Method of reducing oxygen vacancies and DRAM processing method

Abstract

A capacitor processing method includes forming a capacitor comprising first and second electrodes having a capacitor dielectric region therebetween. The first electrode interfaces with the capacitor dielectric region at a first interface. The second electrode interfaces with the capacitor dielectric region at a second interface. The capacitor dielectric region has a plurality of oxygen vacancies therein. After forming the capacitor, an electric field is applied to the capacitor dielectric region to cause oxygen vacancies to migrate towards one of the first and second interfaces. Oxygen atoms are preferably provided at the one interface effective to fill at least a portion of the oxygen vacancies in the capacitor dielectric region. Preferably at least a portion of the oxygen vacancies in the high k capacitor dielectric region are filled from oxide material comprising the first or second electrode most proximate the one interface. In one implementation, a DRAM processing method includes forming DRAM circuitry comprising DRAM array capacitors having a common cell electrode, respective storage node electrodes, and a high k capacitor dielectric region therebetween. A voltage is applied to at least one of the first and second electrodes to produce a voltage differential therebetween under conditions effective to cause oxygen vacancies in the high k capacitor dielectric region to migrate toward one of the cell electrode or the respective storage node electrodes and react with oxygen to fill at least a portion of the oxygen vacancies in the capacitor dielectric region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.