Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making passive device – Stacked capacitor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-17
2003-09-02
Fourson, George (Department: 2823)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Making passive device
Stacked capacitor
C438S466000, C438S768000, C438S957000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06613641
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer chip manufacture, and more particularly to processing techniques for manufacturing MIM structures on semiconductor substrates.
Background Description
Capacitors are comprised of two metal plates separated by an insulator material. These devices are used extensively in circuitry formed in semiconductor substrates. The typical process for formation of capacitors is by deposition of a metal layer, deposition of an insulator layer, deposition of a second metal layer, and finally etching the three layer structure to create capacitors at desired locations. This requires extensive use of lithographic masking, does not flow well with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing, and may not be practicable in some damascene applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a low cost and efficient process for manufacturing metal insulator metal capacitor (MIM cap) structures in semiconductor substrates.
According to the invention, a first metal layer is deposited within a cavity in a substrate. The substrate may be silicon, gallium arsenide or some other material, but also may be a silicon dioxide layer, or an alternative insulative layer of a semiconductor device (such as would be the case in damascene processing). Regardless of the nature of the substrate, for purposes of this invention the substrate will be deemed any material used in semiconductor fabrication. After depositing the first metal layer, the top surface is oxidized to form a metal oxide over coat layer. Oxidation can be best achieved by anodizing. Once the metal oxide over coat layer is formed, additional insulative layers may be added such as silicon nitrides and silicon oxides (e.g., silicon dioxide), or a second metal layer can be deposited directly on top of the metal oxide over coat layer. Preferably, the first and second metal layers are the same; however, they could be different to meet the requirements of the component being manufactured. A significant number of variations on these processes can be employed.
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Appl. No. 09/567,466, filed May 9, 2000, entitled “Encapsulated metal structures for semiconductor devices and MIM capacitors including the same”.
Cotte John M.
Petrarca Kevin S.
Stein Kenneth J.
Volant Richard P.
Fourson George
Garcia Joannie Adelle
Whitham Curtis & Christofferson, P.C.
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