# US 12,015,052 B2 · Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor module including a cup-shaped structure with a rounded corner region

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- Number: US 12,015,052 B2
- Document ID: US12015052B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/747,302
- Filed: 2022-05-18
- Published: 2023-06-29
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-27
- Assignees: Microchip Technology Incorporated
- Applicants: Microchip Technology Incorporated
- Inventors: Yaojian Leng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015052B2

## CPC

- H10D 1/042: {using deposition processes to form electrode extensions}
- H10D 1/043: {using patterning processes to form electrode extensions, e.g. etching}
- H10D 1/692: {Electrodes}
- H10D 1/696: {comprising multiple layers, e.g. comprising a barrier layer and a metal layer (barrier layers to prevent diffusion of hydrogen or oxygen in perovskite based capacitors H10D1/688)}
- H10D 1/716: {having vertical extensions}
- H10W 20/031: {of conductive parts of the interconnections}
- H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs
- H10W 20/496: {Capacitor integral with wiring layers}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor includes a bottom electrode cup, an insulator, and a top electrode. The bottom electrode cup includes a laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base and a bottom electrode cup sidewall extending upwardly from the laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base. The insulator includes an insulator cup formed in an opening defined by the bottom electrode cup, and a rounded insulator flange extending laterally outwardly and curving upwardly from the insulator cup, the rounded insulator flange covering an upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall. The top electrode is formed in an opening defined by the insulator cup. The top electrode is insulated from the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall by the rounded insulator flange.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor module, comprising:
a bottom electrode cup including:
a laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base; and
a bottom electrode cup sidewall extending upwardly from the laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base;
an insulator including:
an insulator cup formed in an opening defined by the bottom electrode cup; and
a rounded insulator flange extending laterally outwardly and curving upwardly from the insulator cup, the rounded insulator flange covering an upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall;
a top electrode formed in an opening defined by the insulator cup;
wherein the top electrode is insulated from the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall by the rounded insulator flange; and
wherein the top electrode has a planarized top surface; and
a top electrode connection pad formed on a planarized top surface of the top electrode, the top electrode connection pad fully covering the planarized top surface of the top electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, wherein the top electrode includes a top electrode cap region adjacent the rounded insulator flange, wherein the rounded insulator flange is arranged between the top electrode cap region and the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 2, wherein the top electrode connection pad extends laterally over the top electrode cap region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, comprising:
a bottom electrode base;
wherein the bottom electrode cup is formed on the bottom electrode base;
a bottom electrode contact spaced laterally apart from the bottom electrode cup, the bottom electrode contact conductively connected to the bottom electrode base; and
a bottom electrode connection pad formed over the bottom electrode contact and conductively connected to the bottom electrode contact.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 4, wherein:
the bottom electrode base is formed in a lower metal layer; and
the top electrode connection pad and the bottom electrode connection pad are formed in an upper metal layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 5, wherein:
the lower metal layer comprises a silicide polysilicon layer; and
the upper metal layer comprises an interconnect metal layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 4, wherein the bottom electrode cup and the bottom electrode contact are formed from a conformal metal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, wherein:
the insulator cup includes an insulator cup sidewall including multiple insulator cup sidewall segments defining a closed-loop perimeter of the insulator cup sidewall, the insulator cup sidewall having a sidewall upper edge extending around the closed-loop perimeter of the insulator cup sidewall; and
the rounded insulator flange extends radially outwardly from the sidewall upper edge and extends around the closed-loop perimeter of the insulator cup sidewall.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, wherein the top electrode connection pad fully covers the insulator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, wherein:
the rounded insulator flange has an upper surface coplanar with the planarized top surface of the top electrode; and
the top electrode connection pad fully covers the upper surface of the rounded insulator flange.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, comprising:
a planarized surface defining an upper surface of the bottom electrode cup, an upper surface of the insulator, and an upper surface of the top electrode;
wherein the top electrode connection pad is formed on the planarized surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 1, wherein the top electrode fully fills the opening defined by the insulator cup.

### Claim 13

An integrated circuit structure, comprising:
an interconnect structure comprising:
a lower interconnect element;
an upper interconnect element; and
an interconnect via between the lower interconnect element and the upper interconnect element, and
a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor module comprising:
a bottom electrode cup including:
a laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base; and
a bottom electrode cup sidewall extending upwardly from the laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base;
an insulator including:
an insulator cup formed in an opening defined by the bottom electrode cup; and
a rounded insulator flange extending laterally outwardly and curving upwardly from the insulator cup, the rounded insulator flange covering an upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall;
a top electrode formed in an opening defined by the insulator cup;
wherein the top electrode is insulated from the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall by the rounded insulator flange; and
wherein the top electrode has a planarized top surface;
a top electrode connection pad formed on a planarized top surface of the top electrode and fully covering the planarized top surface of the top electrode; and
wherein the bottom electrode cup and the interconnect via are formed in a common dielectric region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The integrated circuit structure of claim 13, wherein the top electrode includes a top electrode cap region extending laterally over the rounded insulator flange, wherein the rounded insulator flange is arranged between the top electrode cap region and the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The integrated circuit structure of claim 13, wherein the bottom electrode cup and the interconnect via are formed from a common conformal metal in the common dielectric region.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The integrated circuit structure of claim 13, comprising:
a bottom electrode base;
wherein the bottom electrode cup is formed on the bottom electrode base;
a bottom electrode contact spaced laterally apart from the bottom electrode cup and spaced laterally apart from the interconnect via, the bottom electrode contact conductively connected to the bottom electrode base; and
a bottom electrode connection pad conductively connected to the bottom electrode contact.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The integrated circuit structure of claim 16, wherein:
the lower interconnect element and the bottom electrode base are formed in a lower metal layer;
the upper interconnect element, the top electrode connection pad, and the bottom electrode connection pad are formed in an upper metal layer; and
the bottom electrode contact is formed in the common dielectric region.

### Claim 18

A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor module, comprising:
a bottom electrode base;
a bottom electrode cup, including:
a laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base formed on the bottom electrode base; and
a bottom electrode cup sidewall extending upwardly from the laterally-extending bottom electrode cup base;
an insulator including:
an insulator cup formed in an opening defined by the bottom electrode cup; and
a rounded insulator flange extending laterally outwardly and curving upwardly from the insulator cup, the rounded insulator flange covering an upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall;
a top electrode formed in an opening defined by the insulator cup;
wherein the top electrode is insulated from the upper surface of the bottom electrode cup sidewall by the rounded insulator flange;
a bottom electrode contact spaced laterally apart from the bottom electrode cup, the bottom electrode contact conductively connected to the bottom electrode base; and
a bottom electrode connection pad formed over the bottom electrode contact and conductively connected to the bottom electrode contact.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 18, comprising:
a top electrode connection pad formed over and conductively connected to the top electrode;
wherein the top electrode connection pad is spaced apart from the bottom electrode connection pad; and
wherein the top electrode connection pad and the bottom electrode connection pad are formed in an upper metal layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The MIM capacitor module of claim 18, wherein:
the bottom electrode cup comprises a first portion of a conformal metal layer; and
the bottom electrode contact comprises a second portion of the conformal metal layer.