Device and method for protecting against oxidation of a conductive layer in said device
View Patent ↗In a semiconductor device including a first conductive layer, the first conductive layer is treated with a nitrogen/hydrogen plasma before an additional layer is deposited thereover. The treatment stuffs the surface with nitrogen, thereby preventing oxygen from being adsorbed onto the surface of the first conductive layer. In one embodiment, a second conductive layer is deposited onto the first conductive layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates an oxide formed between the two layers as a result of subsequent thermal treatments. In another embodiment, a dielectric layer is deposited onto the first layer, and the plasma treatment lessens if not eliminates the ability of the first conductive layer to incorporate oxygen from the dielectric.
1. A method of forming a capacitor, comprising:
forming a capacitor plate, comprising:
providing a first conductive layer in a first environment;
exposing said first conductive layer to a nitrogen free passivation gas; and
depositing a second conductive layer over said first conductive layer, wherein said step of providing a first conductive layer comprises providing a first conductive layer in an oxygen-free environment; and wherein said step of exposing said first conductive layer comprises exposing said first conductive layer to a nitrogen free passivation gas in said oxygen-free environment.
2. The method in claim 1 , wherein said step of depositing a second conductive layer comprises depositing said second conductive layer in said oxygen-free environment.
3. The method in claim 1 , wherein said step of depositing a second conductive layer comprises depositing said second conductive layer in a second nitrogen free-environment.
4. A method of forming a capacitor, comprising:
forming a capacitor plate, comprising:
providing a first conductive layer in a first environment;
exposing the first conductive layer to a plasma in a second environment, wherein the first conductive layer is not exposed to oxygen between being provided in the first environment and being exposed to the plasma in the second environment; and
depositing a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the plasma comprises a selection of N 2 /H 2 , N 2 , and NH 3 plasmas.
6. A method of forming a capacitor, comprising:
forming a capacitor plate, comprising:
providing a first conductive layer in a first environment;
exposing the first conductive layer to a material selected from the group consisting of B 2 H 6 , PH 3 , and a carbon-silicon compound, in a second environment; and
depositing a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein exposing the first conductive layer comprises exposing the first conductive layer to a carbon-silicon compound selected from the group consisting of CH 3 SiH 3 , (CH 3 ) 3 Si—Si(CH 3 ) 3 , and HMDS in situ.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein exposing the first conductive layer comprises exposing the first conductive layer to a carbon-silicon compound selected from the group consisting of CH 3 SiH 3 , (CH 3 ) 3 Si—Si(CH 3 ), and HMDS ex situ.