Semiconductor Structure With Doped Silicon Oxidation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory devices face challenges in achieving high element density and small memory cell size due to scaling limitations, which restricts their performance and capacity.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor structure is manufactured by stacking silicon-containing conductive materials with different dopant conditions, thermally oxidizing them to form insulating oxide structures and conductive layers with a bird's beak profile, enabling precise control over oxide diffusion rates and maintaining excellent conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If 3D stack memory device is used to improve memory device density, then memory capacity and cost per cell are increased, but scaling limitation of memory cell size remains bigger than 50 nm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar 2D memory structures to vertical 3D stacked structures, enabling memory cells to be arranged in multiple layers above the substrate. This dimensional change allows significant increase in memory density without proportionally increasing the footprint area, while the specific structure design maintains manufacturability at advanced node dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple conductive layers (first conductive layer, second conductive layer, third conductive layer) are stacked vertically, with each layer containing multiple memory cells that are nested within the same vertical column. This nesting approach maximizes the use of vertical space to increase density.
2Productivity
If memory cell size is reduced to increase element density, then memory capacity is improved, but performance is limited due to element material constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using silicon-containing conductive materials with controlled doping conditions instead of conventional metals. The doping concentration and thermal oxidation parameters are optimized to achieve the desired balance between conductivity and dimensional stability at scaled dimensions, improving reliability while maintaining high density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining silicon-containing conductive materials with silicon oxide insulating layers. This composite approach provides both the conductivity needed for memory operation and the dimensional stability required at small scales, overcoming the limitations of pure metallic interconnects.
3Reliability
If thermal oxidation is applied to silicon-containing conductive materials, then insulating oxide structures are formed, but bird's beak profile affects manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary doping to the silicon-containing conductive materials before thermal oxidation. This preliminary action modifies the oxidation kinetics, creating a more uniform oxide growth rate that reduces the bird's beak profile effect. The pre-doped regions control where oxidation occurs most rapidly, allowing better profile control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes thermal oxidation parameters including temperature, time, and oxygen partial pressure to control the oxidation rate. By carefully adjusting these parameters, the oxidation process produces oxide layers with reduced bird's beak profiling while maintaining complete conversion of the silicon-containing materials to insulating oxide structures.
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 approach allows for the creation of semiconductor structures with small feature sizes and improved performance, enhancing memory device density and capacity while overcoming scaling limitations.
Implementation Method 1
The first silicon-containing conductive material and the second silicon-containing conductive material are thermally oxidized for turning the first silicon-containing conductive material wholly into an insulating oxide structure, and the second silicon-containing conductive material into a silicon-containing conductive structure and an insulating oxide layer on the surface of the silicon-containing conductive structure
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method comprises following steps. A first silicon-containing conductive material is formed on a substrate. A second silicon-containing conductive material is formed on the first silicon-containing conductive material. The first silicon-containing conductive material and the second silicon-containing conductive material have different dopant conditions. The first silicon-containing conductive material and the second silicon-containing conductive material are thermally oxidized for turning the first silicon-containing conductive material wholly into an insulating oxide structure, and the second silicon-containing conductive material into a silicon-containing conductive structure and an insulating oxide layer.