US5976945A
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Method for fabricating a DRAM cell structure on an SOI wafer incorporating a two dimensional trench capacitor
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd
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Filing: 1997-11-20
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Granted: 1999-11-02
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Expires: 2017-11-20
Abstract
Abstract A method for fabricating a DRAM cell, on a SOI layer, is described, featuring the incorporation of a two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, for increased DRAM cell signal, and the use of a polysilicon storage node structure to connect the SOI layer to the semiconductor substrate, to eliminate a floating body effect. A two dimensional trench is created by initially forming a vertical trench, through the SOI layer, through the underlying insulator layer, and into the semiconductor substrate. An isotropic etch is than performed to laterally remove a specific amount of insulator layer, exposed in the vertical trench, creating the lateral component of the two dimensional trench. A deposited polysilicon layer, coating the sides of the two dimensional trench, is used as the storage node structure, for the two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, while also connecting the SOI layer to the semiconductor substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Min-Hwa Chi
- 👤 Chih-Yuan Lu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:41
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10B; H10B12/00; H10B12/01; H10B12/02; H10B12/03; H10B12/038; H10B12/0387; H10B12/30; H10B12/37; H10B12/373; H10D; H10D86/00; H10D86/01; H10D86/201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
A method for fabricating a DRAM cell on a SOI layer, on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: forming an insulator layer in said semiconductor substrate, with a silicon on insulator layer, (SOI), overlying said insulator layer; forming a pad silicon oxide layer on SOI layer; forming a vertical trench in said pad silicon oxide layer, in said SOI layer, in said insulator layer, and in a top portion of said semiconductor substrate; forming a lateral trench, in said insulator layer, exposed in said vertical trench; depositing a first polysilicon layer, coating the exposed sides of said vertical trench, and the exposed sides of said lateral trench; forming a dielectric layer on said first polysilicon layer; depositing a second polysilicon layer on said dielectric layer, completely filling said vertical trench, and completely filling said lateral trench; forming a capacitor structure, in said vertical trench, and in said lateral trench, comprised of: a storage node structure, formed from said first polysilicon layer; a capacitor dielectric layer, formed from said dielectric layer; and a cell plate structure, formed from said second polysilicon layer; with said storage node structure providing contact between said SOI layer and said semiconductor substrate; and forming a transfer gate transistor in said SOI layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
207 words
A method for fabricating a DRAM cell on a SOI layer, on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: forming an insulator layer in said semiconductor substrate, with a silicon on insulator layer, (SOI), overlying said insulator layer; forming a pad silicon oxide layer on SOI layer; forming a vertical trench in said pad silicon oxide layer, in said SOI layer, in said insulator layer, and in a top portion of said semiconductor substrate; forming a lateral trench, in said insulator layer, exposed in said vertical trench; depositing a first polysilicon layer, coating the exposed sides of said vertical trench, and the exposed sides of said lateral trench; forming a dielectric layer on said first polysilicon layer; depositing a second polysilicon layer on said dielectric layer, completely filling said vertical trench, and completely filling said lateral trench; forming a capacitor structure, in said vertical trench, and in said lateral trench, comprised of: a storage node structure, formed from said first polysilicon layer; a capacitor dielectric layer, formed from said dielectric layer; and a cell plate structure, formed from said second polysilicon layer; with said storage node structure providing contact between said SOI layer and said semiconductor substrate; and forming a transfer gate transistor in said SOI layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said insulator layer, in said semiconductor substrate, is silicon oxide, formed to a thickness between about 1500 to 3000 Angstroms, using a Separation by IMplanted OXygen, (SIMOX), process, via ion implantation of oxygen, followed by a high temperature annealing procedure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said SOI layer is a P type, single crystalline, silicon, with a <100> crystallographic orientation, at a thickness between about 1000 to 3000 with a resistivity between about 10 to 50 ohm-cm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said vertical trench is formed with a diameter between about 0.30 to 0.60 μM, via an anisotropic RIE procedure, using fluorine based etchants for said pad silicon oxide layer, using chlorine based etchants for said SOI layer, using fluorine based etchants for said insulator layer, and using chlorine based etchants for said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the depth of said vertical trench, in said semiconductor substrate, is between about 1.0 to 5.0 μM.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said lateral trench is formed by removing a portion of said insulator layer, exposed in said vertical trench, via a buffered hydrofluoric acid solution, and with said lateral trench extending between about 0.20 to 1.0 μM in said insulator layer, between overlying, said SOI layer, and underlying, said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first polysilicon layer, is a P type layer, deposited via an in situ doping, LPCVD procedure, to a thickness between about 750 to 1000 Angstroms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer is a Ta 2 O 5 layer, formed to an equivalent silicon dioxide thickness between about 40 to 150 Angstroms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer is an ONO, (Oxidized silicon Nitride on Oxide), layer, formed to an equivalent silicon dioxide thickness between about 40 to 150 Angstroms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said second polysilicon layer, is deposited using LPCVD procedures, to a thickness between about 1000 to 2500 Angstroms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said capacitor structure is formed in said vertical trench, and in said lateral trench, via an anisotropic RIE procedure using chlorine based etchants to form said cell plate structure from said second polysilicon layer, using fluorine based etchants to form said capacitor dielectric layer from said dielectric layer, and using chlorine based etchants to form said storage node structure from said first polysilicon layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said transfer gate transistor is comprised of: a silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, at a thickness between about 60 to 120 Angstroms; a polysilicon gate structure, at a thickness between about 1500 to 4000 Angstroms; ion implanted, a lightly doped source and drain region, silicon oxide spacers on the sides of said polysilicon gate structure, at a thickness between about 1000 to 3000 Angstroms; and a ion implanted, heavily doped source and drain region.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
262 words
A method for fabricating a two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, for a DRAM cell, formed on an SOI layer, on a semiconductor substrate, and using a storage node structure, of the trench capacitor structure, to connect said SOI layer, to said semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: creating an insulator layer in said semiconductor substrate, underlying said SOI layer; forming a pad silicon oxide layer on said SOI layer; anisotropic etching to create a vertical trench in said pad silicon oxide layer, in said SOI layer, in said insulator layer, and in a top portion of said semiconductor substrate; isotropic etching of said insulator layer, exposed in said vertical trench, to create a lateral trench; depositing an in situ doped, first polysilicon layer, coating the sides of said vertical trench, and the coating the sides of said lateral trench, and connecting said SOI layer to said semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said first polysilicon layer; depositing a second polysilicon layer on said dielectric layer, completely filling said lateral trench, and said vertical trench; and anisotropic etching of said second polysilicon layer, of said dielectric layer, and of said first polysilicon layer, to create said two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, in said vertical trench, and in said lateral trench, with said two dimensional, trench capacitor structure comprised of: a cell plate structure, formed from said second polysilicon layer; a capacitor dielectric layer, formed from said dielectric layer; and said storage node structure, formed from said first polysilicon layer; with said storage node structure connecting said SOI layer, to said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
262 words
A method for fabricating a two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, for a DRAM cell, formed on an SOI layer, on a semiconductor substrate, and using a storage node structure, of the trench capacitor structure, to connect said SOI layer, to said semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of: creating an insulator layer in said semiconductor substrate, underlying said SOI layer; forming a pad silicon oxide layer on said SOI layer; anisotropic etching to create a vertical trench in said pad silicon oxide layer, in said SOI layer, in said insulator layer, and in a top portion of said semiconductor substrate; isotropic etching of said insulator layer, exposed in said vertical trench, to create a lateral trench; depositing an in situ doped, first polysilicon layer, coating the sides of said vertical trench, and the coating the sides of said lateral trench, and connecting said SOI layer to said semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer on said first polysilicon layer; depositing a second polysilicon layer on said dielectric layer, completely filling said lateral trench, and said vertical trench; and anisotropic etching of said second polysilicon layer, of said dielectric layer, and of said first polysilicon layer, to create said two dimensional, trench capacitor structure, in said vertical trench, and in said lateral trench, with said two dimensional, trench capacitor structure comprised of: a cell plate structure, formed from said second polysilicon layer; a capacitor dielectric layer, formed from said dielectric layer; and said storage node structure, formed from said first polysilicon layer; with said storage node structure connecting said SOI layer, to said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said insulator layer, in said semiconductor substrate, is silicon oxide, formed to a thickness between about 1500 to 3000 Angstroms, using a SIMOX process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said SOI layer is comprised of P type, single crystalline silicon, with a <100> crystallographic orientation, at a thickness between about 1000 to 3000 Angstroms, with a resistivity between about 10 to 50 ohm-cm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said vertical trench is formed via an anisotropic RIE procedure, using fluorine based etchants for said pad silicon oxide layer, and for said insulator layer, while chlorine based etchants are used for said SOI layer, and for said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said vertical trench has a diameter between about 0.30 to 0.60 μM.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the depth of said vertical trench, in said semiconductor substrate, is between about 1.0 to 5.0 μM.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method cf claim 13, wherein said lateral trench is formed in said insulator layer, in an area in which the sides of said insulator layer are exposed in said vertical trench, via a buffered hydrofluoric acid solution, with said lateral trench extending between about 0.20 to 1.0 μM, between said SOI layer, and said semiconductor substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said first polysilicon layer, is a P type layer, at a thickness between about 750 to 1000 Angstroms, obtained via LPCVD, using in situ doping procedures.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said dielectric layer is a Ta 2 O 5 layer, formed to a silicon dioxide equivalent thickness between about 40 to 150 Angstroms.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said dielectric layer is a ONO, (Oxidized silicon Nitride on Oxide), layer, formed to a silicon dioxide equivalent thickness between about 40 to 150 Angstroms.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said second polysilicon layer is deposited using LPCVD procedures, to a thickness between about 1000 to 2500 Angstroms.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said two dimensional, trench capacitor structure is formed via anisotropic RIE procedures, using chlorine based etchants for said second polysilicon layer, to form said cell plate structure, using fluorine based etchants for said dielectric layer, to form capacitor dielectric layer, and using chlorine based etchants for said first polysilicon layer, to form said storage node structure.
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