Transparent amorphous carbon structure in semiconductor devices

• US 7,298,024 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, David J., Yin, Zhiping, Li, Weimin
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, BRADLEY
• Application Number:
  US11/458,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 257/298, 257/E21.024, 257/646, 257/E31.047
• US Class Current: 257/646
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02115 the material being carbon, e.g. alpha-C, diamond or hydrogen doped carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0214 the material being a silicon oxynitride, e.g. SiON or SiON:H
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/022 the layer being a laminate, i.e. composed of sublayers, e.g. stacks of alternating high-k metal oxides adhesion layers or buffer layers H01L21/02304, H01L21/02362
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02439 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02505 consisting of more than two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02527 Carbon, e.g. diamond-like carbon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0332 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3081 characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks, materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3146 Carbon layers, e.g. diamond-like layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/033 the capacitor extending over the transistor

Abstract

A transparent amorphous carbon layer is formed. The transparent amorphous carbon layer has a low absorption coefficient such that the amorphous carbon is transparent in visible light. The transparent amorphous carbon layer may be used in semiconductor devices for different purposes. The transparent amorphous carbon layer may be included in a final structure in semiconductor devices. The transparent amorphous carbon layer may also be used as a mask in an etching process during fabrication of semiconductor devices.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a semiconductor structure on a substrate; and

an amorphous carbon layer disposed in the semiconductor structure, the amorphous carbon layer having an extinction coefficient between about 0.001 and about 0.15 at a wavelength of 633 nanometers; and

a hydrogenated insulating layer disposed on the amorphous carbon layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes an integrated circuit in which the amorphous carbon layer is disposed.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is an insulation layer in the semiconductor structure.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is an antireflection layer in the semiconductor structure.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a memory.

26. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon oxynitride.

27. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon oxide.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a semiconductor structure on a substrate; and

an amorphous carbon layer disposed in the semiconductor structure, the amorphous carbon layer having an extinction coefficient between about 0.001 and about 0.15 at a wavelength of 633 nanometers; and

a hydrogenated insulating layer disposed on the amorphous carbon layer, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is formed by a method including;

introducing a process gas containing carbon; and

providing a spreading gas to spread the process gas over a wafer for the semiconductor structure to form the amorphous carbon layer.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the method further includes forming the amorphous carbon layer at temperatures ranging from about 150°

C. to about 500°

C.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein introducing a process gas containing carbon includes forming providing one or more gases of C₃H₆, CH₄, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₈, C₃H₄, or C₄H₁₀.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein introducing a process gas containing carbon includes introducing a process gas containing carbon that does not substantially include oxygen.

9. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein providing a spreading gas includes introducing one or more gases of helium, nitrogen, ammonia, or argon mixed with nitrogen.

10. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the electronic device includes an integrated circuit.

12. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the electronic device is configured to connect to another electronic device in a system.

13. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is an insulation layer in the semiconductor structure.

14. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein amorphous carbon layer is an antireflection layer in the semiconductor structure.

15. A memory comprising:

an array of memory cells;

row access circuitry to access a row of the array of memory cells;

column access circuitry to access a column of the array of memory cells;

an input/output circuit to provide transfer of data to and from the array of memory cells; and

control circuitry to control internal and external access to the memory cells, wherein one or more of the memory cells, row access circuitry, colunm access circuitry, input/output circuit, or control circuit has an semiconductor structure with an amorphous carbon layer having an extinction coefficient between about 0.001 and about 0.15 at a wavelength of 633 nanometers and a hydrogenated insulating layer disposed on the amorphous carbon layer.

16. The memory of claim 15, wherein the memory is a packaged integrated circuit.

17. The memory of claim 15, wherein amorphous carbon layer is an insulation layer in the memory.

18. The memory of claim 15, wherein the memory is disposed in an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit configured to provide functionality in addition to that of a stand alone memory.

19. The memory of claim 15, wherein the memory is disposed in a microprocessor integrated circuit.

28. The memory of claim 15, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon oxynitride.

29. The memory of claim 15, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon-rich oxide.

20. An electronic system comprising:

a controller; and

an electronic device coupled to the controller, wherein at least one of the controller or the electronic device has a semiconductor structure that includes an amorphous carbon layer having an extinction coefficient between about 0.001 and about 0.15 at a wavelength of 633 nanometers and a hydrogenated insulating layer disposed on the amorphous carbon layer.

21. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the controller is a microprocessor.

22. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is a memory.

23. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the electronic system is an information handling system.

24. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the amorphous carbon layer is an insulation layer.

25. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein amorphous carbon layer is an antireflection layer.

30. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon oxynitride.

31. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein hydrogenated insulating layer includes hydrogenated silicon oxide.