Abstract:
Novel methods of forming capacitors containing high dielectric materials are disclosed. Capacitors are made by forming a layer of conductive metal nitride (e.g. ruthenium nitride, 28), then forming a layer of a high dielectric constant material (e.g. barium strontium titanate, 30) on the metal nitride layer, then forming a layer of a non-metal containing electrically conductive compound (e.g. ruthenium oxide, 32) on the layer of high dielectric constant material. Typically, the high dielectric constant material is a transition metal oxide, a titanate doped with one or more rare earth elements, a titanate doped with one or more alkaline earth metals, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the conductive compound is ruthenium nitride, ruthenium dioxide, tin nitride, tin oxide, titanium nitride, titanium monoxide, or combinations thereof. The conductive compound may be doped to increase its electrical conductivity.
Abstract:
Photothermal effects of a material (10) may be detected and analyzed in order to identify and characterize the material (10). The material (10) is illuminated by a light (32) from a light source (34). The material (10) absorbs the light (32), causing an increase in temperature and size of the material (10). An atomic force probe tip (30) detects the increase in temperature and size of the material (10) in order to determine characteristic properties of the material (10). The characteristic properties of the material (10) are used in identifying the nature of the material (10).
Abstract:
A metal oxide substrate (e.g. barium strontium titanate 34 ) is immersed in a liquid ambient (e.g. 12 molar concentration hydrochloric acid 30 ) and illuminated with radiation (e.g. collimated visible/ultraviolet radiation 24 ) produced by a radiation source (e.g. a 200 Watt mercury xenon arc lamp 20 ). A window 26 which is substantially transparent to the collimated radiation 24 allows the radiated energy to reach the metal oxide substrate 34 . An etch mask 32 may be positioned between the radiation source 20 and the substrate 34 . The metal oxide substrate 34 and liquid ambient 30 are maintained at a nominal temperature (e.g. 25 °C). Without illumination, the metal oxide is not appreciably etched by the liquid ambient. Upon illumination the etch rate is substantially increased.
Abstract:
Generally, and in one form of the invention, a method is presented for the photo-stimulated removal of reacted metal contamination 16 from a surface 11, comprising the steps of: covering the surface with a liquid ambient 14; exciting the reacted metal contamination 16 and/or the liquid ambient 14 by photo-stimulation sufficiently to allow reaction of the reacted metal contaminantion 16 with the liquid ambient 14 to form metal products; and removing the liquid ambient 14 and the metal products from the surface 11. Other methods are also disclosed.
Abstract:
The structure which is the subject of this invention comprises a dielectric material (e.g. barium strontium titanate 22 ) and electrical connections made to the dielectric (e.g. ruthenium nitride 20,24 ). The connections are made of electrically conductive, non-metal containing compounds (i.e. metal compounds with at least one constituent that is not a metal) such as ruthenium nitride, ruthenium dioxide, tin nitride, tin oxide, titanium nitride, and titanium monoxide. An example of the novel structures presented is a capacitor made of a layer of barium strontium titanate between two layers of ruthenium nitride. The advantages of such structures include reduction of contamination between the dielectric and surrounding materials because the metal compounds act as diffusion barriers. By being a reacted metal, further reaction is minimized which inhibits delamination of the connecting material. The connection is a single layer so that it can be more easily and economically processed in a manufacturing environment. Series stray capacitance caused by non-conductive interfacial oxides is generally prevented by these structures.
Abstract:
An etch process for etching copper layers (10,11) that is useable in integrated circuit fabrication is disclosed which utilizes organic and amine radicals (R) to react with copper (10,11), preferrable using photoenergizing and photodirecting assistance of high intensity ultraviolet light (5), to produce a product which is either volatile or easily removed in solution. The process is anisotropic.
Abstract:
An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of removing inorganic contamination (contamination 104 of FIGUREs 2a-2b) from a layer (layer 102) overlying a substrate (substrate 100), the method comprising the steps of: removing the layer overlying the substrate with at least one removal agent; reacting the inorganic contamination with at least one conversion agent, thereby converting the inorganic contamination; removing the converted inorganic contamination by subjecting it to at least one solvent agent, the solvent agent included in a first supercritical fluid; and wherein the converted inorganic contamination is more highly soluble in the solvent agent than the inorganic contamination.
Abstract:
An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of removing inorganic contamination from substantially the surface of a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of: reacting the inorganic contamination with at least one conversion agent, thereby converting the inorganic contamination; removing the converted inorganic contamination by subjecting it to at least one solvent agent, the solvent agent is included in a first supercritical fluid (preferably supercritical CO 2 ); and wherein the converted inorganic contamination is more highly soluble in the solvent agent than the inorganic contamination.