Doped silicon diffusion barrier region

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for forming word line stacks are comprised of a silicon diffusion barrier region, doped with oxygen or nitrogen, coupled between a bottom silicon layer and a conductor layer. Word line stacks formed by the methods of the invention are used in sub-0.25 micron line width applications and have a lower resistivity and improved thermal stability.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and in particular, to the manufacture of gate structures utilized in advanced semiconductor products, having a doped silicon diffusion barrier region.

Background

Semiconductor memory devices are comprised of an array of memory cells. Each memory cell is comprised of a capacitor, on which the charge stored represents the logical state of the memory cell. A charged capacitor corresponds to a logical state of “1” and an uncharged capacitor corresponds to a logical state of “0.” Word lines activate access transistors, so that the logical state of a memory cell can be read. Gates of multiple transistors are formed as one word line.

An example of a word line's application is in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In a DRAM, a common word line, used to access memory cells, is fabricated on a p-type silicon substrate coated with a thin film of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), known as gate oxide. Then, a word line is formed on the gate oxide layer as a two-layer stack, comprising silicon (or polysilicon), coated with a conductor material. The most common two-layer stack used in the industry is a layer of polysilicon, coated with a tungsten silicide layer. Tungsten silicide is used because of its good integration properties, such as providing good thermal stability, stability during source/drain oxidation, and stability during dry etching, as well as having a low resistivity. Although titanium silicide is approximately 75% less resisitive than tungsten silicide, it has not been used extensively in two-layer stacks because it is not as thermally stable. Titanium silicide tends to agglomerate during subsequent high temperature processing steps. Alternatively, a metal is used instead of a silicide for the conductor layer.

Of primary concern is minimizing resistivity throughout the word line, due to the need to reduce RC time constants and access multiple memory cells in as short a period of time as possible. The problem is especially critical due to the extended length of word lines. Diffusion of silicon from the bottom polysilicon layer to the top conductor layer increases the resistivity of the two-layer stack. When silicon diffuses through the stack, it reacts with the conductor layer elements, increasing the resistivity of the conductor layer. When the conductor layer is formed of a metal, suicides are formed, which have a higher resistivity than pure metal.

One previous unsuccessful attempt to solve this diffusion problem introduces a third layer, which acts as a diffusion barrier, between the silicon and conductor layers. For example, a silicon nitride layer is used as the third layer in a two-layer stack. However, the silicon nitride diffusion barrier layer of Ito et al. (IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, ED-33 (1986), 464 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,804) is difficult to employ because it must be ultrathin (less than 3 nanometers thick) to allow tunneling of charges through the layer, yet thick enough to act as a reaction barrier between the polysilicon and conductor layer elements.

Another diffusion barrier used in the past is comprised of a titanium nitride layer interposed between a two-layer stack. The conductive titanium nitride barrier layer of Pan et al. (IBM General Technology Division, “Highly Conductive Electrodes for CMOS”) attempts to solve the problems of Ito et al., but it requires a special source/drain (S/D) oxidation process when forming oxide spacers to maintain gate oxide layer integrity. A special process is required due to the tendency for tungsten and titanium nitride to oxidize, resulting in degradation of these layers. This adds time and cost to the fabrication process.

In ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) circuits, a highly conductive word line is necessary to improve circuit density and performance. In order to maintain a highly conductive word line, it is necessary to provide an effective method for decreasing diffusion within the two-layer stack. As devices are scaled down in size, word line widths are also decreased. While smaller line widths result in a decreased amount of resistance, this decrease is more than offset by an increase resistance due to the longer length of word lines. To date, word line resistance is one of the primary limitations of achieving faster ULSI circuits. A method for decreasing the resistivity of word lines is needed for use in ULSI applications.

In addition to creating a diffusion barrier layer in a two-layer word line stack, another way of decreasing resistance in a word line is by forming a high conductivity film on the word line. Such films are commonly formed of a refractory metal silicide, such as titanium suicide (TiSi 2 ). Titanium is preferably used as the refractory metal component because it has the ability to reduce oxygen, which remains on surfaces in the form of native oxides. Native oxides are reduced to titanium oxide by titanium. Native oxides degrade interface stability, and often cause device failure if not removed.

Due to the increased sensitivity of ULSI circuits, it is important to maintain low resistivity in ULSI devices. There is a need for a method of preventing diffusion between the two layers in a semiconductor word line stack, in order to prevent a reduction in the conductivity in the word line stack. The method for decreasing such diffusion preferably should be compatible with other ways of decreasing resistivity in a word line stack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method for forming a word line, which is used in ultra-large scale integrated (ULSI) circuits, produces a lower resistivity word line than that formed using prior art techniques. A doped silicon diffusion barrier formed in the word line stack prevents diffusion from a bottom silicon layer to a conductor layer in a word line stack, which results in degradation of the word line stack, increasing its resistivity. Oxygen or nitrogen is used for the dopant. Compared to dielectric diffusion barriers, oxygen or nitrogen doped silicon has a significantly lower resistance. Furthermore, such dopants improve the thermal stability of the conductor layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A to 1 G are cross-sectional representations of a word line stack formed in accordance with the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A word line is formed for use in ultra-large scale integrated (ULSI) circuits. While the invention is described with reference to it being a word line, other conductors may also be formed for various purposes, especially where reduced resistance is needed. The forming of diffusion barriers using oxygen or nitrogen in a word line stack is used to prevent diffusion from a bottom silicon layer to a conductor layer.

Doped Silicon Diffusion Barrier

According to one aspect of the invention, a doped silicon diffusion barrier region is formed prior to formation of a conductor layer, and subsequent to formation of a bottom silicon layer, to form a word line stack. In a first embodiment of the invention, a conventional p-type silicon substrate 210 is provided and a conventional (i.e., a thin layer of SiO 2 ) gate oxide layer 212 is grown by standard techniques, as shown in FIG. 1 A. After gate oxide 212 growth, a polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) “bottom silicon” layer 214 of thickness from approximately 50 to 300 nanometers is deposited on the gate oxide layer 212 , as shown in FIG. 1 B. This bottom silicon layer 214 is doped with conventional dopants (such as, but not limited to, arsenic, phosphorous, and boron), or it can be a layer of undoped, intrinsic material. Regardless of composition, the bottom silicon layer 214 is manufactured according to known techniques in order to guarantee good electrical properties at the interface between the gate oxide layer 212 and the bottom silicon layer 214 .

Next, a thin layer 216 of oxygen, or nitrogen, doped polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) material is formed on the bottom layer 214 , as shown in FIG. 1 C. This “doped silicon” film 216 is formed in one of two ways. The first way is by deposition (either in-situ or non-in-situ), using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). CVD takes on many different forms, including low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD), and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). However, any form of CVD or sputtering can be used. The second way to form the “doped silicon film” 216 is by implantation of oxygen or nitrogen into the exposed surface of the bottom silicon layer 214 to form oxygen-doped or nitrogen-doped polysilicon or oxygen-doped or nitrogen-doped amorphous silicon.

The interface between the bottom silicon layer 214 and the doped silicon layer 216 can be abrupt, or gradual, with respect to the oxygen, or nitrogen, distribution, as shown in FIG. 1 C. The thickness of the doped silicon layer 216 ranges from approximately 5 to 100 nanometers, and the concentration of oxygen, or nitrogen, ranges from between approximately 1×10 17 atoms/cm 3 to 5×10 21 atoms/cm 3 . However, the required doped silicon layer 216 thickness and dopant concentration depend on the if total thermal budget of subsequent processes, and are selected according to known principles.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1D , a conductor layer 218 (preferably, but not necessarily, composed of tungsten, titanium silicide (TiSi x ), or other conventional materials) of between approximately 50 to 200 nanometers thick is deposited on the doped silicon layer 216 by conventional techniques, such as sputtering, or CVD. If an intrinsic bottom silicon layer 214 of polysilicon is used, ion implantation of arsenic, phosphorous, or boron is performed after creation of the bottom silicon layer 214 , after creation of the doped silicon layer 216 , or after creation of the conductive layer 218 .

The presence of oxygen, or nitrogen, doped polysilicon inhibits silicon diffusion from the bottom polysilicon layer 214 to the conductor layer 218 . Furthermore, it improves the thermal stability of the conductor film 218 . Compared to a polysilicon film that is not doped with oxygen or nitrogen, the oxygen or nitrogen-doped polysilicon film 216 has a higher resistance value. However, compared to a dielectric film, the oxygen or nitrogen doped polysilicon film 216 has a significantly lower resistance, and thus provides good electrical conduction between the conductive layer 218 and the bottom polysilicon layer 214 .

Finally, a cap 220 of one or more dielectric materials, such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride, is formed, if needed, according to conventional techniques, as shown in FIG. 1 E. Conventional photo mask and dry etch processes then define a word line stack. After wafer cleaning, spacers 222 are formed alongside the word line stack 236 , as shown in FIG. 1 F. Then, source/drain (S/D) implantation forms doped S/D regions 260 aligned with the spacers 222 , as shown in FIG. 1 G.

The resultant word line structure is comprised of: a conductor layer 218 ; an oxygen or nitrogen, doped polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) region 216 ; and a polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) layer 214 , as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1 G. The conductor layer 218 provides low resistivity. The oxygen, or nitrogen, doped region 216 eliminates (or reduces) agglomeration of the C54-TiSi 2 high temperature phase at interfaces between the low temperature C49-TiSi 2 218 and polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) 214 during subsequent process heat cycles. The bottom polysilicon (or amorphous silicon) layer 214 provides stable gate oxide interface electrical properties.

Conclusion

Numerous further embodiments will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Different embodiments of the invention can be applied simultaneously to further decrease the resistivity of a word line. The above described embodiments are examples only, and are not meant to be read in a limiting sense. While the invention has been described for use in the formation of low resistivity word line structures, other conductive structures, such as column lines or other conductors between components on a chip may be formed using the invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a doped silicon, diffusion barrier region, doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of: oxygen and nitrogen, formed in the silicon layer; and a metal conductor layer coupled to the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the silicon layer comprises a material selected from the following group consisting of: intrinsic polysilicon, intrinsic amorphous silicon, doped polysilicon, and doped amorphous silicon.

3. The structure of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric cap coupled to the conductor layer.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the doped silicon layer is approximately 5 to 100 nanometers, the dopant concentration is approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3, and the thickness of the conductor layer is approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a sub-0.25 micron word line stack.

6. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; an oxygen doped silicon region formed in the silicon layer, the oxygen concentration being approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3; and a metal conductor layer directly coupled to the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the silicon layer comprises a material selected from the following group consisting of: intrinsic polysilicon, intrinsic amorphous silicon, doped polysilicon, and doped amorphous silicon.

8. The structure of claim 6, further comprising a dielectric cap coupled to the conductor layer.

9. The structure of claim 6, wherein the thickness of the doped silicon region is approximately 5 to 100 nanometers.

10. The structure of claim 6, wherein the metal conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

11. The structure of claim 6, wherein the structure comprises a sub-0.25 micron word line stack.

12. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a nitrogen doped silicon, diffusion barrier region formed in the silicon layer, the nitrogen concentration being approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3; and a metal conductor layer directly coupled to the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the silicon layer comprises a material selected from the following group consisting of: intrinsic polysilicon, intrinsic amorphous silicon, doped polysilicon, and doped amorphous silicon.

14. The structure of claim 12, further comprising a dielectric cap coupled to the conductor layer.

15. The structure of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the doped silicon region is approximately 5 to 100 nanometers.

16. The structure of claim 12, wherein the metal conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

17. The structure of claim 12, wherein the structure comprises a sub-0.25 micron word line stack.

18. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; an agglomeration-elimination region formed on the silicon layer, the agglomeration-elimination region being doped with a dopant selected from a group including oxygen and nitrogen; and a metal conductor layer formed directly on the agglomeration-elimination region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

19. The structure of claim 18, wherein the agglomeration-elimination region is a doped portion of the silicon layer adjacent the conductor layer.

20. The structure of claim 18, wherein the silicon layer includes intrinsic polysilicon.

21. The structure of claim 18, wherein the silicon layer includes intrinsic amorphous silicon.

22. The structure of claim 18, wherein the silicon layer includes doped polysilicon.

23. The structure of claim 18, wherein the silicon layer includes doped amorphous silicon.

24. The structure of claim 18, wherein the agglomeration-elimination region has a thickness of approximately 5 to 100 nanometers, and a dopant concentration of the agglomeration-elimination region is approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

25. The structure of claim 18, wherein the conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

26. The structure of claim 18, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

27. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a low electrical resistance, doped silicon diffusion barrier in the silicon layer, the diffusion barrier being doped with a dopant selected from a group including oxygen and nitrogen; and a metal conductor layer formed directly on the diffusion barrier, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

28. The structure of claim 27, wherein the diffusion barrier is a doped portion of the silicon layer adjacent the conductor layer.

29. The structure of claim 27, wherein the silicon layer includes intrinsic polysilicon.

30. The structure of claim 27, wherein the silicon layer includes intrinsic amorphous silicon.

31. The structure of claim 27, wherein the silicon layer includes doped polysilicon.

32. The structure of claim 27, wherein the silicon layer includes doped amorphous silicon.

33. The structure of claim 27, wherein the diffusion barrier has a thickness of approximately 5 to 100 nanometers, and a dopant concentration of the diffusion barrier is approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

34. The structure of claim 27, wherein the metal conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

35. The structure of claim 27, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

36. A stacked semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer on the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer on the gate oxide layer, the silicon layer including ions selected from a group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus and boron; a doped silicon, diffusion barrier region, doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, formed in the silicon layer; and a metal conductor layer directly on the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

37. The structure of claim 36, wherein the silicon layer comprises a material selected from the following group consisting of: intrinsic polysilicon, intrinsic amorphous silicon, doped polysilicon, and doped amorphous silicon.

38. The structure of claim 36, further comprising a dielectric cap on the conductor layer.

39. The structure of claim 36, wherein the thickness of the doped silicon region is approximately 5 to 100 nanometers.

40. The structure of claim 36, wherein the doped silicon region has a dopant concentration of approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

41. The structure of claim 36, wherein the metal conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

42. The structure of claim 36, wherein the structure comprises a sub-0.25 micron word line stack.

43. The structure of claim 36, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

44. A semiconductor structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a doped silicon, diffusion barrier region, doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of: oxygen and nitrogen, formed in the silicon layer; and a metal conductor layer formed directly on the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

45. The structure of claim 44, wherein the thickness of the doped silicon region is approximately 5 to 100 nanometers.

46. The structure of claim 44, wherein the doped silicon region has a dopant concentration of approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

47. The structure of claim 44, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

48. The structure of claim 47, wherein the metal conductor layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

49. The structure of claim 44, wherein the silicon layer includes ions selected from a group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus and boron.

50. A wordline structure, comprising:a gate oxide layer coupled to a semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a doped silicon region, doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of: oxygen and nitrogen, formed in the silicon layer; and a titanium silicide layer formed directly on the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

51. The structure of claim 50, wherein the doped silicon region has a dopant concentration of approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

52. The structure of claim 50, wherein the titanium silicide layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

53. The structure of claim 50, wherein the silicon layer includes ions selected from a group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus and boron.

54. A DRAM, comprising:a plurality of memory cells; and a wordline being adapted to access at least one of the plurality of memory cells, the wordline including: a gate oxide layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; a doped silicon, diffusion barrier region, doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen, formed in the silicon layer; and a metal conductor layer directly coupled to the doped silicon region, wherein the metal conductor layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of tungsten and titanium.

55. The DRAM of claim 54, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium.

56. The DRAM of claim 54, wherein the metal conductor layer includes titanium silicide.

57. The DRAM of claim 54, wherein the metal conductor layer includes tungsten silicide.

58. The DRAM of claim 54, wherein the silicon layer includes ions selected from a group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus and boron.

59. A semiconductor wordline structure, comprising:a semiconductor layer; a gate oxide layer coupled to the semiconductor layer; a silicon layer coupled to the gate oxide layer; an agglomeration-elimination region formed in the silicon layer, the agglomeration-elimination region being doped with a dopant selected from a group including oxygen and nitrogen; and a titanium silicide layer on the agglomeration-elimination region.

60. The structure of claim 59, wherein the doped silicon region has a dopant concentration of approximately 1×1017 to 5×1021 atoms/cm3.

61. The structure of claim 59, wherein the titanium silicide layer has a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 nanometers.

62. The structure of claim 59, wherein the silicon layer includes ions selected from a group consisting of arsenic, phosphorus and boron.