Intermolecular, Inc.

Other

Globalfoundries Inc.

Sean Barstow

Tony P Chiang

Pragati Kumar

Sandra Guy Malhotra

Sunil Shanker

Prashant B Phatak

Wen Wu

Anh Duong

Bei Li

Olov B Karlsson

Zhendong Hong

Sandip Niyogi

James Mavrinac

Xunyuan Zhang

John S Foster

Clemens Fitz

Vivian Ryan

Ashish Bodke

Edwin Adhiprakasha

Usha Raghuram

Karthik Ramani

Jingang Su

Wayne R French

Owen Ho Yin Fong

Owen Fong

Ashley Lacey

Resistive switching nonvolatile memory elements are provided. A metal-containing layer and an oxide layer for a memory element can be heated using rapid thermal annealing techniques. During heating, the oxide layer may decompose and react with the metal-containing layer. Oxygen from the decomposing oxide layer may form a metal oxide with metal from the metal-containing layer. The resulting metal oxide may exhibit resistive switching for the resistive switching memory elements.

Methods for forming resistive switching memory elements by heating deposited layers

Barrier layers, barrier stacks, and seed layers for small-scale interconnects (e.g., copper) are combinatorially screened using test structures sputtered or co-sputtered through apertures of varying size. Various characteristics (e.g., resistivity, crystalline morphology, surface roughness) related to conductivity, diffusion blocking, and adhesion are measured before and/or after annealing and compared to arrive at materials and process parameters for low diffusion with high conductivity through the interconnect. Example results show that some formulations of tantalum-titanium barriers may replace thicker tantalum/tantalum-nitride stacks, in some cases with a Cu&#x2014;Mn seed layer between the Ta&#x2014;Ti and copper.

Combinatorial screening of metallic diffusion barriers

Nonvolatile memory elements that are based on resistive switching memory element layers are provided. A nonvolatile memory element may have a resistive switching metal oxide layer. The resistive switching metal oxide layer may have one or more layers of oxide. A resistive switching metal oxide may be doped with a dopant that increases its melting temperature and enhances its thermal stability. Layers may be formed to enhance the thermal stability of the nonvolatile memory element. An electrode for a nonvolatile memory element may contain a conductive layer and a buffer layer.

Nonvolatile memory elements

Nonvolatile memory elements including resistive switching metal oxides may be formed in one or more layers on an integrated circuit. Each memory element may have a first conductive layer, a metal oxide layer, and a second conductive layer. Electrical devices such as diodes may be coupled in series with the memory elements. The first conductive layer may be formed from a metal nitride. The metal oxide layer may contain the same metal as the first conductive layer. The metal oxide may form an ohmic contact or a Schottky contact with the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer may form an ohmic contact or Schottky contact with the metal oxide layer. The first conductive layer, the metal oxide layer, and the second conductive layer may include sublayers. The second conductive layer may include an adhesion or barrier layer and a workfunction control layer.

Resistive-switching nonvolatile memory elements

Provided are methods and systems for forming discreet multilayered structures. Each structure may be deposited by in situ deposition of multiple layers at one of multiple site isolation regions provided on the same substrate for use in combinatorial processing. Alignment of different layers within each structure is provided by using two or more differently sized openings in-between one or more sputtering targets and substrate. Specifically, deposition of a first layer is performed through the first opening that defines a first deposition area. A shutter having a second smaller opening is then positioned in-between the one or more targets and substrate. Sputtering of a second layer is then performed through this second opening that defines a second deposition area. This second deposition area may be located within the first deposition area based on sizing and alignment of the openings as well as alignment of the substrate.

Sputtering and aligning multiple layers having different boundaries

A method for cleaning platinum residues from a surface of a substrate is provided. The method initiates with exposing the surface to a first solution containing a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. Then, the surface is exposed to a second solution containing hydrochloric acid.

Method for cleaning platinum residues on a semiconductor substrate

Electrical testing of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) high-k capacitor structures is used to evaluate photoresist strip or cleaning chemicals using a combinatorial workflow. The electrical testing can be able to identify the damages on the high-k dielectrics, permitting a selection of photoresist strip chemicals to optimize the process conditions in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. The high productivity combinatorial technique can provide a compatibility evaluation of photoresist strip chemicals with high-k devices.

High productivity combinatorial workflow for photoresist strip applications

A method for depositing graphene is provided. The method includes depositing a layer of non-conducting amorphous carbon over a surface of a substrate and depositing a transition metal in a pattern over the amorphous carbon. The substrate is annealed at a temperature below 500&#xb0; C., where the annealing converts the non-conducting amorphous carbon disposed under the transition metal to conducting amorphous carbon. A portion of the pattern of the transition metal is removed from the surface of the substrate to expose the conducting amorphous carbon.

Method for generating graphene structures

Nonvolatile memory elements are provided that have resistive switching metal oxides. The nonvolatile memory elements may be formed in one or more layers on an integrated circuit. Each memory element may have a first conductive layer, a metal oxide layer, and a second conductive layer. Electrical devices such as diodes may be coupled in series with the memory elements. The first conductive layer may be formed from a metal nitride. The metal oxide layer may contain the same metal as the first conductive layer. The metal oxide may form an ohmic contact or a Schottky contact with the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer may form an ohmic contact or Schottky contact with the metal oxide layer. The first conductive layer, the metal oxide layer, and the second conductive layer may include sublayers. The second conductive layer may include an adhesion or barrier layer and a workfunction control layer.

Nonvolatile memory elements are provided that have resistive switching metal oxides. The nonvolatile memory elements may be formed from resistive-switching metal oxide layers. Metal oxide layers may be formed using sputter deposition at relatively low sputtering powers, relatively low duty cycles, and relatively high sputtering gas pressures. Dopants may be incorporated into a base oxide layer at an atomic concentration that is less than the solubility limit of the dopant in the base oxide. At least one oxidation state of the metal in the base oxide is preferably different than at least one oxidation sate of the dopant. The ionic radius of the dopant and the ionic radius of the metal may be selected to be close to each other. Annealing and oxidation operations may be performed on the resistive switching metal oxides. Bistable metal oxides with relatively large resistivities and large high-state-to-low state resistivity ratios may be produced.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Sean Barstow