Methods of forming electronic components, and a conductive line
First Claim
1. A method of forming an electronic component comprising:
- forming first and second conductive materials over a substrate, the second material having a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere;
first etching the first and second conductive materials to form a conductive component, the conductive component having opposing outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials which span between the opposing outer lateral edges;
second etching into both of the second material outer lateral edges to recess them inside of the first material outer lateral edges; and
after the second etching, exposing the substrate to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere effective to grow an oxide layer over both of the outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials.
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Abstract
A method of forming an electronic component includes forming first and second conductive materials over a substrate, with the second material having a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere. The first and second conductive materials are first etched to form a conductive component. The conductive component has opposing outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials which span between the opposing outer lateral edges. Second etching is conducted into both of the second material outer lateral edges to recess them inside of the first material outer lateral edges. After the second etching, the substrate is exposed to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere effective to grow an oxide layer over both of the outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials. Electronic components are disclosed and claimed independent of any method of manufacture.
48 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of forming an electronic component comprising:
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forming first and second conductive materials over a substrate, the second material having a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere;
first etching the first and second conductive materials to form a conductive component, the conductive component having opposing outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials which span between the opposing outer lateral edges;
second etching into both of the second material outer lateral edges to recess them inside of the first material outer lateral edges; and
after the second etching, exposing the substrate to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere effective to grow an oxide layer over both of the outer lateral edges of the first and second conductive materials. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of forming an electronic component comprising:
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forming first and second conductive materials over a substrate, the second material having a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere;
first etching the first and second conductive materials to form a conductive component, the conductive component having at least one outer lateral edge of the first and second conductive materials;
second etching into the at least one second material outer lateral edge to recess it inside of the first material outer lateral edge; and
after the second etching, exposing the substrate to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere effective to grow an oxide layer over the at least one outer lateral edge of the first and second conductive materials. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A conductive line comprising:
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a semiconductive substrate;
a stack comprising a conductive layer over the semiconductive substrate, a second conductive layer different in composition from the first and received over the first, and an insulative cap over the second conductive layer;
the first conductive layer of the stack having opposing outer lateral edges which are spaced less than one micron apart defining a conductive line width of less than one micron, the second conductive layer of the stack having opposing outer lateral edges which are recessed laterally within the opposing outer lateral edges of the first conductive layer and which are thereby spaced apart less than the opposing outer lateral edges of the first conductive layer are spaced apart, the insulative cap having opposing outer lateral edges in a final circuit construction of the conductive line, the insulative cap having a topmost surface; and
a continuously extending oxide layer formed over the insulative cap topmost surface and laterally over each of the outer lateral edges of the first conductive layer, over each of the outer lateral edges of the second conductive layer and over each of the outer lateral edges of the insulative cap in the final circuit construction of the transistor;
the oxide layer in the final circuit construction of the conductive line having opposing substantially continuous straight linear outermost lateral edges extending laterally along and laterally overlapping with all of each of the opposing outer lateral edges of the insulative cap and all of each of the opposing outer lateral edges of the second conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of fabricating a transistor gate comprising:
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patterning first and second material layers to form a transistor gate stack, wherein the second material has a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere; and
exposing vertical surfaces of the patterned first and second material layers to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges not containing outward lateral bulges. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method of forming a lateral oxide layer on a transistor gate stack comprising:
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compensating for different oxidation rates of transistor gate stack materials; and
exposing the transistor gate stack materials to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A method of forming a lateral oxide layer on a transistor gate stack comprising:
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patterning first and second material layers to form a transistor gate stack having vertically aligned side surfaces, wherein the second material has a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere;
altering a profile of the vertically aligned side surfaces to compensate for different oxidation rates of the first and second material layers; and
exposing the vertical side surfaces of the first and second material layers to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges not containing outward lateral bulges.
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33. A method of fabricating a transistor gate comprising:
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forming a transistor gate stack comprising first and second material layers, wherein the second material has a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere, a portion of an outer edge profile of the second material layer being received laterally inward of an outer edge profile of the first material layer; and
exposing vertical surfaces of the transistor gate stack to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges not containing outward lateral bulges. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method of forming a lateral oxide layer on a transistor gate stack comprising:
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counteracting for different oxidation rates of at least two transistor gate stack materials at least by forming different outer edge profiles of said at least two transistor gate stack materials; and
exposing the transistor gate stack materials to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of forming a lateral oxide layer on a transistor gate stack comprising:
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patterning first and second material layers to form a transistor gate stack having vertically aligned side surfaces, wherein the second material has a higher oxidation rate than an oxidation rate of the first material when exposed to a thermal oxidizing atmosphere;
changing a profile of the vertically aligned side surfaces to counteract for different oxidation rates of the first and second material layers by at least forming different outer edge profiles of said at least two transistor gate stack materials; and
exposing the vertical side surfaces of the first and second material layers to the thermal oxidizing atmosphere to form an insulative layer having substantially continuous straight linear outer lateral edges not containing outward lateral bulges.
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Specification