Methods of preventing reduction of irox during pzt formation by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition or other processing

A method of forming an FeRAM capacitor, comprising:

• forming a bottom electrode layer over a substrate, wherein the bottom electrode layer comprises an iridium layer and an iridium oxide layer overlying the iridium layer, wherein the iridium oxide layer is formed by depositing an oxygen doped iridium layer, wherein oxygen within the oxygen doped iridium layer causes at least a portion thereof to oxidize with iridium therein during subsequent processing;
• forming a PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer in a reducing ambient, wherein the reducing ambient causes oxygen and iridium within the underlying oxygen doped iridium layer to segregate at an interface between the oxygen doped iridium layer and the PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer and oxidize to form an iridium oxide layer between the iridium layer and the PZT layer;
• and
• forming a top electrode layer over the PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer.

A method of forming an FeRAM capacitor, comprising:

• forming an iridium layer via sputtering in an inert gas ambient;
• forming an oxygen doped iridium layer over the iridium layer;
• forming a PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer over the oxygen doped iridium layer, wherein the formation of the PZT layer or other subsequent processing causes the oxygen doped iridium layer to oxidize and form an iridium oxide layer disposed between the iridium layer and the PZT layer, and wherein the iridium layer and the iridium oxide layer together form a bottom electrode of the FeRAM capacitor;
• and
• forming a top electrode over the PZT layer.

A method of forming an FeRAM capacitor, comprising:

• forming an oxygen doped iridium layer over a substrate;
• forming a PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer over the amorphous iridium oxide layer;
• and
• forming a top electrode layer over the PZT ferroelectric dielectric layer.