Reduction of crystal growth resulting from annealing a conductive material
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsMarko Milojevic, John A. Smythe, III
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Abstract
Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to reduction of crystal growth resulting from annealing a conductive material are described. An example apparatus includes a conductive material selected to have an electrical resistance that is reduced as a result of annealing. A stabilizing material may be formed over a surface of the conductive material. The stabilizing material may be selected to have properties that include stabilization of the reduced electrical resistance of the conductive material and reduction of a degree of freedom of crystal growth relative to the surface resulting from recrystallization of the conductive material during the annealing.
Claims5
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate material that is a nitride of one or more refractory metals;
- an annealed conductive material formed over a surface of the substrate material, and selected to have an electrical resistance that is reduced as a result of annealing, wherein the annealed conductive material comprises a noble metal and wherein the noble metal is deposited to a thickness of around 2 to 50 nanometers on the substrate material;
- and
- a stabilizing material formed over a surface of a conductive material prior to annealing the conductive material, wherein the stabilizing material is formed as a thin film on the surface to a thickness of one (1.0) nanometer or less and wherein the stabilizing material is a nitride of one or more refractory metals and is selected to have properties that comprise:
- stabilization of the reduced electrical resistance of the conductive material;
- and
- reduction of a degree of freedom of crystal growth relative to the surface resulting from recrystallization of the conductive material during the annealing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.