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Ferroelectric capacitor, method of manufacturing same and memory cell using same

Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1998-07-08
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Granted: 2000-11-28
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Expires: 2018-07-08
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Abstract

Abstract A ferroelectric capacitor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided for reducing a crystal grain size while maintaining excellent ferroelectric properties so as to achieve a reduction in device size. A lower electrode, a ferroelectric layer and an upper electrode are formed on a substrate. The ferroelectric layer is formed into a plurality of stacked layers including an oxide of a layered crystal structure (Bix(Sr, Ca, Ba)y(Ta, Nb)2O9+/-d). Proportion 'y' of (Sr, Ca, Ba) in at least one of the layers is different from those of the other layers. That is, a variation in proportion 'y' of (Sr, Ca, Ba) is provided in the ferroelectric layer. As a result, excellent ferroelectric properties are obtained and the crystal grain size of the oxide is reduced.

Inventors

  • 👤 Koji Watanabe
  • 👤 Masahiro Tanaka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:04
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/682; H10D1/684; H10B; H10B53/00; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6938; H10P14/69398

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 125 words
A ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected wherein: the ferroelectric layer includes an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb) with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00 and the first element of the ferroelectric layer having a variation of proportions in one direction so that the proportion changes from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 125 words
A ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected wherein: the ferroelectric layer includes an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb) with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00 and the first element of the ferroelectric layer having a variation of proportions in one direction so that the proportion changes from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 1, the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element increases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 55 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 2, wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 1, the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element decreases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 55 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 4, wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 14 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 1 wherein the first element is strontium (Sr).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
A ferroelectric capacitor according to claim 1 wherein 85 percent or more of the ferroelectric layer consists of a crystal phase of the oxide of layered crystal structure.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 140 words
A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected, the ferroelectric layer including an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00, including the step of: forming the ferroelectric layer by stacking a plurality of layers of the oxide, and varying the proportions of the first element in the layers so that the proportions change from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 140 words
A method of manufacturing a ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected, the ferroelectric layer including an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00, including the step of: forming the ferroelectric layer by stacking a plurality of layers of the oxide, and varying the proportions of the first element in the layers so that the proportions change from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 8, the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element increases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 54 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element decreases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 54 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the first element is strontium (Sr).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein 85 percent or more of the ferroelectric layer consists of a crystal phase of the oxide of layered crystal structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 129 words
A memory cell including a ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected wherein: the ferroelectric layer includes an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00 and the first element of the ferroelectric layer having a variation of proportions in one direction so that the proportion changes from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 129 words
A memory cell including a ferroelectric capacitor comprising a ferroelectric layer to which a pair of electrodes are connected wherein: the ferroelectric layer includes an oxide of a layered crystal structure consisting of bismuth (Bi), oxygen, at least one first element selected from the group consisting of strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca) and barium (Ba), and at least one second element selected from the group consisting of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb), with a formula of the oxide being represented by Bi x (Sr, Ca, Ba) y (Ta, Nb) 2 O 9 ±d, wherein 1.70≦x≦2.50, 0.60≦y≦1.20 and 0≦d≦1.00 and the first element of the ferroelectric layer having a variation of proportions in one direction so that the proportion changes from one side of the ferroelectric layer to the other side.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 38 words
A memory cell according to claim 15, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element increases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 55 words
A memory cell according to claim 16 wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 38 words
A memory cell according to claim 15, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor being formed on a substrate wherein: the proportion of the first element decreases from a side close to the substrate to a side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 55 words
A memory cell according to claim 18, wherein the proportion of the first element is such that the value of `y` in the formula falls in the range of 0.9 to 1.1 inclusive on the side close to the substrate and the range of 0.7 to 0.9 inclusive on the side opposite to the substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 14 words
A memory cell according to claim 15, wherein the first element is strontium (Sr).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 28 words
A memory cell according to claim 15, wherein 85 percent or more of the ferroelectric layer consists of a crystal phase of the oxide of layered crystal structure.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5833745A Cited
US5736759A Cited
US5994153A Cited
US6043526A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-11-28 2004-05-29 2004-11-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-11-28 2008-05-29 2008-11-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-11-28 2012-05-29 2012-11-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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