Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A storage device environment comprising: a first capacitor electrode having a top, bottom and an exterior surface between the top and bottom; a dielectric material adjacent to the exterior surface of the first capacitor dielectric, the dielectric material has a stepped top surface with first and second elevations, wherein the first elevation is substantially equal to the top of the first capacitor electrode and the second elevation is below the first elevation; a capacitor dielectric contacting the first capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode, the capacitor dielectric and the dielectric material meet at the first and second elevations along the exterior surface; and a second capacitor electrode contacting the capacitor dielectric.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A storage device environment comprising: a first capacitor electrode having a top, bottom and an exterior surface between the top and bottom; a dielectric material adjacent to the exterior surface of the first capacitor dielectric, the dielectric material has a stepped top surface with first and second elevations, wherein the first elevation is substantially equal to the top of the first capacitor electrode and the second elevation is below the first elevation; a capacitor dielectric contacting the first capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode, the capacitor dielectric and the dielectric material meet at the first and second elevations along the exterior surface; and a second capacitor electrode contacting the capacitor dielectric.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 further comprising a vertical contact region adjacent to the first capacitor electrode and located in an area where the dielectric material top surface is at the first elevation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material comprises either boro-phospho-silicate glass (BPSG) or phospho-silicate glass (PSG).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the first capacitor electrode is cup-shaped and wherein the cup-shaped first capacitor electrode has a shape selected from circular, square, rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, oval, or rhomboidal when viewed from a top down view.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the first capacitor electrode comprises an N-type hemispherical grain silicon (HSG).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the first capacitor electrode comprises conductively formed polysilicon, ruthenium or ruthenium oxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the capacitor dielectric comprises either a nitride film, a tantalum oxide or an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) thin film dielectric.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The storage device environment of claim 1 wherein the second capacitor electrode comprises one or more layer of one or more materials.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The storage device environment of claim 8 wherein the second capacitor electrode comprises an N-type or P-type doped polysilicon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The storage device environment of claim 8 wherein the second capacitor electrode comprises either a platinum, ruthenium, or ruthenium oxide-like material.