US6258664B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Methods of forming silicon-comprising materials having roughened outer surfaces, and methods of forming capacitor constructions
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 1999-02-16
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Granted: 2001-07-10
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Expires: 2019-02-16
Abstract
Abstract In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface. A semiconductive substrate is provided which comprises conductively doped silicon. A layer comprising silicon and germanium is formed over the substrate. The layer is exposed to conditions which cause crystalline grains within it to increase in size until roughness of a surface of the layer is increased. Dopant is out-diffused from the conductively doped silicon and into the crystalline grains of the layer to conductively dope the layer. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a capacitor construction. A substrate is provided and a conductively doped silicon-comprising material is formed to be supported by the substrate. A layer is formed against the conductively doped silicon-comprising material. The layer has an outermost surface, and comprises silicon and germanium. The layer is subjected to conditions which increase a roughness of the outermost surface. The layer and the conductively doped silicon-comprising material together define a first capacitor electrode. Dopant is out-diffused from the conductively doped silicon-comprising material and into the layer. A dielectric layer is formed against said outermost surface. A second capacitor electrode is formed to be separated from the first capacitor electrode by the dielectric layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan R. Reinberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:52
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D1/711; H10D1/712; H10B; H10B12/00; H10B12/01; H10B12/02; H10B12/03; H10B12/033; H10D1/716
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface, comprising: providing a semiconductive substrate comprising conductively doped silicon; forming a non-conductively-doped layer over the substrate, the layer comprising crystalline grains which include silicon and germanium, the layer having a surface exposed to a surrounding atmosphere; subjecting the layer to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size until roughness of the surface of the layer is increased, the layer with increased surface roughness and the substrate together defining a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface; and out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped silicon and into the crystalline grains of the non-conductively-doped layer to convert the layer to a conductively-doped layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface, comprising: providing a semiconductive substrate comprising conductively doped silicon; forming a non-conductively-doped layer over the substrate, the layer comprising crystalline grains which include silicon and germanium, the layer having a surface exposed to a surrounding atmosphere; subjecting the layer to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size until roughness of the surface of the layer is increased, the layer with increased surface roughness and the substrate together defining a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface; and out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped silicon and into the crystalline grains of the non-conductively-doped layer to convert the layer to a conductively-doped layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the out-diffusing occurs while the layer is subjected to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size comprise heating the layer and the underlying substrate, and wherein the out-diffusing occurs while the layer is subjected to the conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the crystalline grains comprise a higher atomic percent of silicon than germanium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the crystalline grains comprise from 20 to 45 atomic percent germanium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the crystalline grains comprise from 20 to 30 atomic percent germanium.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of forming a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface, comprising: providing a semiconductive substrate comprising conductively doped polysilicon; forming a layer over the substrate, the layer comprising crystalline grains of a polysilicon/germanium alloy, the layer having a surface exposed to a surrounding atmosphere; subjecting the layer to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size until roughness of the surface of the layer is increased, the layer with increased surface roughness and the substrate together defining a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface; and out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped polysilicon and into the crystalline grains of the layer to conductively dope the layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of forming a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface, comprising: providing a semiconductive substrate comprising conductively doped polysilicon; forming a layer over the substrate, the layer comprising crystalline grains of a polysilicon/germanium alloy, the layer having a surface exposed to a surrounding atmosphere; subjecting the layer to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size until roughness of the surface of the layer is increased, the layer with increased surface roughness and the substrate together defining a silicon-comprising material having a roughened outer surface; and out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped polysilicon and into the crystalline grains of the layer to conductively dope the layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the layer comprises a non-conductively-doped polycrystalline alloy of silicon and germanium prior to the out-diffusing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein forming the layer comprises chemical vapor deposition utilizing both a silicon precursor gas and a germanium precursor gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the silicon precursor gas is silane and the germanium precursor gas is germane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the forming the layer comprises ion implantation of germanium into a previously formed polycrystalline silicon material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the out-diffusing occurs while the layer is subjected to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of forming a capacitor construction, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a conductively doped silicon-comprising material supported by the substrate; forming a non-conductively-doped layer against the conductively doped silicon-comprising material and having an outermost surface, the non-conductively-doped layer comprising silicon and germanium; subjecting the non-conductively-doped layer to conditions which increase a roughness of the outermost surface, the layer and the material together defining a first capacitor electrode; out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped silicon-comprising material and into the non-conductively-doped layer to convert the non-conductively-doped layer to a conductively doped layer; forming a dielectric layer against the outermost surface; and forming a second capacitor electrode separated from the first capacitor electrode by the dielectric layer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of forming a capacitor construction, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a conductively doped silicon-comprising material supported by the substrate; forming a non-conductively-doped layer against the conductively doped silicon-comprising material and having an outermost surface, the non-conductively-doped layer comprising silicon and germanium; subjecting the non-conductively-doped layer to conditions which increase a roughness of the outermost surface, the layer and the material together defining a first capacitor electrode; out-diffusing dopant from the conductively doped silicon-comprising material and into the non-conductively-doped layer to convert the non-conductively-doped layer to a conductively doped layer; forming a dielectric layer against the outermost surface; and forming a second capacitor electrode separated from the first capacitor electrode by the dielectric layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the out-diffusing occurs while the layer is subjected to conditions which cause the crystalline grains to increase in size.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the forming the dielectric layer occurs after the increasing a roughness of the outer surface of the layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the silicon-comprising material comprises polysilicon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the layer comprises a polycrystalline alloy of silicon and germanium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the layer comprises a polycrystalline alloy of silicon and germanium, and wherein the forming the layer comprises chemical vapor deposition utilizing both a silicon-precursor gas and a germanium precursor gas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the silicon-precursor gas is silane and the germanium precursor gas is germane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the layer comprises a polycrystalline alloy of silicon and germanium, and wherein the forming the layer comprises ion implantation of germanium into a previously formed polycrystalline silicon material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-07-09 | 2005-01-08 | 2005-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-09 | 2009-01-08 | 2009-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-09 | 2013-01-08 | 2013-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |