Patent US6340827B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6340827B1
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Diffusion barrier for use with high dielectric constant materials and electronic devices incorporating same
Assignee: Agere Systems LLC
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Filing: 2000-01-06
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Granted: 2002-01-22
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Expires: 2020-01-06
Abstract
Abstract A diffusion barrier for preventing the diffusion of oxygen from a high dielectric constant material to a titanium nitride layer. The diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal carbo-nitride, and silicon carbide. The high dielectric constant material may be tantalum pentoxide or any perkovskite-type high dielectric constant material.
Inventors
- 👤 Seungmoo Choi
- 👤 Sailesh M. Merchant
- 👤 Pradip K. Roy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:19
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D1/00; H10D1/60; H10D1/68; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/40; H10P14/418
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
46 words
An electronic device comprising: a titanium nitride layer; a high dielectric constant material; and a diffusion barrier disposed between the titanium nitride layer and the high dielectric constant material, the diffusion barrier being configured to prevent a diffusion of oxygen from the high dielectric constant material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
An electronic device comprising: a titanium nitride layer; a high dielectric constant material; and a diffusion barrier disposed between the titanium nitride layer and the high dielectric constant material, the diffusion barrier being configured to prevent a diffusion of oxygen from the high dielectric constant material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the high dielectric constant material is tantalum pentoxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the high dielectric constant material is a perkovskite-type high dielectric constant material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the perkovskite-type high dielectric constant material is a barium-based oxide, a strontium-based oxide, a lanthanum-based oxide, a zirconium-based oxide, a titanate of one of the foregoing oxides, or a combination of two or more of the foregoing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and wherein each of the layers comprises one or more of the following materials: metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal carbo-nitride, and silicon carbide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, zirconium carbide, molybdenum carbide, tungsten carbide, and chromium carbide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the metal nitride is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, tungsten nitride, molybdenum nitride, zirconium nitride, and vanadium nitride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the metal boride is selected from the group consisting of titanium boride and zirconium boride.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the metal in one or more of the metal carbide, the metal nitride, and the metal boride is a refractory metal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-50 Å.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-200 Å.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 50-1000 Å.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a titanium layer adjacent to the titanium nitride layer and opposite the diffusion barrier, wherein the diffusion barrier further prevents the diffusion of oxygen from the high dielectric constant material to the titanium layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a DRAM, a radio frequency circuit, a metal-oxide-metal capacitor, or a metal-oxide-silicon transistor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
136 words
A metal-oxide-metal capacitor comprising: a first interconnect layer; a first titanium nitride layer adjacent to the first interconnect layer; a first diffusion barrier adjacent to the first titanium nitride layer; a tantalum pentoxide layer adjacent to the first diffusion barrier; a second diffusion barrier adjacent to the tantalum pentoxide layer; a second titanium nitride layer adjacent to the second diffusion barrier; and a second interconnect layer adjacent to the second titanium nitride layer, wherein the first diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and each of the one or more layers comprises a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal carbo-nitride, or silicon carbide and wherein the second diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and each of the one or more layers comprises a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal carbo-nitride, or silicon carbide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
136 words
A metal-oxide-metal capacitor comprising: a first interconnect layer; a first titanium nitride layer adjacent to the first interconnect layer; a first diffusion barrier adjacent to the first titanium nitride layer; a tantalum pentoxide layer adjacent to the first diffusion barrier; a second diffusion barrier adjacent to the tantalum pentoxide layer; a second titanium nitride layer adjacent to the second diffusion barrier; and a second interconnect layer adjacent to the second titanium nitride layer, wherein the first diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and each of the one or more layers comprises a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal carbo-nitride, or silicon carbide and wherein the second diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and each of the one or more layers comprises a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal carbo-nitride, or silicon carbide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The metal-oxide-metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein the metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, zirconium carbide, molybdenum carbide, tungsten carbide, and chromium carbide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The metal-oxide metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein the metal boride is selected from the group consisting of titanium boride and zirconium boride.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The metal-oxide metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein the metal in one or more of the metal carbide and the metal boride is a refractory metal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The metal-oxide metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-50 Å.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The metal-oxide metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-200 Å.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 50-1000 Å.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The metal-oxide-metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein the first interconnect layer comprises titanium, tantalum, or tantalum nitride.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The metal-oxide-metal capacitor of claim 16 , wherein the second interconnect layer comprises aluminum or copper.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
67 words
A metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor having a gate structure, the gate structure comprising: an interconnect layer; a titanium nitride layer adjacent to the interconnect layer; a diffusion barrier adjacent to the titanium nitride layer; a tantalum pentoxide layer adjacent to the diffusion barrier; and a gate insulator adjacent the tantalum pentoxide layer, wherein the diffusion barrier is configured to prevent a diffusion of oxygen from the tantalum pentoxide layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
67 words
A metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor having a gate structure, the gate structure comprising: an interconnect layer; a titanium nitride layer adjacent to the interconnect layer; a diffusion barrier adjacent to the titanium nitride layer; a tantalum pentoxide layer adjacent to the diffusion barrier; and a gate insulator adjacent the tantalum pentoxide layer, wherein the diffusion barrier is configured to prevent a diffusion of oxygen from the tantalum pentoxide layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
41 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 26 , wherein the diffusion barrier comprises one or more layers and wherein each of the layers comprises one or more of the following materials: metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal carbo-nitride, and silicon carbide.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein the metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, zirconium carbide, molybdenum carbide, tungsten carbide, and chromium carbide.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein the metal nitride is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, tungsten nitride, molybdenum nitride, zirconium nitride, and vanadium nitride.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein the metal boride is selected from the group consisting of titanium boride and zirconium boride.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein the metal in one or more of the metal carbide, the metal nitride, and the metal boride is a refractory metal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-50 Å.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-200 Å.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 50-1000 Å.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 27 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
13 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 26 , wherein the interconnect layer comprises aluminum.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 26 , wherein the gate insulator comprises silicon dioxide, tantalum pentoxide, or a combination of tantalum pentoxide and silicon dioxide.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor of claim 26 , wherein the tantalum pentoxide layer serves as the gate insulator.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
54 words
A diffusion barrier for preventing the diffusion of oxygen from a high dielectric constant material to a titanium nitride layer, the diffusion barrier comprising: one or more layers, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal carbide, metal boride, metal carbo-nitride, and silicon carbide.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
54 words
A diffusion barrier for preventing the diffusion of oxygen from a high dielectric constant material to a titanium nitride layer, the diffusion barrier comprising: one or more layers, wherein each of the one or more layers comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal carbide, metal boride, metal carbo-nitride, and silicon carbide.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the high dielectric constant material is tantalum pentoxide.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the high dielectric constant material is a perkovskite-type high dielectric constant material.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
45 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 41 , wherein the perkovskite-type high dielectric constant material is a barium-based oxide, a strontium-based oxide, a lanthanum-based oxide, a zirconium-based oxide, a titanate of one of the foregoing oxides, or a combination of two or more of the foregoing.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
31 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, tantalum carbide, zirconium carbide, molybdenum carbide, tungsten carbide, and chromium carbide.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
27 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the metal nitride is selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, molybdenum nitride, zirconium nitride, and vanadium nitride.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the metal boride is selected from the group consisting of titanium boride and zirconium boride.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
26 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the metal in one or more of the metal carbide and the metal boride is a refractory metal.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-50 Å.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 10-200 Å.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 50-1000 Å.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
22 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein each of the one or more layers has a thickness of about 200-300 Å.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
20 words
The diffusion barrier of claim 39 , wherein the diffusion barrier is formed by a physical or chemical vapor deposition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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