Method of improved high K dielectric - polysilicon interface for CMOS devices

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising an overlying insulative layer and a container opening in the insulating layer to an active area on the substrate, and a lower electrode comprising polysilicon within the container opening;
• forming an oxynitride layer over the lower electrode by annealing the electrode in the presence of nitric oxide;
• nitridizing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen-containing gas;
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the oxynitride layer;
• and
• annealing the dielectric layer in an oxidizing gas.

A method of forming a capacitor in a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate with an opening;
• forming a first conductive electrode layer within the opening;
• the first electrode layer comprising hemispherical grain polysilicon;
• forming a thin layer of oxynitride over the first electrode layer by annealing the electrode in the presence of nitric oxide;
• nitridizing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen-containing gas;
• forming an insulative layer over the oxynitride layer;
• the insulative layer comprising an insulating inorganic metal oxide material;
• and
• forming a second conductive electrode layer over the insulative layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first electrode over a substrate, the first electrode comprising polysilicon;
• exposing the polysilicon electrode to nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer thereon having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• and
• exposing the oxynitride layer to a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• wherein upon forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer, and exposing the dielectric layer to an oxidizing gas, the nitridized oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon electrode.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first electrode over a substrate, the first electrode comprising polysilicon;
• thermally annealing the polysilicon electrode in the presence of nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer thereon having a thickness of less than about 15 angstroms;
• and
• annealing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• wherein upon forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer, and annealing the dielectric layer in an oxidizing gas, the nitridized oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon electrode.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising an insulative layer thereon and one or more openings in the insulative layer extending to the substrate, and a first electrode within the one or more openings, the first electrode comprising polysilicon;
• exposing the polysilicon electrode to nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer thereon having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• and
• exposing the oxynitride layer to a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• wherein upon forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer, and exposing the dielectric layer to an oxidizing gas, the nitridized oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon electrode.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising an insulative layer thereon and one or more openings in the insulative layer extending to the substrate, and a first electrode over the substrate within the one or more openings, the first electrode comprising polysilicon;
• thermally annealing the polysilicon electrode in the presence of nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer thereon having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• annealing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer;
• annealing the dielectric layer in an oxidizing gas, wherein the nitridized oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon electrode;
• and
• forming a second electrode over the dielectric layer, the second electrode comprising a conductive material.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising an insulative layer thereon and one or more openings in the insulative layer extending to the substrate;
• forming a first electrode over the substrate within the one or more openings, the first electrode comprising polysilicon;
• thermally annealing the polysilicon electrode in the presence of nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer thereon having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• annealing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer;
• annealing the dielectric layer in an oxidizing gas, wherein the nitridized oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon electrode;
• and
• forming a second electrode over the dielectric layer, the second electrode comprising a conductive material.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a container in an insulative material, and a lower capacitor electrode comprising polysilicon within the container;
• forming an oxynitride layer having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less over the lower capacitor electrode by annealing the electrode in the presence of nitric oxide;
• nitridizing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen containing gas;
• and
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the oxynitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxynitride layer;
• annealing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen gas to form a nitridized oxynitride layer having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• and
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the oxynitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxynitride layer of about 40 angstroms or less;
• thermally annealing the oxynitride layer in a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• and
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• exposing the polysilicon electrode to nitric oxide at a temperature of less than about 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer of about 40 angstroms or less;
• exposing the oxynitride layer to a nitrogen-containing gas to nitridize the oxynitride layer;
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitridized oxynitride layer;
• and
• annealing the high K dielectric layer in an oxidizing gas.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing a polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide at a temperature of less than 800° C. to form an oxynitride layer;
• nitridizing the oxynitride layer to form a nitride layer;
• and
• depositing the dielectric layer onto the nitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxynitride layer;
• nitridizing the oxynitride layer to form a nitride layer;
• and
• depositing a high K dielectric layer onto the nitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• heat treating the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form a thin oxide layer over the polysilicon substrate;
• exposing the oxide layer to a nitrogen-containing gas to form a nitride layer;
• and
• forming a high K dielectric layer over the nitride layer.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a HSG polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide at a temperature of about 700° C. to about 750° C. to form an oxide layer having a thickness of about 40 angstroms or less;
• exposing the oxide layer to a nitrogen-containing gas to form a nitrided oxide layer;
• forming a layer comprising tantalum pentoxide over the nitrided oxide layer;
• and
• annealing the tantalum pentoxide layer in an oxidizing ambient;
• whereby the thickness of the nitrided oxide layer is about 40 angstroms or less.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxide layer;
• annealing the oxide layer in a nitrogen gas to nitridize the oxide layer;
• forming the dielectric layer over the nitridized oxide layer;
• and
• exposing the dielectric layer to an oxidizing gas;
• whereupon the nitridized oxide layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon substrate.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxide layer;
• and
• plasma annealing the oxide layer in a nitrogen gas to form a layer of oxynitride;
• wherein upon forming the dielectric layer over the oxynitride layer, and exposing the dielectric layer to an oxidizing gas, the oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon substrate.

A method of forming a capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate comprising a polysilicon electrode;
• annealing the polysilicon electrode in nitric oxide to form an oxide layer;
• plasma annealing the oxide layer in a nitrogen gas to form a layer of oxynitride;
• and
• forming the dielectric layer over the oxynitride layer;
• wherein upon exposing the dielectric layer to an oxidizing gas, the oxynitride layer inhibits oxidation of the polysilicon substrate.