Amorphous Oxide Supporter for High Aspect Ratio Electrode Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices with high aspect ratio electrodes face challenges in preventing electrode collapse during fabrication and exhibit high leakage current due to the limitations of existing supporter materials and structures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a supporter with an amorphous metal oxide and an element/oxide combination that maintains an amorphous state at high temperatures, providing superior adhesion and reducing leakage current, and including a second supporter with superior insulating properties to prevent electrode collapse and enhance electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing supporter materials are used in semiconductor devices with high aspect ratio electrodes, then the device structure can be formed, but electrode collapse occurs during fabrication and leakage current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining multiple oxide layers with different properties: a first oxide layer (e.g., Ta2O5, HfO2, ZrO2) providing adhesion to the electrode, a second oxide layer (e.g., SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2) providing insulation and structural support, and optionally a third oxide layer (e.g., Nb2O5, Ta2O5) providing additional insulation. This composite structure prevents electrode collapse while reducing leakage current through the synergistic effects of different materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different functional properties to different layers of the supporter structure. The first oxide layer adjacent to the electrode provides adhesion and prevents collapse, while the second and third oxide layers provide insulation and reduce leakage current. Each layer is optimized for its specific location and function within the overall supporter structure.
2Reliability
If simpler supporter structures are used, then manufacturing is easier, but leakage current remains high and electrode collapse prevention is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite oxide materials to achieve reliable electrode collapse prevention without excessive complexity. The multi-layer oxide structure provides both mechanical support and electrical insulation in a integrated manner that, while having multiple layers, uses standard semiconductor fabrication processes and commonly available oxide materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The oxide supporter structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: providing mechanical support to prevent electrode collapse, providing electrical insulation to reduce leakage current, and offering adhesion to the electrode. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall device structure.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If higher insulation materials are used to reduce leakage current, then leakage current decreases, but adhesion to the electrode deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the adhesion-insulation contradiction by using composite oxide materials. The first oxide layer (e.g., Ta2O5, HfO2, ZrO2) provides strong adhesion to the electrode, while the second oxide layer (e.g., SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2) provides high insulation to reduce leakage current. The combination achieves both adhesion and insulation requirements that neither material could satisfy alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning different oxide materials at different locations within the supporter structure. The first oxide layer is placed adjacent to the electrode where adhesion is critical, while the second oxide layer is placed where insulation is critical. This spatial differentiation of material properties optimizes both adhesion and insulation performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces leakage current and prevents electrode collapse, improving the electrical properties and reliability of semiconductor devices with high aspect ratio electrodes.
Implementation Method 1
an oxide of the second element may have a higher band gap energy than the oxide of the first element
Implementation Method 2
Incorporating a supporter with an amorphous metal oxide and an element/oxide combination that maintains an amorphous state at high temperatures
Implementation Method 3
an oxide of the first element may have better adhesion to the lower electrodes than the second supporter
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lower electrodes having a vertical length greater than a horizontal width on a substrate, a supporter disposed between the lower electrodes, an upper electrode disposed on the lower electrodes, and a capacitor dielectric layer disposed between the lower electrodes and the upper electrode. The supporter includes a first element, a second element, and oxygen, an oxide of the second element has a higher band gap energy than an oxide of the first element, and the content of the second element in the supporter is from about 10 at % to 90 at %.