Texas Instruments Corporation

Micron Technology Incorporated

Siang Ping Kwok

William F Richardson

Dirk N Anderson

Philipp Steinmann

Eric W Beach

Darius Lammont Crenshaw

Peter J Wright

Pushpa Mahalingam

Peter S McAnally

Robert Hung Nguyen

Jiann Liu

Shoue-Jen Wang

MrPushpa Mahalingam

A three layer film (), such as nitride/oxide/nitride for a CMP stop layer (). A gap filling material () is polished, stopping on the first film (). The first film () is then stripped using an etch chemistry that is selective against removing the second film (). CMP is then continued stopping on the third film ().

Multilayered CMP stop for flat planarization

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a thin film resistor, which includes a resistor material that has been deposited on a substrate surface within a channel defined by opposing first and second portions of a stencil structure formed on the substrate surface, the resistor material having an initial width determined by a width of the channel. The stencil structure has been adapted to receive a planarizing material that protects against reduction of the initial width of the resistor material during subsequent process steps for removing the stencil structure. A head mask overlays an end portion of the thin film resistor and a dielectric overlays the head mask, the dielectric defining a via formed in the dielectric above a portion of the head mask. A conductive material has been deposited in the via, coupled to the portion of the head mask and electrically connecting the thin film resistor to other components of the integrated circuit.

Providing high precision resistance in an integrated circuit using a thin film resistor of controlled dimension

A thin film resistor structure () is formed on a dielectric layer (). A capping layer () is formed above said thin film resistor structure () and vias () are formed in the capping layer () using a two step etching process comprising of a dry etch process and a wet etch process. Conductive layers () are formed in the vias and form electrical contacts to the thin film resistor structure ().

Method of forming an integrated circuit thin film resistor

A three layer film ( ), such as nitride/oxide/nitride for a CMP stop layer ( ). A gap filling material ( ) is polished, stopping on the first film ( ). The first film ( ) is then stripped using an etch chemistry that is selective against removing the second film ( ). CMP is then continued stopping on the third film ( ).

In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming a capacitor. A mass is formed over an electrical node. An opening is formed within the mass. The opening has a lower portion proximate the node and an upper portion above the lower portion. The lower portion is wider than the upper portion. A first conductive layer is formed within the opening and along a periphery of the opening. After the first conductive layer is formed, a portion of the mass is removed from beside the upper portion of the opening while another portion of the mass is left beside the lower portion of the opening. A dielectric material is formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer is formed over the dielectric material. The second conductive layer is separated from the first conductive layer by the dielectric material. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a capacitor construction.

Capacitor constructions

Methods of forming capacitors

The stress at the edges of a thin film conductor can be reduced by noncoincident layered structures, which takes advantage of the characteristic stress polarity changing from tensile to compressive or vice versa in the edge vicinity in order to avoid device reliability and performance problems. By using noncoincident layered structures, destructive stress interference from different layers can be achieved to reduce the stress or stress gradient at the edge. The structures and methods disclosed herein can advantageously be used in many integrated circuit and device manufacturing applications (including gates, wordlines, and bitlines).

Edge stress reduction by noncoincident layers

In one aspect, the invention encompasses a LOCOS process. A pad oxide layer is provided over a silicon-comprising substrate. A silicon nitride layer is provided over the pad oxide layer and patterned with the pad oxide layer to form masking blocks. The patterning exposes portions of the silicon-comprising substrate between the masking blocks. The masking blocks comprise sidewalls. Polysilicon is formed along the sidewalls of the masking blocks. Subsequently, the silicon-comprising substrate and polysilicon are oxidized to form field oxide regions proximate the masking blocks. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a semiconductive material structure. Such structure includes a semiconductive material substrate and at least one composite block over the semiconductive material substrate. The composite block comprises a layer of silicon dioxide and a layer of silicon nitride over the layer of silicon dioxide. The silicon nitride and silicon dioxide have coextensive opposing sidewalls. The structure also comprises polysilicon projections along the coextensive silicon nitride and second dioxide sidewalls.

LOCOS fabrication processes and semiconductive material structures

Method of forming field oxide

The invention includes a method of reducing stress during formation of field oxide by LOCOS. Field oxide is formed by oxidizing a silicon substrate, and fluorine is incorporated into the field oxide during the oxidizing. After the fluorine is incorporated into the field oxide, the field oxide is annealed at a temperature of at least about 1000&deg; C.

Locos processes

A semiconductor device (60) may comprise a semiconductor layer (12) having an outer surface (20). A plurality of gates (18) may be disposed over the outer surface (20) of the semiconductor layer (12). An isolation cover (30) may be disposed over the gates (18). An implant screen (40) may be grown on the outer surface (20) of the semiconductor layer (12) between the isolation covers (30) of the gates (18).

Implant screen and method

A method of integrating a low aspect ratio antifuse into low capacitance interconnect levels which involves fabrication of an antifuse base which is self-aligned to either a lower interconnect level or the antifuse dielectric. The method provides maximum allowable registration tolerance for the antifuse onto its base without incurring any increase in the pitch of the interconnect. The antifuse base is required to minimize the capacitance between the lower and upper interconnect levels. This is accomplished by providing over a lower interconnect pattern, such as, for example, aluminum over titanium tungstide (TiW), a barrier metal, such as, for example, TiW. The barrier metal separates one of the interconnect layers from the amorphous silicon dielectric. The barrier metal also acts as a raised base for the antifuse, providing increased spacing between the upper and lower interconnect patterns, thereby minimizing the capacitance therebetween.

Self-aligned antifuse with base

A planarized capacitor array (182) and method of forming the same for high density applications. A storage node contact (116) is formed through an interlevel dielectric (110) on a semiconductor body (102). Then, an oxide layer (170) having a first thickness is deposited over the interlevel dielectric (110) and the storage node contact (116). A nitride layer (172) having a second thickness is deposited over the oxide layer (170) to protect the oxide layer (170) during later processing. The nitride layer (172) and oxide layer (170) are then patterned and etched to form a storage plate cavity (180). The capacitor array (182) is then formed in the storage plate cavity (180). The capacitor array (182) has a height approximately equal to the sum of said first and second thicknesses, so that the surface of the top node of the capacitor array (182) is co-planar with the upper surface of the surrounding oxide/nitride stack (170/172). Thus, the step height normally present between the capacitor array (182) and the peripheral area is avoided.

Planarized capacitor array structure for high density memory applications

A low-capacitance antifuse (34 or 76) is provided for use in user-programmable integrated circuitry. The antifuse includes first (38 or 80) connection metal layers and second (54 or 94) connection metal layers. Between the metal layers is dielectric layer (52 or 82), and between the dielectric layer and at least one of the metal layers is a conductive layer in the form of pillar (40) or stack (81). The pillar or stack extends the separation between the metal layers thereby decreasing the capacitance of the antifuse.

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Siang Ping Kwok