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US6115281A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Methods and structures to cure the effects of hydrogen annealing on ferroelectric capacitors

Assignee: University of Maryland, Baltimore
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Filing: 1998-09-11
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Granted: 2000-09-05
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Expires: 2018-09-11
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Abstract

Abstract A ferroelectric memory cell integrated with silicon circuitry which require a forming-gas anneal of the silicon circuitry after the ferroelectric stack has been formed. The ferroelectric layer may have a composition such that there is no space in the lattice of the ferroelectric phase to accommodate atomic hydrogen or have a composition with a Curie temperature below the temperature of the forming-gas anneal. Preferably, there is no upper platinum electrode, or it is deposited after the forming-gas anneal. A metal-oxide upper electrode serves as barrier to the forming-gas anneal, and an intermetallic layer positioned above the ferroelectric stack serves as an even better barrier. Forming-gas damage to the ferroelectric stack can be removed by a recovery anneal in a hydrogen-free environment, preferably performed at a temperature above the Curie temperature.

Inventors

  • 👤 Sanjeev Aggarwal
  • 👤 Scott Robert Perusse
  • 👤 Ramamoorthy Ramesh

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 01:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/30; H04L49/3081; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/682; H10D1/692; H10D1/696; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/5631; H04L2012/5636

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 40 words
A ferroelectric memory cell, comprising: a ferroelectric stack comprising a lower electrode layer formed over a substrate, a ferroelectric layer formed over said lower electrode, and an upper electrode layer; and an intermetallic layer formed over said upper electrode layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 40 words
A ferroelectric memory cell, comprising: a ferroelectric stack comprising a lower electrode layer formed over a substrate, a ferroelectric layer formed over said lower electrode, and an upper electrode layer; and an intermetallic layer formed over said upper electrode layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The memory cell of claim 1, wherein said lower and upper electrode layers comprise respective conductive metal oxide layers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
The memory cell of claim 1, wherein said upper electrode layer comprises platinum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 59 words
A ferroelectric memory cell integrated with silicon, comprising: a silicon integrated circuit formed in and on a substrate; a ferroelectric memory cell formed on said substrate and comprising a lower metal-oxide layer; a ferroelectric layer over said lower metal-oxide layer; an upper metal-oxide layer over said ferroelectric layer; and an upper intermetallic contact layer over said upper metal-oxide layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 59 words
A ferroelectric memory cell integrated with silicon, comprising: a silicon integrated circuit formed in and on a substrate; a ferroelectric memory cell formed on said substrate and comprising a lower metal-oxide layer; a ferroelectric layer over said lower metal-oxide layer; an upper metal-oxide layer over said ferroelectric layer; and an upper intermetallic contact layer over said upper metal-oxide layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The memory cell of claim 4, wherein said upper intermetallic contact layer is doped with vanadium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The memory cell of claim 4, further comprising a lower intermetallic contact layer interposed between said lower metal-oxide layer and a silicon portion of said substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 82 words
A ferroelectric memory cell integrated with silicon, comprising: a substrate; a silicon integrated circuit formed in and on said substrate; and a ferroelectric memory cell formed on said substrate and comprising a lower electrode layer; a ferroelectric layer over said lower electrode layer and comprising a ferroelectric material having a crystalline lattice structure below a Curie temperature of said ferroelectric material that affords insufficient space for an apical interstitial incorporation of atomic hydrogen; and an upper electrode layer over said ferroelectric layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 82 words
A ferroelectric memory cell integrated with silicon, comprising: a substrate; a silicon integrated circuit formed in and on said substrate; and a ferroelectric memory cell formed on said substrate and comprising a lower electrode layer; a ferroelectric layer over said lower electrode layer and comprising a ferroelectric material having a crystalline lattice structure below a Curie temperature of said ferroelectric material that affords insufficient space for an apical interstitial incorporation of atomic hydrogen; and an upper electrode layer over said ferroelectric layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 12 words
The memory cell of claim 7, wherein said lattice structure is rhombohedral.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The memory cell of claim 7, wherein said ferroelectric material comprises PbZr x Ti 1-x O 3 with x>0.53.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5371699A Cited
US5798903A Cited
US5777356A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-09-05 2004-03-06 2004-09-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-09-05 2008-03-06 2008-09-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-09-05 2012-03-06 2012-09-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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