Semiconductor constructions and methods of forming electrically conductive contacts
Some embodiments include methods of forming electrically conductive contacts. An opening is formed through an insulative material to a conductive structure. A conductive plug is formed within a bottom region of the opening. A spacer is formed to line a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening, and to leave an inner portion of an upper surface of the plug exposed. A conductive material is formed against the inner portion of the upper surface of the plug. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions having a conductive plug within an insulative stack and against a copper-containing material. A spacer is over an outer portion of an upper surface of the plug and not directly above an inner portion of the upper surface. A conductive material is over the inner portion of the upper surface of the plug and against an inner lateral surface of the spacer.
1. A method of forming an electrically conductive contact, comprising:
forming an opening through an electrically insulative material to an electrically conductive structure;
forming an electrically conductive plug within a bottom region of the opening;
forming a spacer to line a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening; the spacer being over an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and leaving an inner portion of the upper surface exposed;
forming an electrically conductive material within the lined upper region of the opening and directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug;
forming an electrically conductive line to extend across the electrically insulative material and the electrically conductive material within the opening, and to be electrically coupled with the electrically conductive material within the opening; and
wherein the electrically conductive plug comprises titanium nitride directly against copper of the electrically conductive structure, and comprises tungsten directly against the titanium nitride.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive line is a bitline or a wordline, and is incorporated into a memory array.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the memory array is an RRAM array.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive material comprises tungsten.
5. A method of forming an electrically conductive contact, comprising
providing a stack over a copper-containing material, the stack comprising an electrically insulative material over an electrically insulative copper barrier material;
forming an opening through the stack to the copper-containing material;
forming an electrically conductive plug within a bottom region of the opening;
forming a spacer to line a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening; the spacer being over an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and leaving an inner portion of the upper surface exposed;
forming an electrically conductive material within the lined upper region of the opening and directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug; and
wherein the electrically conductive plug comprises titanium nitride directly against the copper-containing material, and comprises tungsten directly against the titanium nitride.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the forming of the electrically conductive material within the opening comprises forming the electrically conductive material over the stack and within the opening, and further comprising removing the electrically conductive material from over the stack while leaving the electrically conductive material within the opening.
7. A method of forming an electrically conductive contact, comprising
providing a stack over a copper-containing material, the stack comprising an electrically insulative material over an electrically insulative copper barrier material;
forming an opening through the stack to the copper-containing material;
forming an electrically conductive plug within a bottom region of the opening;
forming a spacer to line a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening; the spacer being over an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and leaving an inner portion of the upper surface exposed;
forming an electrically conductive material within the lined upper region of the opening and directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug; and
wherein the forming of the electrically conductive material within the opening comprises forming the electrically conductive material over the stack and within the opening, and further comprising patterning the electrically conductive material into a line that extends across the stack and across a region of the electrically conductive material within the opening.
8. A method of forming an electrically conductive contact, comprising
forming an opening through an electrically insulative material to an electrically conductive structure;
forming an electrically conductive plug within a bottom region of the opening;
forming a spacer along a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening to narrow the upper region of the opening; the spacer being over an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and leaving an inner portion of the upper surface exposed;
forming an electrically conductive material over the electrically insulative material and within the narrowed upper region of the opening; the electrically conductive material being directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug; and
patterning the electrically conductive material into an electrically conductive line that extends across the electrically insulative material and across a region of the electrically conductive material within the opening.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the narrowed upper region of the opening comprises a first width, and wherein the patterning of the electrically conductive material into the electrically conductive line comprises patterning the electrically conductive line to have a second width that is larger than the first width.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the electrically conductive line is a bitline or a wordline, and is incorporated into a memory array; and wherein the memory array is an RRAM array.
11. A method of forming an electrically conductive contact, comprising
forming an opening through an electrically insulative material to an electrically conductive structure;
forming an electrically conductive plug within a bottom region of the opening;
forming a spacer along a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening to narrow the upper region of the opening; the spacer being over an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and leaving an inner portion of the upper surface exposed;
forming an electrically conductive material over the electrically insulative material and within the narrowed upper region of the opening; the electrically conductive material being directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug;
forming a planarized surface extending across the electrically conductive material and the electrically insulative material; and wherein the electrically conductive plug is formed by:
lining the opening with titanium nitride,
filling the lined opening with tungsten, and
removing the titanium nitride and tungsten from the upper region of the opening.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the electrically conductive structure comprises copper.
13. A semiconductor construction, comprising
a stack over a copper-containing material, the stack comprising an electrically insulative material over an electrically insulative copper barrier material;
an electrically conductive plug within the stack and directly against the copper-containing material;
an electrically insulative spacer within the stack; the electrically insulative spacer being over and directly against an outer portion of an upper surface of the electrically conductive plug and not directly above an inner portion of the upper surface;
an electrically conductive material over and directly against the inner portion of the upper surface of the electrically conductive plug; the electrically conductive material being directly against an inner lateral surface of the spacer; and
wherein the electrically conductive plug comprises titanium nitride directly against the copper-containing material, and comprises tungsten directly against the titanium nitride.