IP Library Granted Patent US 7,479,444
Granted Patent B2
US 7,479,444 · App. 11/421,707 · Granted Jan 20, 2009

Method for forming Schottky diodes and ohmic contacts in the same integrated circuit

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,479,444
App. No.
11/421,707
Granted
Jan 20, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming an ohmic contact and a Schottky diode in an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming first and second diffusion regions in the semiconductor substrate; forming an insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a first contact opening in the insulating layer and over the first diffusion region to expose the semiconductor substrate; forming a barrier metal layer on the insulating layer and in the first contact opening; forming a second contact opening in the barrier metal layer and the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor substrate where the second contact opening is formed over the second diffusion region; forming a metal layer on the barrier metal layer and the insulating layer and in the first and second contact openings where the metal layer includes a metal that forms a Schottky barrier junction with the semiconductor substrate; and patterning the metal layer to form the ohmic contact over the first diffusion region and the Schottky diode over the second diffusion region.

Claims (30)

1. A method for forming an ohmic contact and a Schottky diode in an integrated circuit, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate;

forming first and second diffusion regions in the semiconductor substrate;

forming an insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate;

forming a first contact opening in the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor substrate, the first contact opening being formed over the first diffusion region;

forming a barrier metal layer on the insulating layer and in the first contact opening;

forming a second contact opening in the barrier metal layer and the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor substrate, the second contact opening being formed over the second diffusion region;

forming a metal layer of a first type on the barrier metal layer and the insulating layer and in the first and second contact openings, the metal layer comprising a metal that forms a Schottky barrier junction with the semiconductor substrate; and

patterning the metal layer to form the ohmic contact over the first diffusion region and the Schottky diode over the second diffusion region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer of the first type comprises an aluminum layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baffler metal layer comprises a titanium (Ti) layer and a titanium nitride (TiN) layer formed on the titanium layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the ohmic contact comprises a metal plug contact and wherein after forming the baffler metal layer and before forming the second contact opening, the method further comprises:

forming a metal layer of a second type, different than the first type, on the barrier metal layer and in the first contact opening; and

removing the metal layer of the second type and the baffler metal layer on the insulating layer, leaving the metal layer of the second type and the barrier metal layer in the first contact opening to form the metal plug contact in the first contact opening,

wherein forming the second contact opening comprises forming the second contact opening in the insulating layer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein after removing the metal layer of the second type and the barrier metal layer on the insulating layer to form the metal plug contact in the first contact opening, the method further comprises:

forming a second baffler metal layer on the insulating layer and the metal plug contact,

wherein forming the second contact opening comprises forming the second contact opening in the second barrier metal layer and the insulating layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second barrier metal layer comprises a titanium-tungsten (TiW) layer.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the metal layer of the first type comprises an aluminum layer and the metal layer of the second type comprises a tungsten layer or a copper layer.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the ohmic contact comprises a metal plug contact and wherein after forming the baffler metal layer and before forming the second contact opening, the method further comprises:

forming a metal layer of a second type, different than the first type, on the barrier metal layer and in the first contact opening;

removing the metal layer except in the first contact opening to form the metal plug contact in the first contact opening;

forming a second barrier metal layer on the barrier metal layer and the metal plug contact,

wherein forming the second contact opening comprises forming the second contact opening in the second baffler metal layer, the baffler metal layer and the insulating layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the baffler metal layer comprises a titanium (Ti) layer and a titanium nitride (TiN) layer formed on the titanium layer and the second baffler metal layer comprises a titanium (Ti) layer.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal layer of the first type comprises an aluminum layer and the metal layer of the second type comprises a tungsten layer or a copper layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second diffusion region comprises a lightly doped N− diffusion region.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first diffusion region comprises a heavily doped N+ diffusion region.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first diffusion region comprises a heavily doped P+ diffusion region.

Assignments (10)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BUY-IN AGREEMENT/ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 4, 2023
From: MICREL LLC
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 063241/0771 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2006
From: WU, SCHYI-YI
To: MICREL INC.
Reel/Frame 017708/0384 →