This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Applications No. P2003-030795, filed on Feb. 7, 2003; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor device having trench capacitors and a method for making the trench capacitors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, semiconductor devices have been developed as a memory device for an information processing device. Since the semiconductor device does not have mechanically driven components, the semiconductor device has high mechanical impact immunity and high-speed accessibility. Such semiconductor devices include memory cells. The memory cells have been made smaller by recent developments of semiconductor technology, especially, by the design rule shrinkage. The shrinkage of the memory cells has been required so as to provide highly integrated, higher density semiconductor devices. By use of the fine feature size processing of the cells, problems have been caused associated with memory storing characteristics of the memory cells.
In a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) of the semiconductor device, the memory cells include a MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) transistor, and a storage capacitor which is connected in series to the MOS transistor. In a DRAM, the shrinkage of the memory cells has a tendency to reduce the area and a decreased capacitance of the capacitor. There has been a possibility that the decreased capacitance generates problems in which data stored in the memory cells is misread and a software error may occur which is caused when the data stored in the memory cells is damaged by alpha rays.
In order to solve the above problems, it is important not to reduce the capacitance of the capacitor even under shrinkage of the memory cells. In order not to reduce the storage capacitance of the capacitor, a trench in which a capacitor is formed has been etched deeper to increase the area of the capacitor. However, it has become difficult in the present manufacturing technology to etch the trench deeper. Moreover, the thickness of the insulating film of the capacitor has been made thinner so as to keep the required storage capacitance. However, it has also become difficult in the present manufacturing technology to make the thickness of the insulating film thinner.
Then, two approaches have been proposed by which the storage capacitance is not reduced: a first approach by which a trench is formed as a bottle-type trench; and a second approach by which a plate electrode is formed through doping under vapor-phase diffusion. However, there have been cases in which other storage characteristics of the memory cells are deteriorated by use of the above methods.
An aspect of the present invention inheres in a semiconductor device according to embodiments of the present invention. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type and including an side wall and a bottom face enclosed by the side wall, a plate electrode having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, wherein the plate electrode is provided from the bottom face to the side wall in the semiconductor substrate, a capacitor insulating film provided on the bottom face and the side wall, a collar oxide film provided on the side wall, a ring-shaped lower end of the collar oxide film being in contact with the capacitor insulating film and the collar oxide film is in contact with the plate electrode, a storage electrode provided on the plate electrode and the capacitor insulating film, a height of an upper surface of the storage electrode is higher than a height of an upper end of the collar oxide film, a capacitor extraction electrode provided on the upper end of the collar oxide film and on the upper surface of the storage electrode, the capacitor extraction electrode being electrically connected to the storage electrode and in contact with an upper part of the side wall, and a buried strap region provided within the semiconductor substrate including the upper part of the side wall, the buried strap region being in contact with the collar oxide film and electrically connected to the capacitor extraction electrode, the buried strap region having the second conductivity type.
Another aspect of the present invention inheres in a method of making a trench capacitor according to embodiments of the present invention. The method of making a trench capacitor includes forming a trench on a surface of a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, forming a first insulating film on an side wall of the trench, depositing a semiconductor film in the trench on the first insulating film, etching the first insulating film and the semiconductor film located in an upper part of the trench, depositing a second insulating film on an exposed side wall of the trench, etching the semiconductor film, etching the first insulating film, forming a plate electrode of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type on the exposed side wall of the trench by a vapor-phase diffusion method, forming a capacitor insulating film on the plate electrode, and burying a storage electrode in the capacitor insulating film and in the second insulating film within the trench.
Various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the same or similar reference numerals are applied to the same or similar parts and elements throughout the drawings, and the description of the same or similar parts and elements will be omitted or simplified.
(Deterioration in Data Retention Characteristics of Memory Cells)
Two approaches have been made by which the capacitance is not reduced. However, it has been shown that, in some cases, the memory cell capacitance is reduced and other retention characteristics are deteriorated when the above approaches are used.
It is now clear that deterioration in the memory storing characteristics is generated by a defect in a buried strap region which is electrically connected to a storage electrode of the capacitor and a drain region of a transistor at the junction between the buried strap region and the semiconductor substrate. Because of this defect, a junction leakage current is increased by the defect generated in the buried strap region.
The capacitor includes a collar oxide film which separates the plate electrode and the storage electrode. It has been determined that a reason for generation of the defect in the buried strap region is that a normal stress on the collar oxide film with respect to the side wall of the trench is a compressive stress.
A collar insulating film is grown by a thermal oxidation method of a Local Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) collar. As above collar oxide film is formed before formation of the capacitor, the above two methods can be utilized, that is, the method by which the trench is formed as a bottle-type trench; and the method by which the plate electrode is formed by doping under vapor-phase diffusion.
When the collar oxide film is grown by the thermal oxidation method, the side wall of the trench is oxidized. The volume of the collar oxide film grown by oxidation is larger than the volume of the semiconductor substrate employed in the oxidation. Moreover, the volume of the collar oxide film which can grow in the trench is smaller than that of the thermally-oxidized film which can grow on a flat surface of the semiconductor substrate. Thereby, a compressive stress is produced within the collar oxide film. It has been determined that compressive stress from the collar oxide film to the buried strap region is created. A defect is generated in the buried strap region by the above stress.
Then, it has been determined that the stress from the collar oxide film to the buried strap region should be prevented in order to prevent generation of the defect. That is, the compressive stress should not be generated within the collar oxide film.
A semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention encompasses a plurality of memory cells. Each of the memory cell embraces the capacitor and the MOS transistor as shown in
The storage capacitor is arranged in a trench of a p-type silicon (Si) substrate 1. The storage capacitor includes a plate electrode 12, a capacitor insulating film 13, a collar oxide film 11, a storage electrode 15, a capacitor extraction electrode 19, and a buried strap region 17.
The plate electrode 12 including the bottom face and the side wall of the trench is provided within the silicon substrate 1. The plate electrode 12 has an n type conductivity. The capacitor insulating film 13 is provided from the bottom face to the upper part of the side wall. The capacitor insulating film 13 is provided on the plate electrode 12.
The collar oxide film 11 is provided above the side wall of the trench, i.e., at the top of the trench. The ring-shaped lower end of the collar oxide film 11 is in contact with the capacitor insulating film 13. The collar oxide film 11 is also in contact with the plate electrode 12. A normal stress on the collar oxide film 11 with regard to the side wall of the trench is a tensile stress. The collar oxide film 11 is deposited on the side wall of the trench, preferably, by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method.
The storage electrode 15 is provided on the capacitor insulating film 13. The height of the upper surface of the storage electrode 15 is higher than that of the upper end of the collar oxide film 11. The interface between the storage electrode 15 and the extraction electrode 19 does not coincide with a plane on which the lower end of the collar oxide film 11 is an outer edge. In the storage electrode 15, the width at the side wall in contact with the capacitor insulating film 13 is larger than that at the side wall in contact with the collar oxide film 11.
The capacitor extraction electrode 19 is provided on the upper end of the collar oxide film 11 and on the upper surface of the storage electrode 15. The capacitor extraction electrode 19 is electrically connected to the storage electrode 15. The capacitor extraction electrode 19 is in contact with the upper surface of the side wall of the trench. The buried strap region 17 is provided within the silicon substrate 1 including the upper surface of the side wall of the trench. The buried strap region 17 is in contact with the collar oxide film 11 and is electrically connected to the capacitor extraction electrode 19. The buried strap region 17 has an n type conductivity.
The MOS transistor is arranged in the neighborhood of the trench in the silicon substrate 1. The MOS transistor encompasses a drain region 26, a gate insulating film 22, a gate electrode 23, and a source region 25.
The drain region 26 is provided within the silicon substrate 1 including the upper surface of the substrate 1. The drain region 26 is electrically connected to the buried strap region 17. The drain region 26 has an n type conductivity. The gate insulating film 22 is provided on the upper surface of the silicon substrate 1. The gate electrode 23 is provided on the gate insulating film 22 and above the drain region 26. The source region 25 is provided under the gate insulating film 22, below the gate electrode 23, and separate from the drain region 26 within the silicon substrate 1 including the upper surface of the substrate 1. The source region 25 has an n type conductivity.
In addition the semiconductor device includes a contact plug 30 provided on the source region 25 and a bit line 31 which is electrically connected to the source region 25. The bit line 31 is provided on an interlevel insulator 29. The gate electrode 23 and the contact plug 30 are insulated from each other with a silicon nitride film 24 and side walls 27, 28. The isolation region 21 is provided on the capacitor extraction electrode 19.
With regard to the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment, substantially no defects are generated in the buried strap region 17, because the normal stress on the collar oxide film 11 with respect to the side wall of the trench is not compressive stress. While it is possible that no stress of any type is induced, there may be cases where only a small amount of tensile stress is induced. Here, it is obvious that, even if normal stress is compresive stress, the stress may be small so that no defect is generated. In order to reduce the intensity of the normal stress and to further make the stress a tensile stress, the collar oxide film 11 is just required to be provided on the side wall of the trench, not by the thermal oxidation method, but by chemical vapor deposition, as described above.
Moreover, with regard to the storage electrode 15, no interface exists with a plane on which the lower end of the collar oxide film 11 is an outer edge. Thereby, it is apparent that the storage electrode 15 is formed at a time with regions in contact with the capacitor insulating film 13 and the collar oxide film 11. A natural oxidation film is not formed on the surface of the region in contact with the capacitor insulating film 13, and a natural oxidation film is not formed on the interface between the region in contact with the capacitor insulating film 13 and the region in contact with the collar oxide film 11. Thereby, a parasitic resistance of the storage capacitor can be reduced. Further, the writing and reading speeds of data can be increased in the memory cells.
As explained above, the semiconductor device in which in the data retention characteristics is not deteriorated, even under shrinkage of the memory cells, can be provided.
A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device includes a method of forming a trench capacitor. In the first place, the method of forming the trench capacitor is executed.
(a) A thermally-oxidized film 2 is grown on the p-type silicon substrate 1. A silicon nitride film 3 and a silicon oxide film 4 are deposited on the thermally-oxidized film 2 by the CVD method. As shown in
(b) As shown in
(c) A silicon nitride film 7 is deposited on the side walls of the trenches 5, 6, and on the silicon oxide film 4 by the CVD method. The film thickness of the silicon nitride film 7 was set at 5 nm. As shown in
(d) As shown in
(e) As shown in
(f) As shown in
(g) As shown in
(h) As shown in
(i) As shown in
(j) The substrate is etched back to the height of the upper surface of the silicon nitride film 3 as shown in
(k) In addition, a trench 20 is formed on the silicon substrate 1, as shown in
(l) As shown in
The vapor-phase diffusion method can be applied to impurity diffusion in the side wall of the trench 6 for forming the plate electrode 12, using the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment. Thereby, a diffusion layer with higher concentration of impurities can be formed, in comparison with that of a solid-phase diffusion method using conventional arsenic silicate glass (AsSG). An effective film thickness of the capacitor insulating film 13 can be reduced. The capacity of the trench capacitor can be increased by a factor of 1.5, as shown in
Moreover, in conventional methods, burial and etching have been required to be repeated twice in order to form the storage electrode 15 in the trench 6. Thereby, an interface of the natural oxidation film has been created which divides the storage electrode 15 into two sections. In the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment, burial and etching are executed only once in order to form the storage electrode 15. Accordingly, there is no interface of the natural oxidation film which divides the storage electrode 15. Electrical resistance of the storage electrode 15 can be decreased in the first embodiment in comparison with that of a conventional example.
(Variant of the First Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, silicon germanium has been buried in the trench 6 to remove the silicon germanium with the hydrogen peroxide solution after forming the collar oxide film 11. The invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Instead of the silicon germanium, amorphous silicon (Si) may be used. A mixed solution of hydrofluoric acid-nitric acid-acetic acid can be used as an etchant of the amorphous silicon. Moreover, the amorphous silicon may be etched with a chlorinated gas such as chlorine trifluoride (ClF3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
In the first embodiment, the semiconductor film such as a silicon germanium film and amorphous silicon film is formed and the collar oxide film 11 is formed, using the semiconductor film as a dummy storage electrode. Then, the semiconductor film is removed, using the collar oxide film 11 as a mask. The semiconductor film is used because selective etching of the silicon oxide film and the silicon nitride film can be executed and the semiconductor film stably exists at the deposition temperatures of the silicon oxide film and the silicon nitride film. Here, it is further beneficial that an etchant exists, similar to the case of the silicon germanium, so that selective etching of the semiconductor film and the silicon substrate 1 can be conducted.
The semiconductor device including the memory cells may be DRAM, or a system LSI in which DRAM is installed as a mega cell.
A semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a structurally different capacitor from that of the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of
Thereby, the surface area on which the capacitor insulating film 33 is in contact with the irregular silicon film 32 can be increased compared to a case in which the silicon film 32 is not irregular. Moreover, the surface area on which the capacitor insulating film 33 is in contact with the storage electrode 35 can be increased compared to a case in which the silicon film 32 is not irregular. The capacity of a trench capacitor can be further increased compared to that of the trench capacitor C of the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment.
A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the invention will be explained. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment includes the method of forming the trench capacitor C. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment and that according to the first embodiment are different from each other in the method of forming the trench capacitor C. Consequently, the method of forming the trench capacitor C will be explained.
(a) In the first place, the method of forming the trench capacitor C according to the first embodiment is executed until the step of
(b) Then, the irregular silicon film 32 is formed on the surface of the exposed silicon substrate 1 within a trench 6 as shown in
(c) As shown in
(d) An n-type polysilicon column is buried as the storage electrode 35 in the trenches 5, 6 on the capacitor insulating film 33, as shown in
Subsequent steps for the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment are executed from the step of
The invention is not limited to the above first and second embodiments. Though the above explanations applied to the use of the silicon substrate 1, the silicon substrate 1 is only required to be a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may be a silicon layer of a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate, or, silicon germanium (SiGe) mixed crystal, silicon germanium carbide (SiGeC) mixed crystal and the like. The invention can be carried out by various modifications without departing from the points of the present invention
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the present invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the forgoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-030795 | Feb 2003 | JP | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10770470 | Feb 2004 | US |
Child | 11359573 | Feb 2006 | US |