摘要:
An integrated circuit containing a FeCap array. The FeCap array is at least partially surrounded on the sides by hydrogen barrier walls and on the top by a hydrogen barrier top plate. A method for at least partially enclosing a FeCap array with hydrogen barrier walls and a hydrogen barrier top plate.
摘要:
Non-volatile latch circuits, such as in memory cells and flip-flops, that are constructed for reliability screening. The non-volatile latch circuits each include ferroelectric capacitors coupled to storage nodes, for example at the outputs of cross-coupled inverters. Separate plate lines are connected to the ferroelectric capacitors of the complementary storage nodes. A time-zero test of the latch stability margin is performed by setting a logic state at the storage nodes, then programming the state into the ferroelectric capacitors by polarization. After power-down, the plate lines are biased with a differential voltage relative to one another, and the latch is then powered up to attempt recall of the programmed state. The differential voltage disturbs the recall, and provides a measure of the cell margin and its later-life reliability.
摘要:
A method of placing a dummy fill layer on a substrate is disclosed (FIG. 2). The method includes identifying a sub-region of the substrate (210). A density of a layer in the sub-region is determined (212). A pattern of the dummy fill layer is selected to produce a predetermined density (216). The selected pattern is placed in the sub-region (208).
摘要:
An improved alignment structure for photolithographic pattern alignment is disclosed. A topographical alignment mark in an IC under a low reflectivity layer may be difficult to register. A reflective layer is formed on top of the low reflectivity layer so that the topography of the alignment mark is replicated in the reflective layer, enabling registration of the alignment mark using common photolithographic scanners and steppers. The reflective layer may be one or more layers, and may be metallic, dielectric or both. The reflective layer may be global over the entire IC or may be local to the alignment mark area. The reflective layer may be removed during subsequent processing, possibly with assist from an added etch stop layer, or may remain in the completed IC. The disclosed alignment mark structure is applicable to an IC with a stack of ferroelectric capacitor materials.
摘要:
An IC alignment mark in a contact metal layer for use under an opaque layer, and a process for forming the alignment mark, are disclosed. The alignment mark includes contact metal fields, each several microns wide, with an array of PMD pillars in the interior, formed during contact etch, contact metal deposition and selective contact metal removal processes. The pillars are arrayed such that all exposed surfaces of the contact metal are planar. One configuration is a rectangular array in which every other row is laterally offset by one-half of the column spacing. Horizontal dimensions of the pillars are selected to maximize the contact metal fill factor, while providing sufficient adhesion to the underlying substrate during processing. The contact metal is at least 15 nanometers lower than the PMD layer surrounding the alignment mark, as a result of the contact metal removal process.
摘要:
A ferroelectric memory device is fabricated while mitigating edge degradation. A bottom electrode is formed over one or more semiconductor layers. A ferroelectric layer is formed over the bottom electrode. A top electrode is formed over the ferroelectric layer. The top electrode, the ferroelectric layer, and the bottom electrode are patterned or etched. A dry clean is performed that mitigates edge degradation. A wet etch/clean is then performed.
摘要:
Hydrogen barriers and fabrication methods are provided for protecting ferroelectric capacitors (CFE) from hydrogen diffusion in semiconductor devices (102), wherein nitrided aluminum oxide (N—AlOx) is formed over a ferroelectric capacitor (CFE), and one or more silicon nitride layers (112, 117) are formed over the nitrided aluminum oxide (N—AlOx). Hydrogen barriers are also provided in which an aluminum oxide (AlOx, N—AlOx) is formed over the ferroelectric capacitors (CFE), with two or more silicon nitride layers (112, 117) formed over the aluminum oxide (AlOx, N—AlOx), wherein the second silicon nitride layer (112) comprises a low silicon-hydrogen SiN material.
摘要翻译:提供了氢屏障和制造方法,用于保护铁电电容器(CFE)在半导体器件(102)中的氢扩散,其中氮化的氧化铝(N-AlO x X)为 形成在铁电电容器(CFE)上,并且在氮化的氧化铝(N-AlO x N)上形成一个或多个氮化硅层(112,117)。 还提供了氢屏障,其中在铁电电容器(C FE)上形成氧化铝(AlO x N,N-AlO x x) ,其上形成有氧化铝(AlO x N,N-AlO x)上的两个或更多个氮化硅层(112,117),其中第二氮化硅层(112 )包括低硅氢SiN材料。
摘要:
A versatile system for forming diffusion barriers in semiconductor processing that simplifies device processing, utilizing existing production compounds and materials while resulting in uniform and proper device structuring, is disclosed, providing a system using a reactive plasma to selectively form diffusion barriers and provide selective oxidation.
摘要:
A method for etching a feature in a platinum layer 834 overlying a second material 818 without substantially etching the second material. The method includes the the steps of: forming an adhesion-promoting layer 824 between the platinum layer and the second material; forming a hardmask layer 829 over the platinum layer; patterning and etching the hardmask layer in accordance with desired dimensions of the feature; and etching portions of the platinum layer not covered by the hardmask layer 832, the etching stopping on the adhesion-promoting layer. In further embodiments the adhesion-promoting and hardmask layers are Ti—Al—N including at least 1% of aluminum.
摘要:
The invention described is a method of forming an improved dielectric material by adding lead to an original perovskite material having an original critical grain size to form a lead enhanced perovskite material, then forming a layer of the lead enhanced perovskite material having an average grain size less than the original critical grain size whereby the dielectric constant of the layer is substantially greater than the dielectric constant of the original perovskite material with an average grain size similar to the average grain size of the layer. The critical grain size, as used herein, means the largest grain size such that the dielectric constant starts to rapidly decrease with decreasing grain sizes. Preferably, the lead enhanced perovskite material is further doped with one or more acceptor dopants whereby the resistivity is substantially increased and/or the loss tangent is substantially decreased. Preferably, the original perovskite material has a chemical composition ABO3, where A is one or more monovalent, divalent or trivalent elements, and B is one or more pentavalent, tetravalent, trivalent or divalent elements.