United States Patent [191
`Reinberg et al.
`
`USOO5l42438A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,142,438
`Aug. 25, 1992
`
`[54] DRAM CELL HAVING A STACKED
`CAPACITOR WITH A TANTALUM LOWER
`PLATE, A TANTALUM 0x101: DIELECTRIC
`LAYER, AND ASILICIDE BURIED
`CONTACT
`[75] Inventors: Mm R. Reinbers' wcstpon, Conn‘;
`M.“ E" Tunic’ Boise’ 1d‘
`[73] Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, Id.
`
`_
`
`[21] Appl' No‘ 7921554
`[22] Filed;
`No“ 15, 1991
`
`[51] in. C1; ..................... .. H016 4/06; r1011. 21/70;
`[52] us. (:1. ................................. .. 361/33?
`
`357/51; 437/52
`_
`[58] Field Of Search ................ .. 437/52; 361/311, 312,
`361/313; 357/23'6' 51
`References Cited
`
`[56]
`
`U'S' PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,432.035 2/1984 Hsieh er al. ................... .. 361/313 X
`4.971.655 l1/l990 Stefano et al. ............. .. 156/6591
`
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`5.079.670 1/1992 Tigelaar et a]. ................ .. 357/51 x
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`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Angus C. Fox, III
`.
`“Sm/‘(f7
`[57]
`An improved DRAM cell having a tantalum metal
`lower plate, a tantalum-silicide buried contact, and a
`tan um on e capacitor dielectric layer is disclosed
`Also disclosed are several methods for fabricating the
`improved cell. Fabrication of an array of the improved
`Cells proceeds through the storage-node contact open
`ing stage in a manner consistent with the fabrication
`process utilized for conventional stacked-cell DRAM
`arrays. The process for fabricating the improved cells
`deviates from convention after storage-node contact
`openings m form“ A tantalum mm] layer is confer,
`many deposited over the wafer surface’ patterned and
`etched to create individual storage-node plates. The
`wafer is then subjected to an elevated temperature step
`in an oxygen ambient, which creates both a tanmlum
`silicide layer at the tantalum-silicon interface of each
`storage-node contact, and a tantalum oxide dielectric
`layer on the exposed surfaces of each storage-node
`plate. The tantalum oxide layer then annealed in order
`to reduce its leakage current characteristics. Following
`the annealing step, a thin barrier layer ofa material such
`as silicon nitride is blanket deposited. This is followed
`d
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`by ‘he eposmon o a poly“ ‘Con Ce" plate layer
`
`Primary Examiner-Donald Gri?'m
`
`14 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`Page 1 of 7
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`SAMSUNG EXHIBIT 2008
`NVIDIA v. SAMSUNG
`Trial IPR2015-01327
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 25, 1992
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
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`5,142,438
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`18
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`11A
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`FIG. 1
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`FIG. 2
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`Page 2 of 7
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 25, 1992
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`Shee2 2 of 2 _
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`5,142,438
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`Page 3 of 7
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`Page 3 of 7
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`

`
`1
`
`DRAM CELL HAVING A STACKED CAPACITOR
`WITH A TANTALUM LOWER PLATE, A
`TANTALUM OXIDE DIELECTRIC LAYER, AND A
`SILICIDE BURIED CONTACT
`
`5
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates to semiconductor technology
`and, more speci?cally, to the design and manufacture of
`capacitors used in dynamic random access memory
`(DRAM) cells. The focus of the invention is a stacked
`cell capacitor having a tantalum metal lower plate, a
`tantalum oxide dielectric layer, and a tantalum-silicide
`buried contact.
`
`15
`
`5,142,438
`2
`storing capacity. Since a stacked capacitor generally
`covers not only the entire area of a cell (including the
`cell's access FET), but adjacent ?eld oxide regions as
`well, capacitance is considerably enhanced over that
`available from a planar type cell.
`The electrodes, or plates, of a stacked capacitor are
`typically patterned from individual layers of conduc
`tively-doped polycrystalline silicon (hereinafter also
`“polysilicon"). There are a number of peculiarities and
`problems inherent with the use of polysilicon capacitor
`plates.
`Conductively-doped polysilicon layers are generally
`created by depositing a layer of undoped polysilicon via
`chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and then doping the
`deposited layer. The doping step is typically performed
`by placing a substrate, on which the undoped polysili
`con layer has been deposited, in a reactor chamber,
`introducing phosphine or phosphorus oxychloride and
`oxygen gases into the chamber at a temperature suf?
`cient to cause the formation of a P205 and SiO; glaze
`layer on the polysilicon surface. when the thickness of
`the glaze layer has reached ZOO-500A, the phosphine or
`phosphorus oxychloride and oxygen gases are shut off,
`the temperature of the reactor chamber is either main
`tained or increased, and nitrogen gas is introduced into
`the chamber. This condition is maintained until the
`desired amount of phosphorus has diffused from the
`glaze layer into the polysilicon layer. One of the prob
`lems with this method of doping is that the undoped
`polysilicon layer must be thicker than the thickness
`desired for the DRAM capacitor plates, as some
`polysilicon is consumed during the in situ doping pro
`cess. A thickness of 600A is considered a realistic mini
`mum value for initial undoped layers. As cell geome
`tries are shrunk, thicknesses of such magnitude may
`pose a problem for doping vertically-oriented portions
`of the layer which occur, for example, in interwordline
`gap regions. The steps required for doped polysilicon
`layer formation also represent a manufacturing cost.
`Another problem related to the use of a conductive
`ly-doped polysilicon layer for the bottom plate of a
`DRAM capacitor is that the dopant impurities from the
`polysilicon layer tend to diffuse into the channel of the
`cell access transistor. This problem becomes more acute
`as cell geometries are shrunk, resulting in shorter chan
`nel lengths and thinner gate sidewall spacers.
`Yet another disadvantage related to the use of con
`ductively-doped polysilicon layers for DRAM capaci
`tor plates is the fact that the native oxide (SiO2) must be
`utilized as at least a component of the cell dielectric
`layer. Most contemporary DRAM cells use an oxide
`nitride-oxide (ONO) dielectric layer. The problem with
`SiO; is that it has a relatively low dielectric constant,
`which negatively impacts cell capacitance. In addition,
`direct tunneling current greatly increases below an
`effective SiOz ?lm thickness of 4 nm. In order to further
`miniaturize DRAM memories, it will be necessary to
`decrease the operating voltage from 3.3 V to 1.5 V.
`Since Q==CV, where Q is the stored charge, C is the
`capacitance, and V is the voltage, if the voltage is low
`ered, the capacitance must be raised to maintain a con
`stant charge.
`Tantalum pentoxide, on account of its relatively high
`dielectric constant, has received considerable attention
`as a potential replacement for the ONO dielectric layers
`that are currently the norm for contemporary DRAM's.
`Since the dielectric constant of tantalum pentoxide is
`
`65
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The memory cells of dynamic random access memo
`ries are comprised of two main components: a ?eld
`effect transistor and a capacitor. In DRAM cells utiliz
`ing a conventional planar capacitor, far more chip sur
`face area is dedicated to the planar capacitor than to the
`?eld-effect transistor (FET). Wordlines are generally
`etched from a doped polysilicon layer. A doped region
`of silicon substrate functions as the lower (storage
`node) capacitor plate, while another doped polysilicon
`layer generally functions as the upper capacitor plate
`(cell plate). As component density in planar DRAM
`chips increased, the shrinkage of cell capacitor size
`resulted in unacceptably high soft-error rates, lower
`differential signal strength at column sense ampli?ers,
`and shortened cell refresh times. Although planar ca
`pacitors have generally proven adequate for use in
`DRAM chips up to the one-megabit level, they are
`considered to be unusable for more advanced DRAM
`generations.
`35
`As a result of the problems associated with the use of
`planar capacitors for high-density DRAM memories, all
`manufacturers of 4-megabit DRAMs are utilizing cell
`designs based on non-planar capacitors. Two basic non
`planar capacitor designs are currently in use: the trench
`40
`capacitor, and the stacked capacitor. Both types of
`non~planar capacitors typically require a considerably
`greater number of masking, deposition and etching steps
`for their manufacture than does a planar capacitor.
`In a trench capacitor, charge is stored primarily verti
`cally, as opposed to horizontally in a planar capacitor.
`Since trench capacitors are fabricated in trenches which
`are etched in the substrate, the typical trench capacitor,
`like the planar capacitor, is subject to soft errors. In
`addition, there are several other problems inherent in
`the trench design. One problem is that of trench-to
`trench charge leakage, caused by the parasitic transistor
`effect between adjacent trenches. Another problem is
`the difficulty of completely cleaning the trenches dur
`ing the fabrication process; failure to completely clean a
`trench will generally result in a defective cell.
`Most manufacturers of 4-megabit DRAMS are utiliz
`ing stacked capacitor designs. Since both the lower and
`the upper plates of a typical stacked capacitor are
`formed from individual conductive layers, the stacked
`capacitor is generally much less susceptible to soft er
`rors than substrate-based planar and trench designs. By
`placing the wordline and, in some designs, also the
`digitline beneath the capacitive layers, and having the
`lower layer make contact with the substrate by means
`of a buried contact, some manufacturers have created
`stacked capacitor designs in which vertical portions of
`the capacitor contribute signi?cantly to the total charge
`
`50
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`Page 4 of 7
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`5,142,438
`3
`approximately 20 (vs. 8 for a typical ONO dielectric),
`greater charge may be stored within a cell capacitor for
`a given dielectric thickness. Until recently, however,
`the high leakage currents normally associated with
`tantalum pentoxide ?lms have precluded their use as
`DRAM cell dielectrics. Hitachi Corp. has developed a
`new two-step process for annealing tantalum pentoxide
`?lms deposited via low-pressure chemical vapor deposi
`tion so as to reduce leakage current to levels that are
`compatible with DRAM cell dielectrics. The ?rst step, ,
`called LIV-O3 annealing, involves subjecting the tanta
`lum pentoxide ?lm to an ozone (9-percent by volume)
`/oxygen mixture irradiated by ultraviolet light pro
`vided by a mercury lamp. The second step is performed
`at 800° C. in a dry oxygen ambient and is called dry-Oz
`annealing.
`What is needed is a DRAM cell which eliminates the
`problems associated with polysilicon lower capacitor
`plates, and which combines a tantalum pentoxide cell
`dielectric layer for increased cell capacitance.
`
`15
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`20
`
`4
`for each cell has been masked and exposed with a self
`aligned etch;
`FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the in-process
`DRAM array of FIG. 1 following deposition and pat
`terning of a tantalum storage-node plate layer;
`FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the in-process
`DRAM array of FIG. 2 following an etch of the tanta
`lum storage-node plate layer, and a subsequent elevated
`temperature step in an oxygen ambient; and
`FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the in-process
`DRAM array of FIG. 3 following deposition of a bar
`rier layer, and the subsequent deposition of a polysilicon
`cell plate layer.
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
`INVENTION
`Referring now to FIG. 1, a small portion of an in
`process dynamic random access memory (DRAM)
`array of stacked capacitor design is depicted at the cell
`capacitor fabrication stage. Three wordlines 11A, 11B,
`and 11C are depicted in this cross-sectional view. In the
`portion of the array that is depicted, wordlines 11A and
`11C are traversing ?eld oxide regions 12A and 12B
`respectively. wordline 11B, on the other hand, is tra
`versing an active area of a substrate 13, thus forming an
`access transistor in combination with storage-node
`junction 14 and access-node junction 15. Each wordline
`11 consists of a conductively-cloped polysilicon layer
`16, a refractory metal silicide layer 17, which lowers the
`sheet resistance of polysilicon layer 16. Each wordline
`11 is covered on its upper surface by a dielectric cap
`ping layer 18 that is preferably silicon dioxide, and on its
`sides by dielectric spacers 19 that are also preferably
`silicon dioxide. Also visible in this view is a silicon
`dioxide substrate isolation layer 20, which serves to
`isolate charge storage layers from certain active areas.
`A bitline, which is not visible in this cross-sectional
`view, since it runs perpendicular to the wordlines, will
`make contact to access-node junction 14. The storage
`node plate of the cell capacitor will make contact with
`the storage-node junction 13. So that the storage-node
`plate of each cell will make contact with its respective
`storage-node junction, a storage-node contact mask 21
`exposes an areaf‘of each cell superjacent its storage-node
`junction 13. In the instant case, an oxide etch (either wet
`or plasma) is then used to remove a portion of isolation
`layer 20 that is exposed by storage-node contact mask
`21.
`Referring now to FIG. 2, a tantalum metal layer 22 is
`conformally deposited over the wafer surface such that
`tantalum layer 22 is in intimate contact with the storage
`node contact junction 13. As a capacitance-enhancing
`factor, tantalum layer 22 may be of the porous variety
`known to manufacturers of discrete tantalum capaci
`tors. Tantalum layer 22 is then patterned with a storage
`node plate photomask 23.
`Referring now to FIG. 3, tantalum layer 22 has been
`etched to create individual storage-node plates 31, and
`photomask 23 has been stripped. The wafer is then
`subjected to a rapid thermal processing (RTP) or fur
`nace heating temperature step in an oxygen ambient,
`which creates both a tantalum silicide layer 32 at the
`tantalum-silicon interface of each storage-node contact,
`and a tantalum oxide (primarily Ta1O5) dielectric layer
`33 on the exposed surfaces of each storage-node plate
`23. Alternatively, tantalum silicide layer 32 may be
`created in an anaerobic ambient using RT? or furnace
`heating, with the tantalum oxide dielectric layer 33
`
`30
`
`35
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`Disclosed herein is an improved DRAM cell having
`a tantalum metal lower plate, a tantalum-silicide buried
`contact. and a tantalum oxide capacitor dielectric layer.
`Also disclosed are several methods for fabricating the
`improved cell.
`Fabrication of an array of the improved cells pro
`ceeds through the storage-node contact opening stage
`in a manner consistent with the fabrication process
`utilized for conventional stacked-cell DRAM arrays.
`That is to say that ?eld oxide regions have been created
`on a silicon wafer substrate, access transistor gate and
`interconnect structures have been patterned from a
`polysilicon layer that is covered, ?rst, with a refractory
`metal silicide layer and then with a dielectric layer,
`sidewall spacers have been created with an anisotropic
`etch on gate and interconnect structures, transistor
`source/drain regions have been created via one or more
`implantation steps, and self-aligned storage-node
`contact openings have been created with a masked
`anisotropic etch. The process for fabricating the im
`proved cells deviates from convention at this point. A
`tantalum metal layer is conformally deposited over the
`45
`wafer surface such that the tantalum layer is in intimate
`contact with the storage-node contact openings. The
`tantalum layer is then patterned with a mask and etched
`to create individual storage-node plates. The wafer is
`then subjected to an elevated temperature step in an
`oxygen ambient, which creates both a tantalum silicide
`layer at the tantalum-silicon interface of each storage
`node contact, and a tantalum oxide (primarily Ta2O5)
`dielectric layer on the exposed surfaces of each storage
`node plate. The tantalum oxide layer is then annealed in
`order to reduce its leakage current characteristics. Fol
`lowing the annealing step, a thin barrier layer of a mate
`rial such as silicon nitride is blanket deposited. This is
`followed by the deposition of a polysilicon cell plate
`layer. The polysilicon layer is then doped, patterned
`60
`and etched such that it covers only array portions of
`each memory chip on the wafer. The array and periph
`eral circuitry is then completed using techniques well
`known in the an.
`
`50
`
`55
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an in-process
`DRAM array at the stage where a storage node contact
`
`65
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`

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`5,142,438
`5
`being formed in a subsequent step by one of several
`known processes such as wet chemistry, plasma oxida
`tion, or anodic oxidation. Tantalum oxide layer 33 is,
`then, optionally annealed in order to reduce its leakage
`current characteristics.
`Referring now to FIG. 4, a thin barrier layer 41, of a
`material such as silicon nitride, is blanket deposited.
`Barrier layer 41 will prevent undesirable interactions
`between tantalum oxide layer 33 and the polysilicon cell
`plate layer that will be subsequently deposited. The
`deposition of barrier layer 41 is followed by the deposi
`tion of a polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) cell plate
`layer 42. Polysilicon cell plate layer 42 is then patterned
`and etched such that it covers only arrayportions of
`each memory chip on the wafer. The array and periph
`eral circuitry is then completed using techniques well
`known in the art.
`Although only several embodiments of the improved
`DRAM cell capacitor are disclosed herein, it will be
`evident to those having ordinary skill in the art of semi
`conductor fabrication that changes and modifications
`may be made thereto without departing from the scope
`and spirit of the invention as claimed.
`We claim:
`1. An improved stacked capacitor for a dynamic
`25
`random access memory cell, said memory cell being of
`the type that isfabricated on a silicon substrate of a ?rst
`conductivity type, and having storage-node junction
`and access-node junction diffusion regions of a second
`conductivity within said substrate, said diffusion re
`gions being interconnected by the channel of a cell
`access transistor, said capacitor comprising:
`(a) a tantalum metal storage-node plate in electrical
`communication with said storage-node junction;
`(b) a tantalum silicide layer interposed between said
`storage-node plate and said storage-node junction;
`(c) a cell plate layer; and
`(d) a tantalum oxide dielectric layer which is inter
`posed between said cell plate layer and said stor
`age-node plate.
`2. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 1,
`wherein said cell plate layer is polycrystalline silicon.
`3. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 2, which
`further comprises a barrier layer interposed between
`
`6
`.
`said tantalum oxide dielectric layer and said polycrys
`talline silicon cell plate layer.
`4. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 3,
`wherein said tantalum oxide dielectric layer contains
`primarily Ta2O5.
`5. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 4,
`wherein said barrier layer is silicon nitride.
`6. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 4,
`wheriin said barrier is of a thickness within a range of
`5-30 .
`7. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 4,
`wherein said tantalum oxide dielectric layer has been
`annealed to improve leakage current characteristics.
`8. A stacked capacitor for a dynamic random access
`cell which is charged and discharged through a conduc
`tively-doped silicon storage-node junction, said capaci
`tor comprising:
`(a) a tantalum metal storage-node plate in electrical
`communication with said storage-node junction;
`(b) a tantalum silicide layer interposed between said
`storage-node plate and said storage-node junction;
`(c) a cell plate layer; and
`(d) a tantalum oxide dielectric layer which is inter
`posed between said cell plate layer and said stor
`age-node plate.
`9. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 8,
`wherein said cell plate layer is polycrystalline silicon.
`10. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 9, which
`further comprises a barrier layer interposed between
`said tantalum oxide dielectric layer and said polycrys
`talline silicon cell plate layer.
`11. The improved stacked capacitor‘ of claim 10,
`wherein said tantalum oxide dielectric layer contains v
`primarily Ta1O5.
`12. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 11,
`wherein said barrier layer is silicon nitride.
`13. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 11,
`wherein said barrier is of a thickness within a range of
`5-30A.
`14. The improved stacked capacitor of claim 11,
`wherein said tantalum oxide dielectric has been an
`nealed to improve leakage current characteristics.
`I i i ‘ i
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`Page 6 of 7
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`

`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENTNO. ;
`DATED
`1
`|NVENTOR(S) 1
`
`5,142,438
`August 25, 1992
`Alan R. Reinberg et a1.
`
`It is certified that error appears in the above-indentified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
`corrected as shown below: 1
`
`Column 3, line 15, delete "Oz" and insert —— 02 —-.
`
`Signed and Sealed this
`Fifteenth Day of February, 1994
`
`Arresting Officer,
`
`Commisxioner of Parents and Trademarks
`
`BRUCE LEHMAN
`
`Page 7 of 7