# US 9,520,460 B2 · MIM capacitors with diffusion-blocking electrode structures and semiconductor devices including the same

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- Number: US 9,520,460 B2
- Document ID: US9520460B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/340,923
- Filed: 2014-07-25
- Published: 2015-03-05
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-05
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hyun-Suk Lee; Tae-Kyun Kim; Jin-Su Lee; Dong-Kyun Park; Jong-Myeong Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520460B2

## CPC

- H10D 1/696: {comprising multiple layers, e.g. comprising a barrier layer and a metal layer (barrier layers to prevent diffusion of hydrogen or oxygen in perovskite based capacitors H10D1/688)}
- H10D 1/716: {having vertical extensions}
- H10B 12/03: {Making the capacitor or connections thereto}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a MIM capacitor on a substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a dielectric region and first and second electrodes on opposite sides of the dielectric region. At least one of the first and second electrodes, e.g., an upper electrode, includes an oxygen diffusion blocking material, e.g., oxygen atoms, at a concentration that decreases in a direction away from the dielectric region. The at least one of the first and second electrodes may include a first layer having a first concentration of the oxygen diffusion blocking material and a second layer on the first layer and having a second concentration of the oxygen diffusion blocking material less than the first concentration. The at least one of the first and second electrodes may further include a third layer on the second layer and having a concentration of the oxygen diffusion blocking material less than the second concentration.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor comprising:
a storage node contact passing through an interlayer insulating film;
a lower electrode on and electrically connected to the storage node contact;
a dielectric film on the lower electrode; and
an upper electrode on the dielectric film and comprising a first metal nitride electrode including a first material at a first concentration, a second metal nitride electrode on the first electrode and including the first material at a second concentration, and a third metal nitride electrode on the second electrode and having a third concentration of the first material, wherein the first, second and third concentrations are different from one another and wherein the second concentration is lower than the first concentration and higher than the third concentration.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third metal nitride electrodes comprise respective first, second and third metal nitride layers stacked on the dielectric film, wherein the second metal nitride layer is disposed directly on the first metal nitride layer, and wherein the third metal nitride layer is disposed directly on the second metal nitride layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The MIM capacitor of claim 2, wherein the first metal nitride electrode is thinner than each of the second and third metal nitride electrodes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The MIM capacitor of claim 3, wherein the first metal nitride electrode has a thickness of about 1 Å to about 50 Å.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The MIM capacitor of claim 2, wherein the third metal nitride electrode is thicker than each of the first and second electrodes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor of claim 1, wherein the third metal nitride electrode is substantially free of the first material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor of claim 1, wherein the second concentration decreases as from a bottom to a top of the second electrode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises oxygen atoms.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The MIM capacitor of claim 1, further comprising a protective film disposed between the dielectric film and the upper electrode.