Technologies for low-leakage on-chip capacitors

Abstract

Technologies for low-leakage and low series resistance on-chip capacitors are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, each electrode of a capacitor is formed from two metal layers and vias between the metal layers. A high-k dielectric layer is between the metal layers. The electrodes are displaced relative to each other on the plane defined by the high-k dielectric layer. As a result, electric field lines of the capacitor are parallel to the high-k dielectric layer. The electrodes can be displaced from each other by more than the thickness of the high-k dielectric layer, reducing the leakage current through the high-k dielectric layer as compared to a capacitor with field lines perpendicular to the high-k dielectric layer. Such a capacitor may be used to provide power to circuits in a low-power state with little leakage current and/or may be used to absorb radiofrequency (RF) interference.