Abstract:
A structure for a memory device including a plurality of substantially planar thin-film layers or a plurality of conformal thin-film layers is disclosed. The thin-film layers form a memory element that is electrically in series with first and second cladded conductors and operative to store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles. A select voltage applied across the first and second cladded conductors is operative to perform data operations on the memory device. The memory device may optionally include a non-ohmic device electrically in series with the memory element and the first and second cladded conductors. Fabrication of the memory device does not require the plurality of thin-film layers be etched in order to form the memory element. The memory element can include a CMO layer having a selectively crystallized polycrystalline portion and an amorphous portion. The cladded conductors can include a core material made from copper.
Abstract:
A structure for a memory device including a plurality of substantially planar thin-film layers or a plurality of conformal thin-film layers is disclosed. The thin-film layers form a memory element that is electrically in series with first and second cladded conductors and operative to store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles. A select voltage applied across the first and second cladded conductors is operative to perform data operations on the memory device. The memory device may optionally include a non-ohmic device electrically in series with the memory element and the first and second cladded conductors. Fabrication of the memory device does not require the plurality of thin-film layers be etched in order to form the memory element. The memory element can include a CMO layer having a selectively crystallized polycrystalline portion and an amorphous portion. The cladded conductors can include a core material made from copper.
Abstract:
Memory cell formation using ion implant isolated conductive metal oxide is disclosed, including forming a bottom electrode below unetched conductive metal oxide layer(s), forming the unetched conductive metal oxide layer(s) including depositing at least one layer of a conductive metal oxide (CMO) material (e.g., PrCaMnOx, LaSrCoOx, LaNiOx, etc.) over the bottom electrode. At least one portion of the layer of CMO is configured to act as a memory element without etching, and performing ion implantation on portions of the layer(s) of CMO to create insulating metal oxide (IMO) regions in the layer(s) of CMO. The IMO regions are positioned adjacent to electrically conductive CMO regions in the unetched layer(s) of CMO and the electrically conductive CMO regions are disposed above and in contact with the bottom electrode and form memory elements operative to store non-volatile data as a plurality of conductivity profiles (e.g., resistive states indicative of stored data).
Abstract:
An apparatus for performing intra-tool monitoring and control within a multi-step processing system. The apparatus provides a metrology station located between each of a plurality of semiconductor wafer processing tools such that measurements can be made on wafers as they are passed from one tool to another providing intra tool monitoring. The data collected by the metrology station is coupled to a metrology data analyzer, which determines whether any of the plurality of wafer processing tools should be adjusted to improve the processing of the overall wafer. As such, the output of the metrology data analyzer provides control parameters to process controllers connected controllers connected to each of the tools within the semiconductor wafer processing system. Consequently, the operation of the metrology stations and the metrology data analyzer provides both feed forward and feed back data to control the tools based upon certain information that is gathered within the metrology station.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an electro-chemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electro-chemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells. Preferably, the electro-chemical deposition system includes a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station disposed between the loading station and the mainframe, a rapid thermal anneal chamber attached to the loading station, and a system controller for controlling the electro-chemical deposition process and the components of the electro-chemical deposition system.
Abstract:
One aspect of the invention provides a consistent metal electroplating technique to form void-less metal interconnects in sub-micron high aspect ratio features on semiconductor substrates. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for filling sub-micron features on a substrate, comprising reactive precleaning the substrate, depositing a barrier layer on the substrate using high density plasma physical vapor deposition; depositing a seed layer over the barrier layer using high density plasma physical vapor deposition; and electro-chemically depositing a metal using a highly resistive electrolyte and applying a first current density during a first deposition period followed by a second current density during a second period.
Abstract:
A method of forming a conductive line structure is provided. An adhesion layer is formed on a substrate surface. A seed layer is formed on the adhesion layer. A conductor is formed on the seed layer to form a partially complete structure. The partially complete structure is exposed to an electrolyte and undergoes an anodization process. At least a portion of the seed layer and a portion of the conductor are transformed to seed layer metal oxide and conductor metal oxide, respectively. At least a portion of the adhesion layer is transformed to an adhesion layer metal oxide and a further portion of the conductor is transformed to the conductor metal oxide. An outer metal layer is formed over the seed layer metal oxide and the conductor
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate are provided. A chamber is provided that comprises a heating mechanism adapted to heat a substrate positioned proximate the heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism spaced from the heating mechanism and adapted to cool a substrate positioned proximate the cooling mechanism, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer a substrate between the position proximate the heating mechanism and the position proximate the cooling mechanism. The heating mechanism preferably comprises a heated substrate support adapted to support a substrate and to heat the supported substrate to a predetermined temperature, and the cooling mechanism preferably comprises a cooling plate. The transfer mechanism may comprise, for example, a wafer lift hoop having a plurality of fingers adapted to support a substrate, or a plurality of wafer lift pins. A dry gas source may be coupled to the chamber and adapted to supply a dry gas thereto. The chamber preferably includes a pump adapted to evacuate the chamber to a predetermined pressure during at least cooling. A method for heating and cooling a substrate also is provided.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit having semiconductor devices is connected by a first conductive channel damascened into a first oxide layer above the devices. A stop nitride layer, a via oxide layer, a via nitride layer, and a via resist are sequentially deposited on the first channel and the first oxide layer. The via resist is photolithographically developed with rectangular cross-section vias greater than the width of the channels and the via nitride layer is etched to the rectangular cross-section. A second channel oxide layer and a second channel resist are sequentially deposited on the via nitride layer and the exposed via oxide layer. The second channel resist is photolithographically developed with the second channels and an anisotropic oxide etch etches the second channels and rectangular box vias down to the stop nitride layer. He stop nitride layer is nitride etched in the rectangular via configuration and conductive material is damascened into the second channels and the via to be chemical-mechanical polished to form the interconnections between two levels of channels.
Abstract:
A platinum plating solution for immersion plating a continuous film of platinum on a metal structure. The immersion platinum plating solution is free of a reducing agent. The plating process does not require electricity (e.g., electrical current) and does not require electrodes (e.g., anode and/or cathode). The solution includes a platinum source and a complexing agent including Oxalic Acid. The solution enables immersion plating of platinum onto a metal surface, a metal substrate, or a structure of which at least a portion is a metal. The resulting platinum plating comprises a continuous thin film layer of platinum having a thickness not exceeding 300 Å. The solution can be used for plating articles including but not limited to jewelry, medical devices, electronic structures, microelectronics structures, MEMS structures, nano-sized or smaller structures, structures used for chemical and/or catalytic reactions (e.g., catalytic converters), and irregularly shaped metal surfaces.