Capacitive Element With Transition Metal Silicate Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capacitive elements in semiconductor devices face challenges with high current leakage due to oxygen defects and reduced dielectric constant when using High-k materials, particularly in MIM structures, where metal oxide films exhibit poor insulation and metal silicate films have low relative dielectric constants.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a capacitive element featuring a transition metal silicate film formed by plasma oxidation, where the silicon composition ratio is lowered stepwise from the top to bottom, and a polycrystalline conductive film with higher oxidation resistance is used as the lower electrode, preventing oxygen defects and maintaining a high relative dielectric constant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If metal oxide films are used as capacitive insulating films to achieve high relative dielectric constant, then capacitance density is improved, but current leakage increases due to oxygen defects and poor insulation properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a metal oxide film (high-k material) and a metal silicate film. The metal oxide film provides high relative dielectric constant for high capacitance density, while the metal silicate film provides good insulation properties and low current leakage. This composite approach allows both high capacitance and low leakage to be achieved simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different materials to different regions of the capacitive insulating film structure. The metal oxide film is positioned where high dielectric constant is needed for capacitance, while the metal silicate film is positioned where insulation and leakage prevention are critical. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes both capacitance and leakage performance.
2Reliability
If metal silicate films are used as capacitive insulating films to achieve low current leakage, then insulation properties are improved, but relative dielectric constant decreases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines metal silicate film (low leakage) with metal oxide film (high dielectric constant) in a composite structure. This allows the system to achieve both low current leakage from the silicate component and high relative dielectric constant from the oxide component, resolving the trade-off between leakage and capacitance density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the advantages of two different film types by forming both a metal oxide film and a metal silicate film in the capacitive insulating film structure. The combination of these films integrates the high dielectric constant property of metal oxides with the low leakage property of metal silicates.
3Ease of manufacture
If polysilicon is used for electrodes in PIP or MOS structures to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but electric resistance and depletion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the electrodes from polysilicon to metal or metal oxide (such as titanium nitride or ruthenium oxide). This material substitution dramatically reduces electric resistance and eliminates depletion effects while maintaining ease of manufacture through established sputtering and etching processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes metal/metal oxide electrodes for polysilicon electrodes, replacing a semiconductor-based electrode system with a metallic system. This substitution eliminates the need for complex polysilicon deposition and doping processes while achieving superior electrical properties with simpler, more reliable manufacturing.
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 current leakage and maintains high capacitance, improving the efficiency of the semiconductor device by preventing oxygen defects and ensuring a stable dielectric constant.
Implementation Method 1
a transition metal silicate film formed by plasma oxidation
Data Source
AI summary
A capacitive element formed within a semiconductor device comprises an upper electrode, a capacitive insulating film containing an oxide and/or silicate of a transition metal element, and a lower electrode having a polycrystalline conductive film composed of a material having higher oxidation resistance than the transition metal element and an amorphous or microcrystalline conductive film formed below the polycrystalline conductive film.