Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
A method for manufacturing a self-aligned stacked storage node on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first dielectric layer onto said substrate; forming a first barrier layer onto said first dielectric layer; patterning and etching said first barrier layer until said first dielectric layer is reached to form a bit line contact and a storage node contact; forming first sidewall barrier spacers on the sides of said first barrier layers wherein said sidewall barrier spacers narrow said bit line contact and said storage node contact; etching said first dielectric layer until said substrate is reached to form a bit line contact opening and a storage node contact opening; depositing a first conducting layer into and above said bit line contact opening and said storage node contact opening and above said first barrier layer and said first sidewall barrier spacers; depositing a second conducting layer onto said first conducting layer; depositing a cap barrier layer atop said second conducting layer; patterning and etching said first conducting layer, said second conducting layer, and said cap barrier layer to form an intermediate structure above said bit line contact opening and a plug in said storage node opening; forming second sidewall barrier spacers on the sides of said intermediate structure; forming a second dielectric layer onto exposed portions of said first and said second sidewall barrier spacers, said plug and said cap barrier layer; patterning and etching said second dielectric layer leaving a remaining portion only on said intermediate structure; and forming a third conducting layer onto exposed portions of said plug, said first and said second sidewall spacers, said cap barrier layer, and sidewalls of said remaining portion of said third dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
284 words
A method for manufacturing a self-aligned stacked storage node on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first dielectric layer onto said substrate; forming a first barrier layer onto said first dielectric layer; patterning and etching said first barrier layer until said first dielectric layer is reached to form a bit line contact and a storage node contact; forming first sidewall barrier spacers on the sides of said first barrier layers wherein said sidewall barrier spacers narrow said bit line contact and said storage node contact; etching said first dielectric layer until said substrate is reached to form a bit line contact opening and a storage node contact opening; depositing a first conducting layer into and above said bit line contact opening and said storage node contact opening and above said first barrier layer and said first sidewall barrier spacers; depositing a second conducting layer onto said first conducting layer; depositing a cap barrier layer atop said second conducting layer; patterning and etching said first conducting layer, said second conducting layer, and said cap barrier layer to form an intermediate structure above said bit line contact opening and a plug in said storage node opening; forming second sidewall barrier spacers on the sides of said intermediate structure; forming a second dielectric layer onto exposed portions of said first and said second sidewall barrier spacers, said plug and said cap barrier layer; patterning and etching said second dielectric layer leaving a remaining portion only on said intermediate structure; and forming a third conducting layer onto exposed portions of said plug, said first and said second sidewall spacers, said cap barrier layer, and sidewalls of said remaining portion of said third dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first dielectric layer and said second dielectric layer are formed of silicon oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer, said cap barrier layer, said first sidewall spacers and said second sidewall spacers are formed of silicon nitride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first conducting layer and said third conducting layer are formed of in situ doped polysilicon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said second conducting layer is formed of tungsten silicide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of patterning and etching said first barrier layer to form a bit line contact and a storage node contact is performed using a single photoresist mask layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the recess of said plug is less than 500 angstroms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of etching to form said intermediate structure is performed with an approximately 30% overetching.