The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 13, 1998
Mark R. Visokay, Dallas, TX (US);
Luigi Colombo, Dallas, TX (US);
Paul McIntyre, San Jose, CA (US);
Scott R. Summerfelt, Dallas, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An adherent hardmask structure and method of etching a bottom electrode in memory device capacitor structures that dispenses with the need for any adhesion promoter during the etching of the bottom electrode. By using silicon nitride as a hardmask,the processing is simplified and a more robust capacitor structure can be produced. Silicon nitride,has been shown to yield significantly enhanced adhesion to platinum,as compared to silicon oxide formed by any method. Since silicon nitride,is oxidation resistant, it advantageously resists any oxygen plasma that might be used in the etch chemistry. This etching process can be used during processing of high-k capacitor structures in DRAMs in the ≧256 Mbit generations.