Supported Lower Electrode Structure for Dense Memory Capacitors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices face challenges in achieving high integration density and improved electrical performance while maintaining reliability, particularly in increasing the capacitance of capacitors to enhance the reliability of highly integrated semiconductor memory devices.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a lower electrode structure with niobium and fluorine, including oxygen or nitrogen, and a dielectric layer with a tetragonal structure, along with support patterns and upper electrodes, to enhance electrical characteristics and reliability. The manufacturing method involves forming electrode holes, lower electrode pillars, and support patterns, and selectively forming lower electrode patterns on the sidewalls and top surfaces of the pillars, ensuring the dielectric layer is between the electrodes and support patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If integration density of semiconductor memory devices is increased, then productivity and performance are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to insufficient capacitance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the lower electrode material by incorporating niobium and fluorine together with oxygen or nitrogen, creating a novel material composition that achieves high capacitance. This parameter change in material composition directly addresses the reliability issue while maintaining high integration density
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structure by combining niobium, fluorine, oxygen, and nitrogen in specific proportions to create a lower electrode material with enhanced dielectric properties. This composite approach enables the material to provide both high capacitance for reliability and compatibility with high integration density requirements
2Reliability
If capacitance of capacitor is increased to improve reliability, then device complexity increases due to additional material layers and processes
Solution Approach 1:
The niobium-based lower electrode material serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the conductive electrode function, the dielectric layer function through its oxygen/nitrogen content, and the interface control function for the upper electrode. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated layers, thereby limiting complexity increase while achieving high capacitance
3Reliability
If niobium and fluorine are incorporated into lower electrode structure, then electrical characteristics are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific parameter ranges for niobium (5-30 at%), fluorine (5-30 at%), oxygen (10-40 at%), and nitrogen (10-40 at%) to optimize electrical characteristics. By defining these parameter ranges, the invention balances the need for improved electrical properties with practical manufacturing precision capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes a first portion of a lower electrode structure on a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a first support pattern being in contact with a first portion of a sidewall of the first portion of the lower electrode structure. The semiconductor device includes a second portion of the lower electrode structure on a second portion of the sidewall of the first portion of the lower electrode structure. The semiconductor device includes an upper electrode on the second portion of the lower electrode structure and on the first support pattern. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a dielectric layer between the upper electrode and the second portion of the lower electrode structure.