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US5895250A
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Method of forming semicrown-shaped stacked capacitors for dynamic random access memory
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd
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Filing: 1998-06-11
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Granted: 1999-04-20
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Expires: 2018-06-11
Abstract
Abstract A method for making semicrown stacked capacitors for DRAM devices is achieved. A first insulating layer, a second insulating etch-stop layer, and a high-etch-rate third insulating layer are sequentially formed on a substrate over the memory cell areas having FETs with source/drain areas. Recesses are etched in the third and second insulating layers for bottom electrodes, aligned over device areas. Node contact openings are plasma etched in the first insulating layer exposed in the recesses to one of each source/drain area. A first polysilicon layer is deposited to form node contacts and the bottom electrodes. A high-etch-rate fourth insulating layer is used to fill the recesses. The fourth insulating layer and the first polysilicon layer are etched or chem/mech polished back to form the array of bottom electrodes having oxide plugs. The plugs and third insulating layer are wet etched to the etch-stop layer to form the semicrown bottom electrodes. A thin dielectric layer is deposited, and a patterned second polysilicon layer is formed for top electrodes. The etch-stop layer, retained in the final structure, supports the bottom electrodes to reduce mechanical damage during subsequent processing and to also reduce the nonuniformity across the substrate for an improved photolithographic process window.
Inventors
- 👤 Neng-Wei Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/01; H10D1/041; H10D1/042; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D1/711; H10D1/716; H10B; H10B12/00; H10B12/01; H10B12/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
316 words
A method for making an array of semicrown stacked capacitors for memory cells on dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having an array of device areas and each of said device areas having a field effect transistor (FET) with a gate electrode and two source/drain areas, and further having a planar first insulating layer over said device areas; depositing a second insulating layer as an etch-stop layer; depositing a third insulating layer; using a first photoresist mask and anisotropic plasma etching to pattern said third and said second insulating layers to said first insulating layer to form an array of recesses aligned over said array of device areas for bottom electrodes, and removing said first photoresist mask; anisotropic plasma etching node contact openings in said first insulating layer in said recesses to one of said source/drain areas in each of said device areas by using a second photoresist mask; depositing a conformal doped first polysilicon layer in said recesses and sufficiently thick to fill said node contact openings; depositing a fourth insulating layer sufficient to fill said recesses; removing said fourth insulating layer to said first polysilicon layer to form oxide plugs in said recesses and thereby exposing said doped first polysilicon layer on the top surface of said third insulating layer; selectively removing said doped first polysilicon layer to the top surface of said third insulating layer; isotropically etching said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer to said etch-stop layer to form said bottom electrodes for said array of device areas, wherein said etch-stop layer supports said bottom electrodes of said semicrown stacked capacitors; forming an interelectrode dielectric layer on said bottom electrodes; depositing a conformal doped second polysilicon layer over said interelectrode dielectric layer; patterning said second polysilicon layer to form capacitor top electrodes to complete said array of semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
316 words
A method for making an array of semicrown stacked capacitors for memory cells on dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having an array of device areas and each of said device areas having a field effect transistor (FET) with a gate electrode and two source/drain areas, and further having a planar first insulating layer over said device areas; depositing a second insulating layer as an etch-stop layer; depositing a third insulating layer; using a first photoresist mask and anisotropic plasma etching to pattern said third and said second insulating layers to said first insulating layer to form an array of recesses aligned over said array of device areas for bottom electrodes, and removing said first photoresist mask; anisotropic plasma etching node contact openings in said first insulating layer in said recesses to one of said source/drain areas in each of said device areas by using a second photoresist mask; depositing a conformal doped first polysilicon layer in said recesses and sufficiently thick to fill said node contact openings; depositing a fourth insulating layer sufficient to fill said recesses; removing said fourth insulating layer to said first polysilicon layer to form oxide plugs in said recesses and thereby exposing said doped first polysilicon layer on the top surface of said third insulating layer; selectively removing said doped first polysilicon layer to the top surface of said third insulating layer; isotropically etching said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer to said etch-stop layer to form said bottom electrodes for said array of device areas, wherein said etch-stop layer supports said bottom electrodes of said semicrown stacked capacitors; forming an interelectrode dielectric layer on said bottom electrodes; depositing a conformal doped second polysilicon layer over said interelectrode dielectric layer; patterning said second polysilicon layer to form capacitor top electrodes to complete said array of semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said planar first insulating layer is a silicon oxide and has a thickness of between about 5000 and 15000 Angstroms over said device areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said second insulating layer is silicon nitride and has a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said third insulating layer is silicon oxide and has a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first polysilicon layer is doped N + with phosphorus to a concentration of between 1.0 E 19 and 1.0 E 21 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first polysilicon layer is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fourth insulating layer is a borophosphosilicate glass and is deposited to a thickness of between about 1500 and 5000 Angstroms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said borophosphosilicate glass is annealed to provide a planar surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fourth insulating layer and said first polysilicon layer on said top surface of said third insulating layer are removed by chemical/mechanical polishing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said fourth insulating layer and said first polysilicon layer on said top surface of said third insulating layer are removed by plasma etching.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said isotropic etching of said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer is carried out using a hydrofluoric acid solution while said etch-stop layer remains to partially support said semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said interelectrode dielectric layer is composed of a high-dielectric constant material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is tantalum pentoxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is barium strontium titanium oxide (BaSr)TiO 3 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide (ONO).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said second polysilicon layer is conductively doped N + with phosphorus to a concentration of between 1.0 E 19 and 1.0 E 21 atoms/cm 3 , and is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
304 words
A method for making an array of semicrown stacked capacitors in memory cells on dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having an array of device areas and each of said device areas having a field effect transistor (FET) with a gate electrodes and two source/drain areas, and further having a planar first insulating layer over said device areas; depositing a second insulating layer as an etch-stop layer; depositing a third insulating layer; using a first photoresist mask and anisotropic plasma etching to pattern said third and said second insulating layers to said first insulating layer to form an array of recesses aligned over said array of device areas for bottom electrodes, and removing said first photoresist mask; anisotropic plasma etching node contact openings in said first insulating layer in said recesses to one of said source/drain areas in each of said device areas by using a second photoresist mask; depositing a conformal doped first polysilicon layer in said recesses and sufficiently thick to fill said node contact openings; depositing a fourth insulating layer sufficient to fill said recesses; chemical/mechanical polishing back said fourth insulating layer and said first polysilicon layer on the top surface of said third insulating layer thereby forming oxide plugs in said recesses and exposing said top surface of said third insulating layer; isotropically etching said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer to said etch-stop layer to form said bottom electrodes for said array of device areas, wherein said etch-stop layer supports said bottom electrodes of said semicrown stacked capacitors; forming an interelectrode dielectric layer on said bottom electrodes; depositing a conformal doped second polysilicon layer over said interelectrode dielectric layer; patterning said second polysilicon layer to form capacitor top electrodes to complete said array of semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
304 words
A method for making an array of semicrown stacked capacitors in memory cells on dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices on a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having an array of device areas and each of said device areas having a field effect transistor (FET) with a gate electrodes and two source/drain areas, and further having a planar first insulating layer over said device areas; depositing a second insulating layer as an etch-stop layer; depositing a third insulating layer; using a first photoresist mask and anisotropic plasma etching to pattern said third and said second insulating layers to said first insulating layer to form an array of recesses aligned over said array of device areas for bottom electrodes, and removing said first photoresist mask; anisotropic plasma etching node contact openings in said first insulating layer in said recesses to one of said source/drain areas in each of said device areas by using a second photoresist mask; depositing a conformal doped first polysilicon layer in said recesses and sufficiently thick to fill said node contact openings; depositing a fourth insulating layer sufficient to fill said recesses; chemical/mechanical polishing back said fourth insulating layer and said first polysilicon layer on the top surface of said third insulating layer thereby forming oxide plugs in said recesses and exposing said top surface of said third insulating layer; isotropically etching said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer to said etch-stop layer to form said bottom electrodes for said array of device areas, wherein said etch-stop layer supports said bottom electrodes of said semicrown stacked capacitors; forming an interelectrode dielectric layer on said bottom electrodes; depositing a conformal doped second polysilicon layer over said interelectrode dielectric layer; patterning said second polysilicon layer to form capacitor top electrodes to complete said array of semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said planar first insulating layer is a silicon oxide and has a thickness of between about 5000 and 15000 Angstroms over said device areas.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said second insulating layer is silicon nitride and has a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said third insulating layer is silicon oxide and has a thickness of between about 3000 and 8000 Angstroms.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said first polysilicon layer is doped N + with phosphorus to a concentration of between 1.0 E 19 and 1.0 E 21 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said first polysilicon layer is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 Angstroms.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said fourth insulating layer is a borophosphosilicate glass and is deposited to a thickness of between about 1500 and 5000 Angstroms.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said borophosphosilicate glass is annealed to provide a planar surface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said isotropic etching of said oxide plugs and said third insulating layer is carried out using a hydrofluoric acid solution while said etch-stop layer remains to partially support said semicrown stacked capacitors.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said interelectrode dielectric layer is composed of a high-dielectric constant material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is tantalum pentoxide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is barium strontium titanium oxide (BaSr)TiO 3 .
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said high-dielectric constant material is silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide (ONO).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 17, wherein said second polysilicon layer is conductively doped N + with phosphorus to a concentration of between 1.0 E 19 and 1.0 E 21 atoms/cm 3 , and is deposited to a thickness of between about 500 and 2000 Angstroms.
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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) | 2002-04-19 | 2002-10-19 | 2003-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-04-19 | 2006-10-19 | 2007-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-04-19 | 2010-10-19 | 2011-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |