole with said first polysilicon; removing a part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer thereby leaving said first polysilicon in said contact hole forming a first polysilicon stud; depositing a layer of amorphous silicon on said top surface of said first dielectric layer after forming said first polysilicon stud; patterning said layer of amorphous silicon thereby forming an amorphous silicon plate wherein said amorphous silicon plate covers said first polysilicon stud; removing said top surface of said first dielectric layer and a part of said first dielectric layer within a first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer after patterning said layer of amorphous silicon so that no part of said first dielectric layer contacts said amorphous silicon plate; annealing said amorphous silicon plate thereby forming hemispherical grain polysilicon on a surface of said amorphous silicon plate wherein said hemispherical grain polysilicon on said surface of said amorphous silicon plate forms a first capacitor plate; depositing a conformal layer of second dielectric over said first capacitor plate; depositing a layer of second polysilicon over said conformal layer of second dielectric; and patterning said conformal layer of second dielectric and said layer of second polysilicon thereby forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
283 words
A method of fabricating a capacitor, comprising the steps of: providing an integrated circuit wafer having devices formed therein and electrodes and contact regions formed thereon; forming a first dielectric layer having a top surface over said integrated circuit wafer; forming a contact hole in said first dielectric layer directly over one of said contact regions; depositing a layer of first polysilicon on said integrated circuit wafer thereby filling said contact hole with said first polysilicon; removing a part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer thereby leaving said first polysilicon in said contact hole forming a first polysilicon stud; depositing a layer of amorphous silicon on said top surface of said first dielectric layer after forming said first polysilicon stud; patterning said layer of amorphous silicon thereby forming an amorphous silicon plate wherein said amorphous silicon plate covers said first polysilicon stud; removing said top surface of said first dielectric layer and a part of said first dielectric layer within a first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer after patterning said layer of amorphous silicon so that no part of said first dielectric layer contacts said amorphous silicon plate; annealing said amorphous silicon plate thereby forming hemispherical grain polysilicon on a surface of said amorphous silicon plate wherein said hemispherical grain polysilicon on said surface of said amorphous silicon plate forms a first capacitor plate; depositing a conformal layer of second dielectric over said first capacitor plate; depositing a layer of second polysilicon over said conformal layer of second dielectric; and patterning said conformal layer of second dielectric and said layer of second polysilicon thereby forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first dielectric layer is borophosphosilicate glass having a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first dielectric layer is undoped silicon dioxide having a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said removing said part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished using plasma etchback.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said removing said part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished using chemical mechanical polishing and said first dielectric layer is undoped silicon oxide having a thickness of between 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said depositing said layer of amorphous silicon is accomplished using low pressure chemical vapor deposition of silane gas at a temperature of between about 540° C. and 560° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said removing said top surface of said dielectric layer and said part of said first dielectric layer within said first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished by means of wet etching using hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said removing said top surface of said dielectric layer and said part of said first dielectric layer within said first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished by means of dry plasma etching using CHF 3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said annealing said amorphous silicon plate is performed at a temperature of between about 550° C. and 650° C. and a pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said conformal layer of second dielectric is NO, ONO, or Ta 2 O 5 .
Claim 12
Independent Claim
406 words
A method of fabricating a capacitor, comprising the steps of: providing an integrated circuit wafer having devices formed therein and electrodes and contact regions formed thereon; forming a first dielectric layer having a top surface over said integrated circuit wafer; forming a contact hole in said first dielectric layer directly over one of said contact regions; depositing a layer of first polysilicon on said integrated circuit wafer thereby filling said contact hole with said first polysilicon; removing a part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer thereby leaving said first polysilicon in said contact hole forming a first polysilicon stud; depositing a layer of amorphous silicon on said top surface of said first dielectric layer after forming said first polysilicon stud; patterning said layer of amorphous silicon thereby forming an amorphous silicon plate having sidewalls and a first thickness of amorphous silicon on a part of said top surface of said first dielectric layer which is not covered by said amorphous silicon plate wherein said amorphous silicon plate covers said first polysilicon stud; forming dielectric spacers having inner walls and outer walls at said sidewalls of said amorphous silicon plate wherein said inner walls of said dielectric spacers contact said sidewalls of said amorphous silicon plate; forming doped polysilicon spacers at said outer walls of said dielectric spacers; removing a part of said first thickness of amorphous silicon formed on said part of said top surface of said first dielectric layer which is not covered by said amorphous silicon plate which is not covered by said dielectric spacers or said polysilicon spacers; removing said dielectric spacers, said top surface of said first dielectric layer, and a part of said first dielectric layer within a first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer so that no part of said first dielectric layer contacts said amorphous silicon plate; annealing said amorphous silicon plate thereby forming hemispherical grain polysilicon on a surface of said amorphous silicon plate and forming a first capacitor plate; depositing a conformal layer of second dielectric over a rough exterior surface of said amorphous silicon plate and a part of said first polysilicon stud not covered by said first dielectric layer; depositing a layer of second polysilicon over said conformal layer of second dielectric; and patterning said conformal layer of second dielectric and said layer of second polysilicon thereby forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
406 words
A method of fabricating a capacitor, comprising the steps of: providing an integrated circuit wafer having devices formed therein and electrodes and contact regions formed thereon; forming a first dielectric layer having a top surface over said integrated circuit wafer; forming a contact hole in said first dielectric layer directly over one of said contact regions; depositing a layer of first polysilicon on said integrated circuit wafer thereby filling said contact hole with said first polysilicon; removing a part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer thereby leaving said first polysilicon in said contact hole forming a first polysilicon stud; depositing a layer of amorphous silicon on said top surface of said first dielectric layer after forming said first polysilicon stud; patterning said layer of amorphous silicon thereby forming an amorphous silicon plate having sidewalls and a first thickness of amorphous silicon on a part of said top surface of said first dielectric layer which is not covered by said amorphous silicon plate wherein said amorphous silicon plate covers said first polysilicon stud; forming dielectric spacers having inner walls and outer walls at said sidewalls of said amorphous silicon plate wherein said inner walls of said dielectric spacers contact said sidewalls of said amorphous silicon plate; forming doped polysilicon spacers at said outer walls of said dielectric spacers; removing a part of said first thickness of amorphous silicon formed on said part of said top surface of said first dielectric layer which is not covered by said amorphous silicon plate which is not covered by said dielectric spacers or said polysilicon spacers; removing said dielectric spacers, said top surface of said first dielectric layer, and a part of said first dielectric layer within a first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer so that no part of said first dielectric layer contacts said amorphous silicon plate; annealing said amorphous silicon plate thereby forming hemispherical grain polysilicon on a surface of said amorphous silicon plate and forming a first capacitor plate; depositing a conformal layer of second dielectric over a rough exterior surface of said amorphous silicon plate and a part of said first polysilicon stud not covered by said first dielectric layer; depositing a layer of second polysilicon over said conformal layer of second dielectric; and patterning said conformal layer of second dielectric and said layer of second polysilicon thereby forming a second capacitor plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said first dielectric layer is borophosphosilicate glass having a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said first dielectric layer is undoped silicon dioxide having a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said removing said part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished using plasma etchback.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said removing said part of said layer of first polysilicon above said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished using chemical mechanical polishing and said first dielectric layer is undoped silicon oxide having a thickness of between 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said depositing said layer of amorphous silicon is accomplished using low pressure chemical vapor deposition of silane gas at a temperature of between about 540° C. and 560° C.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said removing said top surface of said dielectric layer and said part of said first dielectric layer within said first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished by means of wet etching using hydrofluoric acid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said removing said top surface of said dielectric layer and said part of said first dielectric layer within said first thickness of said top surface of said first dielectric layer is accomplished by means of dry plasma etching using CHF 3 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said annealing said amorphous silicon plate is performed at a temperature of between about 550° C. and 650° C. and a pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said conformal layer of second dielectric is NO, ONO, or Ta 2 O 5 .
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-01 | 2001-12-01 | 2002-06-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-01 | 2005-12-01 | 2006-06-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-01 | 2009-12-01 | 2010-06-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |