Method for manufacturing capacitor of semiconductor memory device by two-step thermal treatment

A method for manufacturing a capacitor of a semiconductor memory device comprising:

• forming a lower electrode on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer formed of a Ta2O5 layer over the lower electrode;
• thermally treating the dielectric layer;
• forming an upper electrode of Ru over the thermally treated dielectric layer;
• performing a first thermal treatment on the resultant having the upper electrode under a first atmosphere including oxygen at a first temperature which is selected to be within a range of 300-500° C., and lower than the oxidation temperature of the upper electrode;
• and
• performing a second thermal treatment on the first thermally treated resultant under a second atmosphere without oxygen at a second temperature which is selected to be within a range of 500-700° C., and higher than the first temperature.

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• forming a lower capacitor electrode on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer on the lower capacitor electrode;
• forming an upper capacitor electrode comprising a noble metal on the dielectric layer, opposite the lower capacitor electrode;
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen containing atmosphere having a first temperature in a range between 200° C. and a first temperature limit that is less than an oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode;
• and then
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen deficient atmosphere having a second temperature above the oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode.

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• forming a lower capacitor electrode on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer on the lower capacitor electrode;
• forming an upper capacitor electrode, comprising a metal or a metal oxide, on the dielectric layer;
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen containing atmosphere having a first temperature in a range between 200° C. and a first temperature limit that is less than an oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode;
• and then
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen deficient atmosphere having a second temperature above the oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode.

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit capacitor, comprising the steps of:

• forming a lower capacitor electrode on a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer on the lower capacitor electrode;
• forming an upper capacitor electrode, comprising a metal or a metal oxide, on the dielectric layer;
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen containing atmosphere having a first temperature in a range between 200° C. and a first temperature limit that is less than an oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode, for a sufficient duration to accumulate oxygen atoms at an interface between the upper capacitor electrode and the dielectric layer;
• and then
• exposing the upper capacitor electrode to an oxygen deficient atmosphere having a second temperature that is higher than the oxidation temperature of the upper capacitor electrode and also sufficiently high to cure the dielectric layer through diffusion of the accumulated oxygen into oxygen vacancies within the dielectric layer.