Single-Side Capacitor Layout With Shared Bottom Electrode
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges in creating simple and high-performance capacitor structures for memory cells as it advances to smaller technology nodes, requiring innovative designs for improved device density and performance.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor structure is developed with a substrate having landing pads, capacitors with specific electrode and dielectric layer configurations, including nitride layers, and a method of manufacturing that involves forming sacrificial layers and conductive layers to create a monolithic bottom electrode shared by adjacent capacitors, allowing for efficient formation and connection of capacitors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional capacitor structures are used in advanced technology nodes, then device density and performance improve, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple capacitor structures by forming a shared bottom electrode that serves as the bottom electrode for multiple adjacent capacitors simultaneously. This is achieved by forming a continuous conductive layer that extends beneath multiple capacitor regions, reducing the number of separate electrode structures needed and simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining high device density
2Reliability
If separate bottom electrodes are formed for each capacitor, then capacitor performance is maintained, but manufacturing steps and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple capacitors share a common bottom electrode formed as a continuous conductive layer, reducing the number of separate electrode formation steps. The shared bottom electrode maintains electrical connection to all adjacent capacitors through a single formation process, simplifying manufacturing while preserving capacitor performance
Solution Approach 2:
The shared bottom electrode structure serves multiple functions: it acts as the bottom electrode for multiple adjacent capacitors, provides a common electrical connection point, and reduces the total number of manufacturing steps required. This multi-functional design improves ease of manufacture without compromising capacitor performance
3Reliability
If top electrodes extend fully over dielectric layers, then capacitor capacitance is maximized, but shorting with bottom electrodes may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The top electrodes are extracted or removed from directly overlying the shared bottom electrode region. Instead, the top electrodes are formed only over the side portions of the dielectric layers, leaving the central region above the bottom electrode free. This prevents direct contact between top and bottom electrodes while maintaining sufficient capacitance through the side-wall dielectric structures
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure with a single side capacitor. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a first landing pad therein, and a first capacitor disposed over the substrate. The first capacitor includes: a first electrode, disposed over and extending vertically away from the first landing pad; a first dielectric layer, at least partially surrounding the first electrode, wherein the first electrode is shorter than the first dielectric layer; and a second electrode, surrounding the first dielectric layer and the first electrode.