Variable graduated capacitor structure and methods for forming the same

A capacitor structure comprising:

• a dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material and including a graduated trench therein, wherein the graduated trench is bounded by a set of adjoined surface segments that comprises at least two horizontal surface segments located at different heights, two sidewalls having a respective top edge that is adjoined to a top periphery of the graduated trench, and at least one connecting surface segment connecting a respective neighboring pair of horizontal surface segments among the at least two horizontal surface segments, wherein one of the two sidewalls has a greater vertical extent than a vertical spacing between a topmost horizontal plane among the at least two horizontal planes and a bottommost horizontal plane among the at least two horizontal planes;
• at least two contact vias embedded within the dielectric layer and having a respective top surface located within a respective horizontal plane containing a respective one of the at least two horizontal planes;
• at least two bottom electrodes, wherein each bottom electrode of the at least two bottom electrodes is positioned above a top surface of, and is electrically connected to, a respective contact via of the at least two contact vias;
• a dielectric fill material portion comprising a second dielectric material and in contact with sidewalls and top surfaces of the at least two bottom electrodes;
• and
• at least one top electrode positioned on a top surface of the dielectric fill material portion and positioned vertically above the at least two bottom electrodes,
• wherein the at least two bottom electrodes comprises a first bottom electrode and a second bottom electrode;
• wherein each of the at least one top electrode is capacitively coupled to a respective one of the first bottom electrode and to the second bottom electrode, and is not electrically shorted to the first bottom electrode, and is not electrically shorted to the second bottom electrode;
• and
• wherein the first horizontal surface segment and the second horizontal surface segment are laterally offset from each other such that the first bottom electrode and the second bottom electrode do not have any areal overlap in a plan view along a vertical direction.

A capacitor structure comprising:

• a dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material and including a graduated trench therein, wherein the graduated trench is bounded by a set of adjoined surface segments that comprises at least two horizontal surface segments located at different heights, two sidewalls having a respective top edge that is adjoined to a top periphery of the graduated trench, and at least one connecting surface segment connecting a respective neighboring pair of horizontal surface segments among the at least two horizontal surface segments, wherein one of the two sidewalls has a greater vertical extent than a vertical spacing between a topmost horizontal plane among the at least two horizontal planes and a bottommost horizontal plane among the at least two horizontal planes;
• a dielectric fill material portion comprising a second dielectric material and located within the graduated trench;
• a top electrode having a bottom surface that is located entirely within a horizontal plane that is parallel to a top surface of a substrate and contains a top surface of the dielectric fill material portion, wherein the dielectric fill material portion contacts an entirety of a bottom surface of the top electrode;
• a first bottom electrode that is vertically spaced from the top electrode by a first vertical spacing;
• and
• a second bottom electrode that is vertically spaced from the top electrode by a second vertical spacing that is different from the first vertical spacing,
• wherein the top electrode is capacitively coupled to the first bottom electrode and to the second bottom electrode, and is not electrically shorted to the first bottom electrode, and is not electrically shorted to the second bottom electrode;
• and
• wherein the first horizontal surface segment and the second horizontal surface segment are laterally offset from each other such that the first bottom electrode and the second bottom electrode do not have any areal overlap in a plan view along a vertical direction.