US5770496A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of making a resistor
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1997-01-24
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Granted: 1998-06-23
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Expires: 2017-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor from semiconductive material includes: a) providing a node to which electrical connection to a resistor is to be made; b) providing a first electrically insulative material outwardly of the node; c) providing an exposed vertical sidewall in the first electrically insulative material outwardly of the node; d) providing a second electrically insulative material outwardly of the first material and over the first material vertical sidewall, the first and second materials being selectively etchable relative to one another; e) anisotropically etching the second material selectively relative to the first material to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer over the first material vertical sidewall and to outwardly expose the first material adjacent the sidewall spacer, the spacer having an inner surface and an outer surface; f) etching the first material selectively relative to the second material to outwardly expose at least a portion of the spacer outer surface; g) providing a conformal layer of a semiconductive material over the exposed outer spacer surface and over the inner spacer surface, the conformal layer making electrical connection with the node; and h) patterning the conformal layer into a desired resistor shape. SRAM and other integrated circuitry incorporating this and other resistors is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Ceredig Roberts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 02:16
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/40; H10D1/47; H10B; H10B10/00; H10B10/15; H10D84/00; H10D84/201; H10D84/204; H10D84/209; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S257/00; Y10S257/903; Y10S257/904; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/979
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor from semiconductive material comprising the following steps: forming a circuit node to which electrical connection to a resistor is to be made; forming a first electrically insulative material outwardly of the node; forming an opening in the first electrically insulative material over the node, the opening having an opening width and sidewalls; forming a second electrically insulative material outwardly of the first material and within the opening to a thickness which is less than one-half the opening width to less than completely fill the opening with second electrically insulative material, the first and second materials being selectively etchable relative to one another; anisotropically etching the second material to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening and to outwardly expose an upper surface of the first material adjacent the sidewall spacer, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface; removing a portion of the first material to outwardly expose at least a portion of the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface; providing a conformal layer of a semiconductive material over the exposed outer lateral sidewall spacer surface and over the inner lateral sidewall spacer surface within the opening to define a container shape of semiconductive material within the opening, the container shape making electrical connection with the circuit node; and patterning the conformal layer to define a resistor comprising the container shape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
236 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor from semiconductive material comprising the following steps: forming a circuit node to which electrical connection to a resistor is to be made; forming a first electrically insulative material outwardly of the node; forming an opening in the first electrically insulative material over the node, the opening having an opening width and sidewalls; forming a second electrically insulative material outwardly of the first material and within the opening to a thickness which is less than one-half the opening width to less than completely fill the opening with second electrically insulative material, the first and second materials being selectively etchable relative to one another; anisotropically etching the second material to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening and to outwardly expose an upper surface of the first material adjacent the sidewall spacer, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface; removing a portion of the first material to outwardly expose at least a portion of the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface; providing a conformal layer of a semiconductive material over the exposed outer lateral sidewall spacer surface and over the inner lateral sidewall spacer surface within the opening to define a container shape of semiconductive material within the opening, the container shape making electrical connection with the circuit node; and patterning the conformal layer to define a resistor comprising the container shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the opening in the first electrically insulative material over the circuit node does not outwardly expose the circuit node prior to the formation of the second electrically insulative material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises silicon dioxide and the second material comprises silicon nitride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 further comprising masking the container shape of the conformal layer while conductively doping unmasked portions of the conformal layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 wherein the container shape includes an outer elevation portion and an inner elevation portion, the method further comprising conductively doping the inner elevation portion to a higher conductivity doping than the outer elevation portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises silicon dioxide and the second material comprises silicon nitride, and further comprising masking the container shape of the conformal layer while conductively doping unmasked portions of the conformal layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises silicon dioxide and the second material comprises silicon nitride, and the container shape includes an outer elevation portion and an inner elevation portion, the method further comprising conductively doping the inner elevation portion to a higher conductivity doping than the outer elevation portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 1 further comprising masking the container shape of the conformal layer while conductively doping unmasked portions of the conformal layer, and wherein the container shape includes an outer elevation portion and an inner elevation portion, the method further comprising conductively doping the inner elevation portion to a higher conductivity doping than the outer elevation portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor from semiconductive material comprising the following steps: forming a first electrically insulative material outwardly of a circuit node; forming an exposed vertical sidewall in the first electrically insulative material; forming a second electrically insulative material outwardly of the first material and over the exposed first material vertical sidewall, the first and second materials being selectively etchable relative to one another; removing a portion of the second material to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer over the exposed first material vertical sidewall and to outwardly expose the first material adjacent the sidewall spacer, the spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface; removing a portion of the first material to outwardly expose at least a portion of the spacer outer lateral surface; and forming a conformal layer of a semiconductive material over the exposed outer lateral spacer surface and over the inner lateral spacer surface, the conformal layer making electrical connection with the circuit node.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor from semiconductive material comprising the following steps: forming a first electrically insulative material outwardly of a circuit node; forming an exposed vertical sidewall in the first electrically insulative material; forming a second electrically insulative material outwardly of the first material and over the exposed first material vertical sidewall, the first and second materials being selectively etchable relative to one another; removing a portion of the second material to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer over the exposed first material vertical sidewall and to outwardly expose the first material adjacent the sidewall spacer, the spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface; removing a portion of the first material to outwardly expose at least a portion of the spacer outer lateral surface; and forming a conformal layer of a semiconductive material over the exposed outer lateral spacer surface and over the inner lateral spacer surface, the conformal layer making electrical connection with the circuit node.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 9 wherein the first material comprises silicon dioxide and the second material comprises silicon nitride.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 9 further comprising providing the conformal layer to have different conductivity dopant concentrations at different locations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor of claim 9 wherein the first material comprises silicon dioxide and the second material comprises silicon nitride, and further comprising providing the conformal layer to have different conductivity dopant concentrations at different locations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming an opening in a first electrically insulative material over a circuit node to which electrical connection is to be made; forming a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface and comprising a second insulative material; and forming a layer of a semiconductive material over the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface and over the sidewall spacer inner lateral surface, the semiconductor material defining a resistor in electrical connection with the circuit node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming an opening in a first electrically insulative material over a circuit node to which electrical connection is to be made; forming a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface and comprising a second insulative material; and forming a layer of a semiconductive material over the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface and over the sidewall spacer inner lateral surface, the semiconductor material defining a resistor in electrical connection with the circuit node.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the circuit node comprises an implant in a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
120 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming an opening in a first electrically insulative material over a circuit node to which electrical connection is to be made; forming a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface and comprising a second insulative material; and forming a layer of a semiconductive material over the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface and over the sidewall spacer inner lateral surface, the semiconductive material comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a different conductivity doping than the second region, the semiconductive material defining a resistor in electrical connection with the node.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming an opening in a first electrically insulative material over a circuit node to which electrical connection is to be made; forming a substantially vertically extending sidewall spacer within the opening, the sidewall spacer having an inner lateral surface and an outer lateral surface and comprising a second insulative material; and forming a layer of a semiconductive material over the sidewall spacer outer lateral surface and over the sidewall spacer inner lateral surface, the semiconductive material comprising a first region and a second region, the first region having a different conductivity doping than the second region, the semiconductive material defining a resistor in electrical connection with the node.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the circuit node comprises an implant in a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 wherein one of the semiconductive material regions is doped by out diffusion from an adjacent semiconductive layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
119 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming a doped polysilicon layer over a circuit node; forming a first electrically insulative material over the doped polysilicon layer; forming a first opening in a first electrically insulative material over the circuit node, the first opening not extending to the circuit node; forming a layer of a second electrically insulative material within the first opening; forming a second opening through the layer of second electrically insulative material and through the first electrically insulative material to the circuit node; forming a resistor layer within the second opening and in electrical contact with the circuit node; and out-diffusing dopant from the doped polysilicon layer into the resistor layer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
119 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming a doped polysilicon layer over a circuit node; forming a first electrically insulative material over the doped polysilicon layer; forming a first opening in a first electrically insulative material over the circuit node, the first opening not extending to the circuit node; forming a layer of a second electrically insulative material within the first opening; forming a second opening through the layer of second electrically insulative material and through the first electrically insulative material to the circuit node; forming a resistor layer within the second opening and in electrical contact with the circuit node; and out-diffusing dopant from the doped polysilicon layer into the resistor layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
103 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming a doped polysilicon layer over a circuit node; forming an oxide layer over the doped polysilicon layer; forming a first opening in the oxide layer over the circuit node, the first opening not extending to the circuit node; forming a nitride layer within the first opening; forming a second opening through the nitride layer and through the oxide layer to the circuit node; forming a resistor layer within the second opening and in electrical contact with the circuit node; and out-diffusing dopant from the doped polysilicon layer into the resistor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
103 words
A semiconductor processing method of forming a resistor comprising the following steps: forming a doped polysilicon layer over a circuit node; forming an oxide layer over the doped polysilicon layer; forming a first opening in the oxide layer over the circuit node, the first opening not extending to the circuit node; forming a nitride layer within the first opening; forming a second opening through the nitride layer and through the oxide layer to the circuit node; forming a resistor layer within the second opening and in electrical contact with the circuit node; and out-diffusing dopant from the doped polysilicon layer into the resistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-22 | 2001-12-22 | 2002-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-22 | 2005-12-22 | 2006-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-22 | 2009-12-22 | 2010-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |