Diodes, and methods of forming diodes
View Patent ↗Some embodiments include methods of forming diodes in which a first electrode is formed to have a pedestal extending upwardly from a base. At least one layer is deposited along an undulating topography that extends across the pedestal and base, and a second electrode is formed over the least one layer. The first electrode, at least one layer, and second electrode together form a structure that conducts current between the first and second electrodes when voltage of one polarity is applied to the structure, and that inhibits current flow between the first and second electrodes when voltage having a polarity opposite to said one polarity is applied to the structure. Some embodiments include diodes having a first electrode that contains two or more projections extending upwardly from a base, having at least one layer over the first electrode, and having a second electrode over the at least one layer.
1. A method of forming a diode, comprising:
forming an electrically conductive lining within an opening, the opening being bounded by electrically insulative sidewalls and by an electrically conductive bottom, the lining extending along the sidewalls and bottom to narrow the opening but not completely fill the opening;
patterning the lining into one or more pedestals; said pedestals having top surfaces, and having sidewall surfaces extending downwardly from the top surfaces;
depositing one or more layers across the top surfaces and the sidewall surfaces of the one or more pedestals;
forming an electrode over said one or more layers; and
wherein the one or more pedestals, one or more layers, and electrode together are the diode.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more layers are at least two layers.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more layers are only one layer.
4. A method of forming a diode, comprising:
forming an electrically insulative material over an electrically conductive base, the electrically insulative material having a thickness over the base;
forming an opening extending through the electrically insulative material to an upper surface of the electrically conductive base;
dispersing seed material along the upper surface of the electrically conductive base at a bottom of the opening;
growing pedestals from the dispersed seed material, the pedestals being spaced from one another by valleys, an undulating topography extending across the pedestals and valleys, the pedestals and base together being a first electrode; the pedestals having heights no greater than the thickness of the electrically insulative material;
forming one or more layers across the undulating topography;
forming a second electrode over said one or more layers; and
wherein the first electrode, one or more layers, and second electrode together are the diode.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the dispersed seed material consists of nanocrystalline seeds.
6. The method of claim 4 further comprising forming at least one sidewall spacer along a sidewall of the opening prior to dispersing the seed material; and removing the at least one sidewall spacer after dispersing the seed material.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the forming of the one or more layers comprises atomic layer deposition.
8. A semiconductor construction, comprising:
a first electrode supported by a semiconductor wafer, the first electrode having an undulating topography, the undulating topography comprising a lowest surface and a highest surface; the highest surface being above the lowest surface by a distance; the electrode being within an opening in an electrically insulative material; the electrically insulative material having a thickness over the semiconductor wafer and the distance between the highest and lowest surfaces being no greater than the thickness of the electrically insulative material;
one or more layers across the undulating topography, the one or more layers together having a thickness that is less than or equal to about 10% of the distance;
a second electrode over said one or more layers;
wherein the first electrode, one or more layers, and second electrode together are together a diode; and
wherein the diode is a Schottky diode.
9. The semiconductor construction of claim 8 wherein the distance is at least about 50 nanometers.