Patent US6294420B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6294420B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated circuit capacitor
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1998-01-28
•
Granted: 2001-09-25
•
Expires: 2018-01-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses a novel integrated circuit capacitor and a method of forming such a capacitor. The capacitor formation begins with a base electrode 18 adjacent an insulating region 26. This base electrode 18 can comprise either polysilicon or a metal. A layer 28 of a first material, such as a siliciding metal, is formed over the base electrode 18 as well as the adjacent insulating region. A self-aligned capacitor electrode 12 can then be formed by reacting the first material 28 with the base electrode 18 and removing unreacted portions of the first material 28 from the insulating region 26. The capacitor is then completed by forming a dielectric layer 16 over the self-aligned capacitor electrode 12 and a second capacitor electrode 14 over the dielectric layer 16.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Tsu
- 👤 Isamu Asano
- 👤 Shinpei Iijima
- 👤 William R. McKee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:18
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10D1/692; H10D1/696; H10D1/01; H10D1/041; H10D1/042; H10D1/682; H10D1/694; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/90; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/071; H10W20/074; H10D1/711; H10D1/716; H10D64/00; H10D64/01; H10D64/011; H10D64/0111; H10D64/0112; H10W20/031; H10W20/069
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit capacitor, the method comprising the steps of: forming a patterned base electrode over an insulating region; then reacting patterned material in the patterned base electrode with a nitrogen-bearing agent to form a self-aligned capacitor electrode with a conductive nitride layer; forming a dielectric layer over the self-aligned capacitor electrode containing the conductive nitride layer; and forming a second capacitor electrode over the dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of forming an integrated circuit capacitor, the method comprising the steps of: forming a patterned base electrode over an insulating region; then reacting patterned material in the patterned base electrode with a nitrogen-bearing agent to form a self-aligned capacitor electrode with a conductive nitride layer; forming a dielectric layer over the self-aligned capacitor electrode containing the conductive nitride layer; and forming a second capacitor electrode over the dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming a patterned base electrode comprises: patterning a layer of polysilicon to form the patterned base electrode over a selected location of the insulating region; depositing a layer of a siliciding metal over the patterned base electrode and insulating region; reacting the silicided metal with silicon in the patterned base electrode to form a silicide layer over the patterned base electrode; and removing portions of the siliciding metal from over the insulating layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the siliciding material is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, cobalt, and metal alloys.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of reacting the silicided metal with silicon in the patterned base electrode comprises heating in an inert gas ambient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said heating step comprises a rapid thermal annealing step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said reacting step comprises performing a rapid thermal anneal in the presence of a nitrogen-bearing gas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming a patterned base electrode comprises: patterning a layer of a metal to form the patterned base electrode over a selected location of the insulating region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, titanium, tantalum, zirconium, ruthenium and molybdenum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said reacting step comprises performing a rapid thermal anneal in the presence of a nitrogen-bearing gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer comprises a high dielectric constant material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer comprises tantalum pentoxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer comprises lead zirconium titanate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer comprises barium strontium titanate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer comprises strontium titanate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second capacitor electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, tantalum silicide nitride, tantalum silicon nitride, tungsten silicon nitride, tungsten nitride and molybdenum nitride.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH05243487A
Cited
US5677226A
Cited
JPH06244133A
Cited
US5381302A
Cited
US5491103A
Cited
EP0697720A1
Cited
US5986301A
Cited
US5920761A
Cited
US6004839A
Cited
US5981331A
Cited
US5998250A
Cited
US5994153A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-24 | 2005-03-26 | 2005-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-24 | 2009-03-26 | 2009-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-24 | 2013-03-26 | 2013-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |