Capacitor/antifuse structure having a barrier-layer electrode and improved barrier layer

• US 6,150,706 A
• Filed: 02/27/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Mercaldi, Garry A., Nuttall, Michael, Thakur, Randhir P. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hardy, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eckert, II, George C.
• Application Number:
  US09/032,182
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 257/532, 257/300, 257/310, 257/529, 257/530
• US Class Current: 257/532
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/404 with one charge-transfer gate, e.g. MOS transistor, per cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/16 using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28568 the conductive layers comprising transition metals H01L21/28518 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76888 By rendering at least a portion of the conductor non conductive, e.g. oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/03 Making the capacitor or connections thereto

Abstract

A semiconductor structure includes a dielectric layer having first and second opposing sides. A conductive layer is adjacent to the first side of the dielectric layer and is coupled to a first terminal, and a conductive barrier layer is adjacent to the second side of the dielectric layer and is coupled to a second terminal. The conductive barrier layer may be formed from tungsten nitride, tungsten silicon nitride, titanium silicon nitride or other barrier materials.

Claims

1. A capacitor, comprising:

a silicon nitride dielectric having first and second opposite sides;

a first semi-conductive electrode having a layer of silicon germanium having a first side adjacent to the first side of the silicon nitride dielectric and a second side adjacent to a layer of polysilicon;

a first conductive barrier layer having a first side adjacent to the second side of the silicon nitride dielectric and having a second opposing side; and

a second electrode adjacent to the second side of the first barrier layer.

2. The capacitor of claim 1, further comprising a second conductive barrier layer disposed between the first semi-conductive electrode and the first side of the silicon nitride dielectric.

3. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the second electrode comprises polysilicon.

4. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the second electrode comprises silicon germanium.

5. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises tungsten nitride.

6. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises tungsten silicon nitride.

7. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises titanium silicon nitride.

8. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein the second electrode comprises hemispherical-silicon-grain polysilicon.

9. The capacitor of claim 1 wherein a silicide layer is disposed between the first conductive barrier layer and the second electrode.

10. A capacitor, comprising:

a silicon nitride dielectric having first and second opposite sides;

a first semi-conductive electrode adjacent to the first side of the silicon nitride dielectric;

a first conductive barrier layer having a first side adjacent to the second side of the silicon nitride dielectric and having a second opposing side; and

a second electrode having a layer of silicon germanium having a first side that is adjacent to the second side of the first barrier layer and having a second opposite side, the second electrode further having a layer of polysilicon that is adjacent to the second side of the layer of silicon germanium.

11. The capacitor of claim 10, further comprising a second conductive barrier layer disposed between the first semi-conductive electrode and the first side of the silicon nitride dielectric.

12. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first semi-conductive electrode comprises polysilicon.

13. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first semi-conductive electrode comprises silicon germanium.

14. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first semi-conductive electrode comprises:

a layer of silicon germanium having a first side that is adjacent to the first side of the silicon nitride dielectric and having a second opposite side; and

a layer of polysilicon that is adjacent to the second side of the layer of silicon germanium.

15. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises tungsten nitride.

16. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises tungsten silicon nitride.

17. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein the first conductive barrier layer comprises titanium silicon nitride.

18. The capacitor of claim 10 wherein a silicide layer is disposed between the conductive barrier layer and the second electrode.

19. A capacitor, comprising:

a silicon nitride dielectric having first and second opposite sides;

a first semiconductor electrode having a layer of silicon germanium having a first side adjacent to the first side of the dielectric and a second side adjacent to a layer of polysilicon;

a first tungsten nitride barrier layer having a first side adjacent to the second side of the dielectric and having a second opposing side; and

a second semiconductor electrode adjacent to the second side of the first barrier layer.

20. The capacitor of claim 19, further comprising a second tungsten nitride barrier layer disposed between the first electrode and the first side of the dielectric.

21. The capacitor of claim 19 wherein the second semiconductor electrode comprises polysilicon.

22. The capacitor of claim 19 wherein the second semiconductor electrode comprises silicon germanium.

23. The capacitor of claim 19 wherein the second semiconductor electrode comprises hemispherical-silicon-grain polysilicon.

24. The capacitor of claim 19 wherein a silicide layer is disposed between the first tungsten nitride barrier layer and the second semiconductor electrode.

25. A capacitor, comprising:

a silicon nitride dielectric having first and second opposite sides;

a first semiconductor electrode adjacent to the first side of the dielectric;

a first tungsten nitride barrier layer having a first side adjacent to the second side of the dielectric and having a second opposing side; and

a second semiconductor electrode having a layer of silicon germanium having a first side that is adjacent to the second side of the first barrier layer and having a second opposite side, the second semiconductor electrode further having a layer of polysilicon that is adjacent to the second side of the layer of silicon germanium.

26. The capacitor of claim 25 wherein the first semiconductor electrode comprises polysilicon.

27. The capacitor of claim 25 wherein the first semiconductor electrode comprises silicon germanium.

28. The capacitor of claim 25 wherein the first semiconductor electrode comprises:

a layer of silicon germanium having a first side that is adjacent to the first side of the dielectric and having a second opposite side; and

a layer of polysilicon that is adjacent to the second side of the layer of silicon germanium.

29. The capacitor of claim 25 wherein a silicide layer is disposed between the first tungsten nitride barrier layer and the second semiconductor electrode.