Method of forming a memory device
View Patent ↗A front-end method of fabricating nickel plated caps over copper bond pads used in a memory device. The method provides protection of the bond pads from an oxidizing atmosphere without exposing sensitive structures in the memory device to the copper during fabrication.
1. A method of forming a memory device, the method comprising:
forming at least one first insulating material over a semiconductor substrate;
forming a conductive bond pad within said at least one first insulating material;
forming at least one second insulating material over said bond pad;
forming an opening in said at least one second insulating material over said bond pad;
forming a conductor over said bond pad; and
forming memory cells over said at least one second insulating material after said conductor is formed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductor over said bond pad comprises a nickel cap.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of forming a conductor over said bond pad comprises plating nickel over said bond pad.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a conductor over said bond pad comprises performing an electroless nickel bath emersion.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said conductor comprises nickel having a thickness of about 4000 Angstroms.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first insulating material comprises oxide.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second insulating material comprises nitride.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an electrode over the memory cells.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one via through said first and second insulating materials.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said conductive bond pad comprises copper.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a conductive via electrically connecting the conductive bond pad to circuitry formed on said semiconductor substrate.