DRAM Capacitor Barrier Layer for Hydrogen Migration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
As semiconductor elements become more highly integrated, the miniaturization of discrete circuit patterns and the decrease in design rules for components lead to reduced charge storage in capacitors and poor leakage characteristics, particularly in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, necessitating improved charge storage and leakage management.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a substrate with a cell region and peripheral region, including a lower electrode, upper electrode, capacitor dielectric layer, barrier layer, interlayer insulating layer, and contacts, where the barrier layer, composed of aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride, separates the upper electrode from the interlayer insulating layer, preventing hydrogen ion migration and improving gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If semiconductor elements are highly integrated and miniaturized, then more elements can be implemented on the same area, but charge storage in capacitors decreases and leakage characteristics worsen
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier layer comprising aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride is introduced between the upper electrode and the interlayer insulating layer to prevent hydrogen ions from the interlayer insulating layer from migrating into the upper electrode. This intermediary layer resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable leakage characteristics even as device integration increases and dimensions shrink.
2Productivity
If design rules for components are decreased to miniaturize circuit patterns, then more elements fit on the same area, but charge storage capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier layer is formed as a composite material comprising both aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride. This composite structure provides effective prevention of hydrogen ion migration while maintaining compatibility with miniaturized device dimensions, allowing charge storage capacity to be preserved even as circuit patterns are miniaturized.
3Reliability
If the barrier layer comprises both aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride, then hydrogen ion migration is prevented and GIDL characteristics improve, but device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier layer's composition parameters are optimized by incorporating both aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride in specific proportions. This parameter change approach achieves improved GIDL characteristics and hydrogen ion migration prevention while controlling the complexity of the device structure through careful material selection and ratio optimization.
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 prevents hydrogen ion migration, enhancing the durability of wiring patterns and improving GIDL characteristics, thereby addressing the challenges of reduced charge storage and leakage in miniaturized semiconductor devices.
Implementation Method 1
a first barrier layer disposed on the upper electrode, the first barrier layer in contact with each of a sidewall and a top surface of the upper electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a cell region and a peripheral region surrounding the cell region, a lower electrode extending in a vertical direction on the cell region of the substrate, an upper electrode surrounding a sidewall and a top surface of the lower electrode, a capacitor dielectric layer disposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, a first barrier layer disposed on the upper electrode, the first barrier layer in contact with each of a sidewall and a top surface of the upper electrode, a first interlayer insulating layer covering the first barrier layer, the first interlayer insulating layer including a material different from the first barrier layer, and a first contact penetrating through the first barrier layer and the first interlayer insulating layer in the vertical direction, the first contact connected to the upper electrode.