US6013553A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zirconium and/or hafnium oxynitride gate dielectric
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1998-07-15
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Granted: 2000-01-11
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Expires: 2018-07-15
Abstract
Abstract A field effect semiconductor device comprising a high permittivity zirconium (or hafnium) oxynitride gate dielectric and a method of forming the same are disclosed herein. The device comprises a silicon substrate 20 having a semiconducting channel region 24 formed therein. A zirconium oxynitride gate dielectric layer 36 is formed over this substrate, followed by a conductive gate 38. Zirconium oxynitride gate dielectric layer 36 has a dielectric constant is significantly higher than the dielectric constant of silicon dioxide.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M. Wallace
- 👤 Richard A. Stoltz
- 👤 Glen D. Wilk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:42
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/66; H10D64/68; H10D64/691; H10D64/01; H10D64/013; H10D64/01302; H10D64/01332; H10D64/01336; H10D64/0134; H10D64/01342; H10D64/01344; H10D64/0135; H10D64/681; H10D64/685; H10D64/693; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/63; H10P14/6302; H10P14/6318; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/6922; H10P14/6927; H10P14/6938; H10P14/6939; H10P14/69392; H10P14/69395; H10P14/69397
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of fabricating a field-effect device on an integrated circuit, the method comprising: providing a single-crystal silicon substrate; forming a metal oxynitride gate dielectric layer on the substrate, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; and forming a conductive gate overlying the gate dielectric layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of fabricating a field-effect device on an integrated circuit, the method comprising: providing a single-crystal silicon substrate; forming a metal oxynitride gate dielectric layer on the substrate, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; and forming a conductive gate overlying the gate dielectric layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is substantially pure zirconium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a clean Si surface immediately prior to the depositing step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises: forming a metal on the substrate, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; and annealing the formed metal in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 4, where the atmosphere includes NO.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 4, where the atmosphere includes a nitrogen/oxygen plasma, the plasma generated remotely from the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 4, where the annealing time is limited, such that the oxygen to metal ratio of the metal oxynitride layer is lower near the interface with the silicon substrate than near the interface with the conductive gate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4, where the forming a metal step comprises chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8, where the chemical vapor deposition uses a nitrogen-bearing precursor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises: forming a metal oxide on the substrate, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, and mixtures thereof; and annealing the formed metal oxide in an atmosphere including nitrogen, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 10, where the atmosphere includes a nitrogen plasma, the plasma generated remotely from the substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 10, where the atmosphere includes NO.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises: forming a metal on the substrate, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; annealing the formed metal in a non-oxidizing atmosphere including nitrogen, thereby forming a metal nitride layer on the substrate; and annealing the metal nitride layer in an oxidzing ambient, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the non-oxidizing atmosphere includes atomic nitrogen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the non-oxidizing atmosphere includes ammonia.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13, where the forming a metal step comprises chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises depositing a metal on the substrate in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the substrate; where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17, where depositing a metal comprises sputtering material from a target comprised of the metal onto the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 17, where depositing a metal comprises evaporating the metal from a source.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17, where the metal to oxygen ratio is lower near the interface with the silicon substrate than near the center of the metal oxynitride layer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 17, where the atmosphere includes NO.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 17, where the atmosphere includes N 2 O.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 17, further comprising annealing the metal oxynitride layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the annealing step is carried out at a temperature sufficient to crystallize the metal oxynitride layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises forming a silicon oxynitride layer on the substrate; and depositing a metal on the silicon oxynitride layer in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the substrate; where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 25, where the forming a silicon oxynitride layer includes exposing the substrate to a first atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen; and the depositing a metal step starts within 5 seconds of the start of the exposing the substrate step.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises forming a silicon oxynitride layer on the substrate; forming a metal on the silicon oxynitride layer, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; and annealing the formed metal in an atmosphere including oxygen and nitrogen, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the forming a metal oxynitride dielectric layer step comprises forming a silicon oxynitride layer on the substrate; forming a metal on the silicon oxynitride layer, where the metal is selected from the group of hafnium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof; annealing the formed metal in a non-oxidizing atmosphere including nitrogen, thereby forming a metal nitride layer on the silicon oxynitride layer; and annealing the metal nitride layer in an oxidzing ambient, thereby forming a metal oxynitride layer on the silicon oxynitride layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
10 words
An integrated circuit made by the method of claim 1.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
10 words
An integrated circuit made by the method of claim 4.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
10 words
An integrated circuit made by the method of claim 10.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
10 words
An integrated circuit made by the method of claim 13.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-10 | 2003-07-12 | 2004-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-10 | 2007-07-12 | 2008-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-10 | 2011-07-12 | 2012-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |