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:
May. 04, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2001
Jeng H. Hwang, Cupertino, CA (US);
Guangxiang Jin, San Jose, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A simple method of forming a cup capacitor is disclosed. The method typically involves only “dry” deposition and etching steps, allowing applicants' method to be performed in a single processing apparatus, if so desired. The method includes the following steps: a) providing a semiconductor structure including a dielectric layer overlying a semiconductor substrate, wherein a cup is present in the dielectric layer, the cup having an opening at an upper surface of the dielectric layer; b) depositing a conformal layer of a conductive material over the dielectric layer, including the sidewalls and bottom of the cup; c) depositing a layer of a sacrificial material over the conductive material, in an amount sufficient to fill the cup; d) removing sacrificial material present on an upper surface (field surface) of the conductive layer outside of and adjacent to the cup by plasma etching, using a plasma source gas which selectively etches the sacrificial material relative to the conductive material; e) removing conductive material present on an upper surface (field surface) of the dielectric layer outside of and adjacent to the cup by plasma etching, using a plasma source gas which selectively etches the conductive material relative to the sacrificial material remaining inside of the cup; and f) removing sacrificial layer material remaining inside of the cup by etching, using an etchant which selectively etches the sacrificial material inside of the cup relative to the conductive material inside of the cup.