Oxidative conditioning compositions for metal oxide layer and applications thereof
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorAlan R. Reinberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metal oxide layer may made more highly oxidized by exposing the layer to sulfur trioxide. The leakage current of the layer may thereby be decreased, providing a capacitor containing such a layer with improved performance properties. The capacitor may be incorporated into a dynamic random access memory cell or other structure useful in the semiconductor or other industry.
Claims65
A method of forming a memory cell, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate having a transistor on a first portion of the substrate, the transistor having a first electrode, and a first conductive layer on a second portion of the substrate;
- forming a dielectric layer comprising substoichiometric tantalum pentoxide having a first oxygen content, the dielectric layer overlying the first conductive layer;
- conditioning the dielectric layer with sulfur trioxide to define a more highly oxidized tantalum pentoxide layer having a second oxygen content, wherein the second oxygen content is greater than the first oxygen content;
- forming a second conductive layer overlying the more highly oxidized tantalum pentoxide layer;
- and
- coupling the first electrode of the transistor to the first conductive layer.
A method of forming a capacitor, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate carrying a first conductive layer;
- forming a first metal oxide layer overlying the first conductive layer, the first metal oxide layer being substoichiometric;
- defining a second metal oxide layer by exposing the first metal oxide layer to sulfur trioxide under reaction conditions effective to oxidize the first metal oxide layer;
- and
- forming a second conductive layer overlying the second metal oxide layer.
A method of increasing the oxygen content of a substoichiometric metal oxide layer, the method comprising:
- placing the substoichiometric metal oxide layer in a processing station;
- and
- exposing the substoichiometric metal oxide layer, while the substoichiometric metal oxide layer is in the processing station, to sulfur trioxide under reaction conditions effective to oxidize the substoichiometric metal oxide layer.
A method of forming a selected metal oxide layer overlying a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a first metal oxide layer having a first oxygen content overlying the substrate;
- and
- conditioning the first metal oxide layer with sulfur trioxide to define the selected metal oxide layer having a second oxygen content, wherein the second oxygen content is greater than the first oxygen content.
A method of forming a computer, the method comprising:
- providing a data input device;
- providing a data output device;
- providing computing circuitry coupled to the data input and output devices, the computing circuitry including a memory cell, the memory cell is formed by steps comprising:
- providing a transistor on a first portion of a substrate, the transistor having a first electrode;
- forming a first conductive layer on a second portion of the substrate;
- forming a dielectric layer comprising substoichiometric tantalum pentoxide having a first leakage current, the dielectric layer overlying the first conductive layer;
- conditioning the dielectric layer with sulfur trioxide to define a substantially stoichiometric tantalum pentoxide layer having a second leakage current, wherein the second leakage current is less than the first leakage current;
- forming a second conductive layer overlying the stoichiometric tantalum pentoxide layer;
- and
- coupling the first electrode of the transistor to the first conductive layer.
A composition comprising a metal oxide layer in contact with sulfur trioxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.