Integration of damascene type diodes and conductive wires for memory device

1. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a first conductivity type polysilicon layer over a substrate;

forming an insulating layer over the first conductivity type polysilicon layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises an opening exposing the first conductivity type polysilicon layer; and

forming an intrinsic polysilicon layer in the opening;

wherein the step of forming the intrinsic polysilicon layer in the opening comprises depositing intrinsic polvsilicon into the opening and over the upper surface of the insulating layer, planarizing the deposited intrinsic polysilicon, and etching an upper portion of the intrinsic polysilicon deposited in the opening to recess the intrinsic polysilicon later below the surface of the insulating layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the intrinsic polysilicon layer in the opening comprises selectively growing polysilicon on the first conductivity type polysilicon layer such that the intrinsic polysilicon layer partially fills the opening.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a conductive layer over the substrate prior to the step of forming the first conductivity type polysilicon layer;

patterning the conductive film and the first conductivity type polysilicon layer to form rails that comprise lower electrodes covered by the first conductivity type polysilicon layer; and

filling gaps between the rails with an insulating gap-filling material prior to the step of forming the insulating layer.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the conductive film comprises a first barrier layer, a conductive wiring material located over the first barrier layer, and a second barrier layer located over the conductive wiring material;

the conductive wiring material comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of tungsten, aluminum, copper, or alloys thereof; and

the first and second barrier layers are independently selected from a group consisting of titanium nitride, tantalum, tantalum nitride, ruthenium, titanium tungsten, or tungsten nitride.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device comprises a p-i-n diode having a pillar shape.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising implanting second conductivity type dopants into an upper portion of the intrinsic polysilicon layer to form a second conductivity type region of the p-i-n diode.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising selectively depositing a second conductivity type polysilicon layer in the opening on the intrinsic polysilicon layer to form a second conductivity type region of the p-i-n diode.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising forming a storage element of a nonvolatile memory cell over the p-i-n diode.

9. A method of making a semiconductor device wherein the semiconductor device comprises a p-i-n diode having a pillar shape, comprising:

forming a first conductivity type polysilicon layer over a substrate

forming an insulating layer over the first conductivity type polysilicon layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises an opening exposing the first conductivity type polysilicon layer;

forming an intrinsic polysilicon layer in the opening; and

forming a storage element of a nonvolatile memory cell over the p-i-n diode, wherein:

the storage element comprises an antifuse dielectric layer, and

the step of forming the storage element comprises a step of plasma oxidation of an upper portion of a second conductivity type polysilicon material of the diode.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein forming the storage element comprises:

forming a third barrier layer by high-pressure ionized physical vapor deposition;

etching an upper portion of the third barrier layer to remove the barrier layer from a side wall of the opening; and

forming the storage element in the opening over the third barrier layer.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising forming an upper electrode over the storage element.

12. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

providing conductive rails and an insulating gap-filling material located between the rails;

etching an upper portion of the conductive rails to recess the conductive rails below an upper surface of the insulating gap-filling material;

forming a first conductivity type semiconductor material layer over the conductive rails and over the insulating gap-filling material;

planarizing the first conductivity type semiconductor material layer to expose the insulating gap-filling material such that the first conductivity type semiconductor material remains in recesses above the conductive rails;

forming an insulating layer over the first conductivity type semiconductor material;

forming openings in the insulating layer exposing the first conductivity type semiconductor material;

forming an intrinsic semiconductor material in the openings; and

forming a second conductivity type semiconductor material in the openings to form a p-i-n diode;

wherein the conductive rails comprise a copper layer; and

wherein the copper layer is formed by:

depositing a copper seed layer in recesses in the insulating gap-filling material; and

plating the copper layer on the copper seed layer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the conductive rails further comprise a first barrier layer located underneath the copper layer and a second barrier layer located over the copper layer; and

the first and second barrier layers are independently selected from a group consisting of titanium nitride, tantalum, tantalum nitride, ruthenium, titanium tungsten, or tungsten nitride.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the intrinsic semiconductor material comprises polysilicon, and wherein the step of forming the intrinsic semiconductor material in the openings comprises selectively growing intrinsic polysilicon on the first conductivity type semiconductor material such that the intrinsic polysilicon partially fills the opening.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the intrinsic semiconductor material comprises polysilicon, and wherein the step of forming the intrinsic semiconductor material in the openings comprises depositing intrinsic polysilicon into the openings and over the insulating layer, planarizing the deposited intrinsic polysilicon, and etching an upper portion of the intrinsic polysilicon deposited in the openings to recess the intrinsic polysilicon below the surface of the insulating layer.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the semiconductor device comprises a pillar device.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a storage element of a nonvolatile memory cell over the p-i-n diode.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the storage element is one of antifuse, fuse, metal oxide memory, switchable complex metal oxide, carbon nanotube memory, graphene resistivity switchable material, carbon resistivity switchable material, phase change material memory, conductive bridge element, or switchable polymer memory.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the storage element comprises an antifuse dielectric layer, and

the step of forming a storage element comprises a step of plasma oxidation of an upper portion of the second conductivity type semiconductor material.

20. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

providing conductive rails and an insulating gap-filling material located between the rails;

etching an upper portion of the conductive rails to recess the conductive rails below an upper surface of the insulating gap-filling material;

forming a first conductivity type semiconductor material layer over the conductive rails and over the insulating gap-filling material;

planarizing the first conductivity type semiconductor material layer to expose the insulating gap-filling material such that the first conductivity type semiconductor material remains in recesses above the conductive rails;

forming an insulating layer over the first conductivity type semiconductor material;

forming openings in the insulating layer exposing the first conductivity type semiconductor material;

forming an intrinsic semiconductor material in the openings;

forming a second conductivity type semiconductor material in the openings to form a p-i-n diode; and

forming a storage element of a nonvolatile memory cell over the p-i-n diode; wherein:

the storage element comprises an antifuse dielectric layer, and

the step of forming a storage element comprises a step of plasma oxidation of an upper portion of the second conductivity type semiconductor material.

21. A method of making a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a first conductivity type polysilicon layer over a substrate;

forming an insulating layer over the first conductivity type polysilicon layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises an opening exposing the first conductivity type polysilicon layer; and

forming an intrinsic polysilicon layer in the opening;

wherein the semiconductor device comprises a p-i-n diode having a pillar shape;

the method further comprising forming a storage element of a nonvolatile memory cell over the p-i-n diode, wherein forming the storage element comprises:

forming a third barrier layer by high-pressure ionized physical vapor deposition;

etching an upper portion of the third barrier layer to remove the barrier layer from a side wall of the opening; and

forming the storage element in the opening over the third barrier layer.