Methods for forming electrically precise capacitors, and structures formed therefrom

• US 8,973,231 B1
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ensurge Micropower ASA
• Original Assignee: Thin Film Electronics ASA
• Inventors: Kamath, Arvind, Choi, Criswell, Smith, Patrick, Scher, Erik, Li, Jiang
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US13/868,916
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 29/250.3, 29 2541- 2542, 295/921, 296/00, 29830-832, 29846-847, 361303-305, 361/311, 3405721-5725
• US Class Current: 29/25.42
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 13/00 Apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing capacitors; Processes specially adapted for manufacturing capacitors not provided for in groups H01G4/00 - H01G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/002 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/005 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/008 Selection of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/01 Form of self-supporting electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/10 Metal-oxide dielectrics H01G4/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/1209 characterised by the ceramic dielectric material H01G4/1272, H01G4/1281 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/224 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/30 Stacked capacitors H01G4/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/306 made by thin film techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/33 Thin- or thick-film capacitors thin- or thick-film circuits H01L27/00; capacitors without a potential-jump or surface barrier specially adapted for integrated circuits, details thereof, multistep manufacturing processes therefor H01L28/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/40 Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/016 Thin-film circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/43 Electric condenser making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 : Solid dielectric type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 : Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

High precision capacitors and methods for forming the same utilizing a precise and highly conformal deposition process for depositing an insulating layer on substrates of various roughness and composition are disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of depositing a first insulating layer on a metal substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD); (b) forming a first capacitor electrode on the first insulating layer; and (c) forming a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and on or adjacent to the first capacitor electrode. The methods provide an improved deposition process that produces a highly conformal insulating layer on a wide range of substrates, and thereby, an improved capacitor.

Claims

1. A method of forming a capacitor, comprising:

a. depositing a first insulating layer on a metal substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD);

b. forming a first capacitor electrode on said first insulating layer;

c. forming a second insulating layer on said first insulating layer, and on, adjacent to, or on and adjacent to said first capacitor electrode; and

d. depositing a first conductive layer on said first capacitor electrode and said second insulating layer by printing a precursor ink for said first conductive layer in a pattern corresponding to said first capacitor electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said metal substrate comprises a metal foil or sheet and forms a second capacitor electrode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said metal foil or sheet comprises stainless steel, molybdenum, copper or aluminum, and has a thickness from about 1 μ

m to about 300 μ

m.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first insulating layer has a thickness of from 20 Å

to 200 Å

.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second insulating layers independently comprises SiO₂, Si₃N₄, a silicon oxynitride, Al₂O₃, SiOC, SiOCH, or HfO₂.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a first conductive layer on said first capacitor electrode and said second insulating layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said metal substrate further comprises a barrier layer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an antenna electrically connected to said conductive metal substrate and said first capacitor electrode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said barrier layer comprises a metal compound selected from the group consisting of nitrides and alloys of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, palladium and platinum.

10. A method of forming a capacitor, comprising:

a. depositing a first insulating layer on a metal substrate with a barrier layer thereon by atomic layer deposition (ALD);

b. forming a first capacitor electrode on said first insulating layer; and

c. forming a second insulating layer on said first insulating layer and on, adjacent to, or on and or adjacent to said first capacitor electrode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said metal substrate comprises a metal foil or sheet and forms a second capacitor electrode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said metal foil or sheet comprises stainless steel, molybdenum, copper or aluminum, and has a thickness from about 1 μ

m to about 300 μ

m.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first insulating layer has a thickness of from 20 Å

to 200 Å

.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein each of said first and second insulating layers independently comprises.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing a first conductive layer on said first capacitor electrode and said second insulating layer.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming said barrier layer on said substrate, and said first insulating layer is deposited on said barrier layer.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming an antenna electrically connected to said conductive metal substrate and said first capacitor electrode.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said barrier layer comprises a metal compound selected from the group consisting of nitrides and alloys of titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, palladium and platinum.