Polymer film metalization

• US 6,890,813 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Andideh, Ebrahim, Diana, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUU, CHUONG A
• Application Number:
  US10/337,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 438/3, 438/240, 438/238, 438/239, 438/386, 438/399, 257/310, 257/295, 257/296
• US Class Current: 438/240
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/288 from a liquid, e.g. electrolytic deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76838 characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors etching for patterning the conductors H01L21/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/40111 the electrodes comprising a layer which is used for its ferroelectric properties

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention eliminate the need for a subtractive metal patterning process to pattern the electrode above a ferroelectric polymer. Instead, a selective electroless deposition process is used. A conductive polymer is used as a seed layer for the electroless plating of the metal electrode. A cost saving is provided by eliminating the chemical costs associated with conventional resist removal processing. The methods also potentially eliminate the requirement for aggressive and environmentally unsafe chemical-based photoresist removal processes.

Claims

1. A method for forming a conductive layer on a ferroelectric polymer layer, comprising:

forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer;

using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer;

removing the patterning photoresist using etch and clean processes; and

depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer comprises:

forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer using a spin deposition and cure process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer comprises:

using photoresist spin deposition to form the layer of photoresist on the conductive polymer layer, and

exposing predetermined areas of the photoresist to a curing process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer comprises:

using conventional lithography and plasma etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process comprises:

depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process, optimizing the deposition process to minimize conductive layer deposition on the sidewalls of the conductive polymer.

6. A method for making a semiconductor substrate comprising:

providing a substrate including a silicon layer, a silicon dioxide layer, a conductive layer and a ferroelectric polymer layer;

forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer;

using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer;

removing the patterning photoresist using etch and clean processes; and

depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer comprises:

forming a conductive polymer layer on the ferroelectric polymer layer using a spin deposition and cure process.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer comprises:

using photoresist spin deposition to form the layer of photoresist on the conductive polymer layer, and

exposing predetermined areas of the photoresist to a curing process.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein using conventional lithography and etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer comprises:

using conventional lithography and plasma etch processes to pattern the conductive polymer.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process comprises:

depositing a conductive layer on the conductive polymer layer using an electroless plating process, optimizing the deposition process to minimize conductive layer deposition on the sidewalls of the conductive polymer.