# US 7,608,881 B2 · Thin-film device and method of manufacturing same

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- Number: US 7,608,881 B2
- Document ID: US7608881B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/588,321
- Filed: 2006-10-27
- Published: 2007-05-31
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2005-11-28
- Assignees: TDK Corporation
- Inventors: Hajime Kuwajima; Masahiro Miyazaki; Akira Furuya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608881B2

## CPC

- H10D 1/68: Capacitors having no potential barriers
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A thin-film device comprises: a substrate; a flattening film made of an insulating material and disposed on the substrate; and a capacitor provided on the flattening film. The capacitor incorporates: a lower conductor layer disposed on the flattening film; a dielectric film disposed on the lower conductor layer; and an upper conductor layer disposed on the dielectric film. The thickness of the dielectric film falls within a range of 0.02 to 1 μm inclusive and is smaller than the thickness of the lower conductor layer. The surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the flattening film is smaller than that of the top surface of the substrate and equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film. The surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the lower conductor layer is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thin-film device comprising:
a substrate;
a flattening film made of an insulating material and disposed on the substrate;
a lower conductor layer disposed on the flattening film;
a dielectric film disposed on the lower conductor layer; and
an upper conductor layer disposed on the dielectric film, wherein:
the dielectric film has a thickness that falls within a range of 0.02 to 1 μm inclusive and that is smaller than a thickness of the lower conductor layer;
a portion of a top surface of the substrate is exposed at a top surface of the flattening film;
a surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the flattening film is smaller than a surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the substrate, and is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film; and
a surface roughness in maximum height of a top surface of the lower conductor layer is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thin-film device according to claim 1, wherein the flattening film has a thickness that falls within a range of 0.01 to 50 μm inclusive.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thin-film device according to claim 1, wherein the lower conductor layer, the dielectric film and the upper conductor layer constitute a capacitor.

### Claim 4

A method of manufacturing a thin-film device comprising a substrate, a flattening film made of an insulating material and disposed on the substrate, a lower conductor layer disposed on the flattening film, a dielectric film disposed on the lower conductor layer, and an upper conductor layer disposed on the dielectric film, wherein: the dielectric film has a thickness that falls within a range of 0.02 to 1 μm inclusive and that is smaller than a thickness of the lower conductor layer; a portion of a top surface of the substrate is exposed at a top surface of the flattening film; a surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the flattening film is smaller than a surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the substrate and is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film; and a surface roughness in maximum height of a top surface of the lower conductor layer is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the flattening film on the substrate;
polishing the top surface of the flattening film so that the portion of the top surface of the substrate is exposed at the top surface of the flattening film,
forming the lower conductor layer on the flattening film;
forming the dielectric film on the lower conductor layer; and
forming the upper conductor layer on the dielectric film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the flattening film has a thickness that falls within a range of 0.01 to 50 μm inclusive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the lower conductor layer, the dielectric film and the upper conductor layer constitute a capacitor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein:
the flattening film is made of an inorganic material; and
physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition is employed to form the flattening film in the step of forming the flattening film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein, in the step of forming the flattening film, the flattening film is formed by applying a material for forming the flattening film to a top of the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of polishing the top surface of the lower conductor layer so that the surface roughness in maximum height of the top surface of the lower conductor layer is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the dielectric film, the step being performed after the step of forming the lower conductor layer and before the step of forming the dielectric film.