Cubic or Tetragonal Insulating Layer for Semiconductor Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor devices face challenges in achieving high integration densities and improved performance due to inadequate permittivity and insulation properties of existing insulating layer materials.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates an insulating layer of a cubic or tetragonal system, featuring a metal silicate layer with hafnium and/or zirconium atoms, and a zirconium-based oxide layer, which are sequentially and alternately formed to enhance dielectric properties and thermal stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional insulating layer materials are used, then device structure is simple, but permittivity and insulation performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite insulating layer structures combining multiple materials (e.g., silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride) to achieve superior permittivity and insulation performance. This composite approach allows optimization of electrical properties while maintaining structural integrity, directly resolving the contradiction between improved reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies material composition parameters (such as silicon content, nitrogen content, and oxide ratios) to enhance permittivity and insulation characteristics. By adjusting these compositional parameters within the insulating layers, the invention achieves better electrical performance without fundamentally changing the device architecture, thus improving reliability while controlling complexity.
2Reliability
If insulating layer thickness is increased to improve insulation, then insulation performance improves, but integration density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite insulating layer structures with multiple functional layers having different thicknesses and material compositions. This allows achieving the required insulation performance through optimized material combinations rather than simply increasing total thickness, thereby maintaining higher integration density while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameters of individual insulating layers and their material compositions to achieve the desired insulation performance. By carefully controlling layer thicknesses and material properties, the invention attains adequate insulation without excessive total thickness, preserving integration density for high productivity.
3Reliability
If high permittivity materials are used to reduce capacitance, then device performance improves, but thermal stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite insulating layer structures where high-permittivity materials are combined with thermally stable materials. This composite approach allows the structure to benefit from the high permittivity of certain layers for improved device performance while the thermally stable components maintain structural integrity and composition stability under thermal stress, resolving the contradiction between performance and thermal stability.
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
This configuration results in improved dielectric constants and insulation performance, even under thermal stress, enabling higher integration densities and performance in semiconductor devices.
Implementation Method 1
A metal silicate layer including a hafnium atom and/or a zirconium atom and a zirconium-based oxide layer may be sequentially and alternately formed
Implementation Method 2
A metal silicate layer including a hafnium atom and/or a zirconium atom and a zirconium-based oxide layer may be sequentially and alternately formed
Implementation Method 3
An insulating layer of a cubic system or a tetragonal system that includes a metal silicate layer may be formed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode
Implementation Method 4
An insulating layer of a cubic system or a tetragonal system that includes a metal silicate layer may be formed
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a semiconductor device including an insulating layer of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, having good electrical characteristics. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including an active region, a transistor that is formed in the active region of the semiconductor substrate, an interlevel insulating layer that is formed on the semiconductor substrate and a contact plug that is formed in the interlevel insulating layer and that is electrically connected to the transistor. The semiconductor device may include a lower electrode that is formed on the interlevel insulating layer and that is electrically connected to the contact plug, an upper electrode that is formed on the lower electrode and an insulating layer of a cubic system or a tetragonal system including a metal silicate layer. The insulating layer may be formed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode.