US 7,645,669 B2 · Nanotip capacitor

Abstract

A nanotip capacitor and associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a bottom electrode and grows electrically conductive nanotips overlying the bottom electrode. An electrically insulating dielectric is deposited overlying the nanotips, and an electrically conductive top electrode is deposited overlying dielectric-covered nanotips. Typically, the dielectric is deposited by forming a thin layer of dielectric overlying the nanotips using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. In one aspect, the electrically insulating dielectric covering the nanotips forms a three-dimensional interface of dielectric-covered nanotips. Then, the electrically conductive top electrode overlying the dielectric-covered nanotips forms a three-dimensional top electrode interface, matching the first three-dimensional interface of the dielectric-covered nanotips.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for forming a nanotip capacitor, the method comprising:

providing a bottom electrode from a Si-containing material selected from a group consisting of silicon-on-insulator (SOI), polycrystalline Si, amorphous Si, single-crystal Si, doped Si, and doped silicon-germanium (SiGe);
depositing a growth promotion metal overlying the Si-containing bottom electrode, the growth promotion metal selected from a group of materials consisting of Ti, Ni, Au, Ta, Co, Ir, and Pt;
growing electrically conductive nanotips overlying the bottom electrode;
depositing an electrically insulating dielectric overlying and completely covering the nanotips, wherein the dielectric is a material selected from a group consisting of HfO2, AlXHf1-X, ZrO2, SiO2, and Al2O3;
and,
depositing an electrically conductive top electrode overlying dielectric-covered nanotips.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Nanotip capacitor

Life of this patent

Nanotip capacitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17