Texas Instruments Corporation

Other

Darius Lammont Crenshaw

Scott Robert Summerfelt

Rick L Wise

Yu-Pei Chen

Byron Lovell Williams

Satyavolu Srinivas Papa Rao

Jose L Melendez

Stephan Grunow

Stuart M Jacobsen

Tsen-Hwang Lin

Kenneth D Brennan

Phillip D Matz

Sameer Kumar Ajmera

David J Seymour

Aditi D Banerjee

Rajesh B Khamankar

Jeffrey A McKee

Alwin J Tsao

Hisashi Shichijo

William F Richardson

Siang Ping Kwok

Katherine E Violette

Peter S McAnally

Steven Alan Lytle

Laurinda W Ng

Montray Leavy

Somit Joshi

Bryon L Williams

Promod Kumar

Wallace W Martin

Yuri E Solomentsev

A method () of forming a MIM (metal insulator metal) capacitor is disclosed whereby adverse affects associated with copper diffusion are mitigated even as the capacitor is scaled down. A sidewall spacer () is formed against an edge () of a layer of bottom electrode/copper diffusion barrier material (), an edge () of a layer of capacitor dielectric material () and at least some of an edge () of a layer of top electrode material. The sidewall spacer () is dielectric or non-conductive and mitigates 'shorting' currents that can develop between the plates as a result of copper diffusion. Bottom electrode diffusion barrier material () mitigates copper diffusion and/or copper drift, thereby reducing the likelihood of premature device failure.

Metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor fabrication with sidewall spacers and aluminum cap (ALCAP) top electrode

The formation of a MIM (metal insulator metal) capacitor () and concurrent formation of a resistor () is disclosed. A copper diffusion barrier () is formed over a copper deposition () that serves as a bottom electrode () of the capacitor (). The copper diffusion barrier () mitigates unwanted diffusion of copper from the copper deposition (), and is formed via electro-less deposition such that little to none of the barrier material is deposited at locations other than over a top surface () of the deposition of copper/bottom electrode. Subsequently, layers of dielectric () and conductive () materials are applied to form a dielectric () and top electrode () of the MIM capacitor (), respectively, where the layer of conductive top electrode material () also functions to concurrently develop the resistor () on the same chip as the capacitor ().

Single mask MIM capacitor and resistor with in trench copper drift barrier

A method () of forming a MIM (metal insulator metal) capacitor is disclosed whereby adverse affects associated with copper diffusion are mitigated even as the capacitor is scaled down. A layer of bottom electrode/copper diffusion barrier material () is formed () within an aperture () wherein the capacitor () is to be defined. The bottom electrode layer () is formed via a directional process so that a horizontal aspect () of the layer () is formed over a metal () at a bottom of the aperture () to a thickness () that is greater than a thickness () of a sidewall aspect () of the layer () formed upon sidewalls () of the aperture (). Accordingly, the thinner sidewall aspects () are removed during an etching act () while some of the thicker horizontal aspect () remains. A layer of capacitor dielectric material () is then conformally formed () into the apertureand over the horizontal aspect (). A layer of top electrode material () is then conformally formed () over the layer of capacitor dielectric material () to complete the capacitor stack ().

Metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor fabrication with sidewall barrier removal aspect

The present invention provides a method and product-by-method of integrating a bias resistor in circuit with a bottom electrode of a micro-electromechanical switch on a silicon substrate. The resistor and bottom electrode are formed simultaneously by first sequentially depositing a layer of a resistor material (), a hard mask material () and a metal material () on a silicon substrate forming a stack. The bottom electrode and resistor lengths are subsequently patterned and etched () followed by a second etching () process to remove the hard mask and metal materials from the defined resistor length. Finally, in a preferred embodiment, the bottom electrode and resistor structure is encapsulated with a layer of dielectric which is patterned and etched () to correspond to the defined bottom electrode and resistor.

Micro-electromechanical switch fabricated by simultaneous formation of a resistor and bottom electrode

A microelectromechanical switch includes a substrate, an insulator layer disposed outwardly from the substrate, and an electrode disposed outwardly from the insulator layer. The switch also includes a dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the insulator layer and the electrode, the dielectric layer having a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to twenty. The switch also includes a membrane layer disposed outwardly from the dielectric layer, the membrane layer overlying a support layer, the support layer operable to space the membrane layer outwardly from the dielectric layer.

Microelectromechanical switch

A rugged polysilicon electrode for a capacitor has high surface area enhancement with a thin layer by high nucleation density plus gas phase doping which also enhances grain shape and oxygen-free dielectric formation.

Capacitor and memory structure and method

The present invention provides a method and product-by-method of integrating a bias resistor in circuit with a bottom electrode of a micro-electromechanical switch on a silicon substrate. The resistor and bottom electrode are formed simultaneously by first sequentially depositing a layer of a resistor material ( ), a hard mask material ( ) and a metal material ( ) on a silicon substrate forming a stack. The bottom electrode and resistor lengths are subsequently patterned and etched ( ) followed by a second etching ( ) process to remove the hard mask and metal materials from the defined resistor length. Finally, in a preferred embodiment, the bottom electrode and resistor structure is encapsulated with a layer of dielectric which is patterned and etched ( ) to correspond to the defined bottom electrode and resistor.

The present invention includes an integrated circuit switch including a membrane supported over a first conductor on a substrate, a conductive region on the membrane and connecting to the first conductor on the substrate, a pulldown electrode on the substrate and under the membrane and a pillar to support the membrane after the pulldown threshold has been reached. A voltage greater than a pulldown threshold is applied between the membrane and the pulldown electrode will pull the membrane down to make a capacitive coupling to the first conductor. The addition of the pillars increases the upward restoring force when the activation voltage is removed.

Mechanically assisted restoring force support for micromachined membranes

A method for forming a dynamic random access memory with increased capacitance includes preparing ( ) ultra-fine particles in a microemulsion. The particles are deposited ( ) on the lower electrode layer of the memory cell. A micro-villus pattern is then formed ( ) on the lower electrode layer, using the particles as a mask. A layer of HSG polysilicon may then be deposited ( ) on the micro-villus pattern. A dielectric and upper electrode are then formed ( ) overlying the lower electrode to form a storage capacitor for the dynamic random access memory.

Method of fabricating a dynamic random access memory with increased capacitance

The present invention provides an apparatus and method of selecting a unique combination of materials and dimensions for fabrication of a micro-electromechanical switch for improved RF switch performance. An electrode material is selected which exhibits a resistivity resulting in improved insertion loss for a predetermined switching speed, a dielectric material is selected which exhibits a permittivity resulting in improved isolation, and an airgap thickness is selected resulting in a pull-down voltage approximately equal to a supply voltage of the micro-electromechanical switch in which the isolation and predetermined switching speed are also functions of the airgap thickness.

Selection of materials and dimensions for a micro-electromechanical switch for use in the RF regime

A post-in-crown capacitor is disclosed. The post-in-crown capacitor ( ) includes a crown ( ) coupled to a conductive via ( ). A post ( ) is disposed within the crown ( ) and a capacitor insulation layer ( ) is formed outwardly from the crown ( ) and the post ( ). A capacitor plate layer ( ) is then formed outwardly from the capacitor insulation layer ( ).

Post-in-crown capacitor and method of manufacture

A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) switch ( ) having a bottom electrode ( ) formed over a substrate ( ) and a thin protective cap layer ( ) disposed over the bottom electrode ( ). A dielectric material ( ) is disposed over the protective cap layer ( ) and a pull-down electrode ( ) is formed over the spacer ( ) and the dielectric material ( ). The protective cap layer ( ) prevents the oxidation of the bottom electrode ( ). The thin protective cap layer ( ) comprises a metal having an associated oxide with a high dielectric constant. A portion ( ) of the thin protective cap layer ( ) may oxidize during the formation of the dielectric material ( ), increasing the capacitance of the dielectric stack ( ).

Microelectromechanical switch with fixed metal electrode/dielectric interface with a protective cap layer

The capacitor (,) comprises a HDC dielectric (,) and upper (,) and lower (,) electrodes. The lower electrode comprises a polysilicon base (,), a diffusion barrier (,) on the sidewalls of the polysilicon base (,) and an oxygen stable material (,) on the sidewalls adjacent the diffusion barrier (,) and separated from the polysilicon base (,) sidewalls by the diffusion barrier (,). The oxygen stable material (,) is formed on the sidewalls by a deposition and either etchback or CMP process rather than by a patterned etch. The HDC dielectric (,) is then formed adjacent the oxygen stable material (,).

Growing community of inventors

Allen, TX, United States of America

Darius Lammont Crenshaw