Thin film capacitor

• US 5,978,207 A
• Filed: 10/30/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Anderson, Wayne A., Chang, Lin Huang
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinkins, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/961,439
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 361/301.4, 361/303, 361/305, 361/306.2, 361/306.3, 361/311, 361/312, 361/313, 361/320, 361/321.1, 361/321.2, 361/321.3, 361/321.4, 361/321.5, 361/328 , 361/329, 257/295, 257/296, 257/303, 257/306, 257/528, 257/532, 29/25.42
• US Class Current: 361/311
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/088 of the type ABO3 with A representing alkali, alkaline earth metal or Pb and B representing a refractory or rare earth metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02197 the material having a perovskite structure, e.g. BaTiO3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02266 deposition by physical ablation of a target, e.g. sputtering, reactive sputtering, physical vapour deposition or pulsed laser deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31691 with perovskite structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/55 with a dielectric comprising a perovskite structure material

Abstract

Ferroelectric PbZr_x T_1-x O₃ (PZT) thin films are deposited on Pt coated Si substrates by using RF magnetron sputtering. A method for obtaining desirable stoichiometric PZT, the desired ferroelectric perovskite phase, and better dielectric properties using a PZT target with Pb/(Zr+Ti) ratio of 1.2 and depositing at 350° C., followed by thermal treatment at 620° C. for 30 min is disclosed. The structural and electrical properties of the PZT layer were further improved by a method of fabricating a novel multi-layer structure which combined the PZT thin film with nanolayers of BaTiO₃. The method and device of the present invention provided reduced leakage current density while maintaining high relative effective dielectric constants.

Claims

1. A capacitor comprising a multilayer structure between two electrodes, the multilayer structure comprising:

a first layer and a second layer of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant;

the first layer having an internal structure affecting formation of a crystalline structure of the second layer;

the crystalline structure of the second layer affecting formation of a perovskite crystalline structure of a ferroelectric layer deposited on the second layer;

the ferroelectric layer having a second dielectric constant higher than the first dielectric constant; and

an amorphous layer serving to limit leakage current in the capacitor by terminating grain boundaries in the ferroelectric layer.

2. The multilayer structure of claim 1, wherein the internal structure of the first layer is microcrystalline.

3. The multilayer structure of claim 1, wherein the crystalline structure of the second layer is polycrystalline.

4. The multilayer structure of claim 1, wherein the ferroelectric layer is made of PbZr_x Ti_1-x O₃, wherein x represents a molar fraction of zirconium.

5. The multilayer structure of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, KNO₃, LiNbO₃, Bi₄ Ti₃ O₁₂, PbTiO₃, PbZrO₃, LaTiO₃, PbMgO₃, PbNbO₃ and LaZrO₃.

6. The multilayer structure of claim 1 further comprising a first electrode contacting the first layer and a second electrode contacting the amorphous layer.

7. The multilayer structure of claim 6, wherein the first and the second electrodes are made of a material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Pb, Ru and metallic oxides.

8. A multilayer structure disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode, the multilayer structure comprising:

a microcrystalline layer of a first dielectric material deposited on the first electrode;

a polycrystalline layer of a first dielectric material deposited on the microcrystalline layer;

a layer of a second dielectric material deposited on the polycrystalline layer, the second dielectric material having a dielectric constant higher than that of the first dielectric material and having a crystalline structure substantially corresponding to a perovskite phase; and

an amorphous layer of the first dielectric material deposited between the second electrode and the layer of the second dielectric material.

9. The multilayer structure of claim 8, wherein the first dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of BaTiO₃, SrTiO₃, KNO₃, LiNbO₃, Bi₄ Ti₃ O₁₂, PbTiO₃, PbZrO₃, LaTiO₃, PbMgO₃, PbNbO₃ and LaZrO₃.

10. The multilayer structure of claim 8, wherein the second material is PbZr_x Ti_1-x O₃, wherein x represents a molar fraction of zirconium.

11. The multilayer structure of claim 8, wherein the thickness of the structure is less than one micron.

12. The multilayer structure of claim 8, wherein the first and the second electrodes are made of a material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Pb, Ru and metallic oxides.