Patent US6376325B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6235571B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6235571B1
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Uniform dielectric layer and method to form same
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1999-03-31
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Granted: 2001-05-22
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Expires: 2019-03-31
Abstract
Abstract An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for forming a forming a storage capacitor having a uniform dielectric film, by a the steps of: forming a bottom electrode of the storage capacitor and an insulation material about the bottom electrode, the bottom electrode comprises a nitridation receptive material and the insulation material comprises a nitridation resistive material; depositing a layer of non-doped silicon to a thickness of 20 Å or less over the bottom electrode and the insulation material; converting the silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; depositing a silicon nitride of uniform thickness directly on the silicon nitride compound while using the silicon nitride compound as a nitride-nucleation enhancing surface; exposing the silicon nitride compound and the silicon nitride layer to an oxidation ambient to form a storage capacitor dielectric film; and then forming a top electrode of the storage capacitor over the storage capacitor dielectric film.
Inventors
- 👤 Trung Doan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:07
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/694; H10P14/6943; H10P14/69433; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10P14/65; H10P14/6516; H10P14/6529; H10B; H10B12/00; H10B12/01; H10B12/02; H10B12/03; H10B12/033; H10D1/01; H10D1/041; H10D1/042; H10D1/692; H10D1/711; H10D1/716; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6316; H10P14/6319; H10P14/6322; H10P14/6326; H10P14/6328; H10P14/6334; H10P14/66; H10P14/662; H10P14/668; H10P14/6681; H10P14/6682; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/0698
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor assembly, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer, whereby said nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said nitridation receptive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor assembly, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer, whereby said nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said nitridation receptive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of forming a nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer and step of forming a silicon nitride layer comprise depositing said layers to a combined thickness less than 100 Å.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said steps of forming a nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer and of forming a silicon nitride layer are performed insitu.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of forming a nonconductive nitride-nucleation enhancing layer comprises depositing a silicon layer to a thickness of 20 Å or less.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor assembly, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive silicon layer directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; converting at least a portion of said nonconductive silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive silicon layer while using the surface of said silicon nitride compound as a nucleation surface; whereby said nonconductive silicon layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said nitridation receptive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor assembly, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive silicon layer directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; converting at least a portion of said nonconductive silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive silicon layer while using the surface of said silicon nitride compound as a nucleation surface; whereby said nonconductive silicon layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said nitridation receptive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising the step of: exposing said silicon nitride compound and said silicon nitride layer to an oxidation ambient.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein said step of forming a nonconductive silicon layer comprises depositing said layer to a thickness of 20 Å or less.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein said step of depositing a silicon nitride layer comprises depositing said silicon nitride layer to a thickness such that the combined thickness of said silicon nitride compound and said silicon nitride layer is 50 Å or less.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein said steps of forming a nonconductive silicon layer and of forming a silicon nitride layer are performed insitu.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film for a memory device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive silicon layer directly on a capacitor storage electrode and directly on an nitridation resistive material; converting at least a portion of said nonconductive silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive silicon layer while using the surface of said silicon nitride compound as a nucleation surface; whereby, said nonconductive silicon layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said conductive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film for a memory device, said method comprising the steps of: forming a nonconductive silicon layer directly on a capacitor storage electrode and directly on an nitridation resistive material; converting at least a portion of said nonconductive silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; forming a silicon nitride layer directly on said nonconductive silicon layer while using the surface of said silicon nitride compound as a nucleation surface; whereby, said nonconductive silicon layer provides for said silicon nitride layer to have a uniform thickness over said conductive material and said nitridation resistive material.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for forming a storage capacitor having a uniform dielectric film, said method comprising the steps of: forming a bottom electrode of said storage capacitor and an insulation material about said bottom electrode, said bottom electrode comprising a nitridation receptive material and said insulation material comprising a nitridation resistive material; depositing a layer of non-doped silicon to a thickness of 20 Å or less directly on said bottom electrode and said insulation material; converting said silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; depositing a silicon nitride of uniform thickness directly on said silicon nitride compound while using said silicon nitride compound as a nitride-nucleation enhancing surface; exposing said silicon nitride compound and said silicon nitride layer to an oxidation ambient to form a storage capacitor dielectric film; and forming a top electrode of said storage capacitor over said storage capacitor dielectric film.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for forming a storage capacitor having a uniform dielectric film, said method comprising the steps of: forming a bottom electrode of said storage capacitor and an insulation material about said bottom electrode, said bottom electrode comprising a nitridation receptive material and said insulation material comprising a nitridation resistive material; depositing a layer of non-doped silicon to a thickness of 20 Å or less directly on said bottom electrode and said insulation material; converting said silicon layer to a silicon nitride compound; depositing a silicon nitride of uniform thickness directly on said silicon nitride compound while using said silicon nitride compound as a nitride-nucleation enhancing surface; exposing said silicon nitride compound and said silicon nitride layer to an oxidation ambient to form a storage capacitor dielectric film; and forming a top electrode of said storage capacitor over said storage capacitor dielectric film.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor fabrication process, said method comprising the steps of: forming a layer having a consistent surface free energy to a chemical reaction directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; converting said layer to a dielectric chemical compound; depositing a dielectric layer directly on said dielectric compound while using the surface of said dielectric compound as a nucleation surface, said dielectric compound and said dielectric layer each possessing a chemically similar dielectric material.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for forming a uniform dielectric film in a semiconductor fabrication process, said method comprising the steps of: forming a layer having a consistent surface free energy to a chemical reaction directly on a nitridation receptive material and a nitridation resistive material; converting said layer to a dielectric chemical compound; depositing a dielectric layer directly on said dielectric compound while using the surface of said dielectric compound as a nucleation surface, said dielectric compound and said dielectric layer each possessing a chemically similar dielectric material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said semiconductor fabrication process comprises a floating gate fabrication process used to fabricate the floating gate dielectric.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said step of forming a layer comprises depositing a layer of non-doped silicon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said step of converting said layer comprises subjecting said layer of non-doped silicon to a thermal nitridation step by releasing nitrogen containing gas into a fabrication chamber that maintains a temperature of around 400° C. or greater.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein said step of converting said layer comprises subjecting said layer of non-doped silicon to a plasma nitridation step by releasing nitrogen containing gas into a fabrication chamber that maintains a temperature of around 400° C. or greater.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5445999A
Cited
US6071771A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-21 | 2004-11-20 | 2005-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-21 | 2008-11-20 | 2009-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-21 | 2012-11-20 | 2013-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |