# US 10,872,951 B2 · Semiconductor devices including capacitor structures having improved area efficiency

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- Number: US 10,872,951 B2
- Document ID: US10872951B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/413,447
- Filed: 2019-05-15
- Published: 2019-09-12
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2009-02-03
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric H. Freeman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872951B2

## CPC

- H10D 1/043: {using patterning processes to form electrode extensions, e.g. etching}
- G11C 16/102: {External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators}
- G11C 16/24: Bit-line control circuits
- H10B 12/03: {Making the capacitor or connections thereto}
- H10B 41/40: characterised by the peripheral circuit region
- H10B 41/41: of a memory region comprising a cell select transistor, e.g. NAND
- H10B 43/40: characterised by the peripheral circuit region
- H10D 1/711: {having non-planar surfaces, e.g. formed by texturisation}
- H10D 1/714: {having horizontal extensions}
- H10B 12/09: {with simultaneous manufacture of the peripheral circuit region and memory cells}
- H10B 12/31: {having a storage electrode stacked over the transistor}
- H10B 12/50: {Peripheral circuit region structures}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

Semiconductor structures including a plurality of conductive structures having a dielectric material therebetween are disclosed. The thickness of the dielectric material spacing apart the conductive structures may be adjusted to provide optimization of capacitance and voltage threshold. The semiconductor structures may be used as capacitors, for example, in memory devices. Various methods may be used to form such semiconductor structures and capacitors including such semiconductor structures. Memory devices including such capacitors are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device, comprising:
a memory array; and
a capacitor associated with the memory array, the capacitor located over a base material and external to the memory array, the capacitor comprising:
conductive structures each comprising an upper surface co-planar with an upper surface of the other conductive structures and having a height in a direction perpendicular to the base material, wherein the height is from about 2 times to about 8 times greater than a width of the conductive structure; and
a dielectric material between adjacent conductive structures and having an upper surface co-planar with the upper surfaces of the conductive structures, the dielectric material having a different thickness between a first set of conductive structures than between a second set of conductive structures.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the conductive structures of the first set of conductive structures comprise a first elongated portion and a second elongated portion perpendicular to the first elongated portion, the first elongated portion and the second elongated portion extending parallel with the base material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the memory array comprises a NAND device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first set of conductive structures and the second set of conductive structures independently comprise polysilicon, tungsten silicide, or a metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material comprises silicon dioxide, tantalum pentoxide, silicon nitride, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, or air.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the memory array comprises a volatile memory device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising an oxide-nitride-oxide material over the first set of conductive structures and the second set of conductive structures.

### Claim 8

A semiconductor device, comprising:
at least one of a charge pump circuit and a peripheral circuit comprising a capacitor, the capacitor comprising:
conductive structures, at least one conductive structure of the conductive structures having a first portion and a second portion perpendicular to the first portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are vertically oriented with respect to a base material adjacent to the capacitor, an upper surface of the first portion coplanar with an upper surface of the second portion;
a dielectric material between the conductive structures; and
an oxide material adjacent the conductive structures, a nitride material adjacent the oxide material, and another oxide material adjacent the nitride material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the conductive structures have a height less than about 300 nm, a ratio between the height to a width of the conductive structures within a range from about 2:1 to about 8:1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the conductive structures have a width within a range from about 30 nm to about 40 nm and the dielectric material between adjacent conductive structures has a width within a range of from about 20 nm to about 30 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the conductive structures comprise one or more of hafnium, zirconium, titanium, tantalum, aluminum, ruthenium, palladium, platinum, cobalt, or nickel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the conductive structures have a width in a lateral direction of about 35 nm and the dielectric material has a width in the lateral direction of about 25 nm.

### Claim 13

A semiconductor device, comprising:
a memory array; and
a capacitor associated with the memory array, the capacitor comprising:
conductive structures having an aspect ratio within a range from about 2:1 to about 8:1, wherein upper surfaces of the conductive structures are co-planar, the conductive structures electrically isolated from each other;
a dielectric material between adjacent conductive structures and having an upper surface co-planar with the upper surfaces of the conductive structures; and
an oxide-nitride-oxide material adjacent the conductive structures.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the oxide-nitride-oxide material has a height within a range of from about 20 nm to about 30 nm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The semiconductor device of claim 14, wherein the height of the oxide-nitride-oxide material is less than a height of the conductive structures.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein a distance between a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure adjacent the first conductive structure is different than a distance between the first conductive structure and a third conductive structure adjacent the first conductive structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the dielectric material comprises silicon nitride.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein adjacent conductive structures are spaced from each other by a distance between about 15 nm and about 100 nm.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The semiconductor device of claim 13, wherein the aspect ratio is about 6.6:1.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein each conductive structure comprises a height that is about 6.6 times a width of the respective conductive structure.