Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and field effect transistors (FETs) formed on a semiconductor substrate. The FETs are formed in Front End of Line (FEOL) levels below the MIM capacitors which are formed in upper Back End of Line (BEOL) levels. An insulator layer is selectively formed to encapsulate at least a top plate of the MIM capacitor to protect the MIM capacitor from damage due to process steps such as, for example, reactive ion etching. By selective formation of the insulator layer on the MIM capacitor, openings in the inter-level dielectric layers are provided so that hydrogen and/or deuterium diffusion to the FETs can occur.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional application of non-provisional U.S. application Ser. No. 10/709,133, filed Apr. 15, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,965 now allowed. 

   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates generally to semiconductors and, more particularly, to metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors for integrated circuits. 
   2. Background of the Invention 
   The integration of MIM capacitors and field effect transistors (FETs) on an integrated circuit are important because analog circuits usually require precision capacitors as well as transistors. The on-chip integration of MIM capacitors, FETs, and other devices reduces the cost associated with fabricating integrated circuits. 
   Semiconductor capacitors are prone to dielectric damage during fabrication that lead to reliability fails due to dielectric breakdown. For example, a MIM capacitor can have a reliability sensitivity to the etch of the inter-level dielectric (ILD) for the vias used to contact the top plate of the MIM capacitor. The integration of high performance inductors with MIM capacitors on a semiconductor chip is done in part with relatively large, tall vias in the inter-level dielectric above the MIM capacitor, which results in prolonged exposure of the MIM capacitor to the via etch. 
   To reduce the exposure of the top plate to the prolonged via etch, an insulator layer such as, for example, silicon nitride, is formed covering the entire substrate including the top plate of the capacitor and the inter-level dielectric. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a substrate  10  is provided upon which front-end-of-line (FEOL) levels  20  including semiconductor structures such as, for example, FETs (not shown) and inter-level dielectric layer  25  are formed. Back-end-of-line levels  30  are subsequently formed upon the FEOL levels  20 , and include semiconductor structures such as, for example, interconnect  35  and MIM capacitor  40 . Conventionally, MIM capacitor  40  is formed on inter-level dielectric layer  25  by depositing a bottom metal layer  45 , a portion of which forms a bottom metal plate of the MIM capacitor and another portion of which forms an electrical contact area, depositing a dielectric layer  50  on the bottom metal layer  45 , and depositing on the dielectric layer  50  a top metal layer  55 , a portion of which forms a top metal plate of the MIM capacitor and another portion of which forms an electrical contact area. Over the MIM capacitor, an insulator layer  60  is deposited to cover inter-level dielectric  25 , interconnect  35  and MIM capacitor  40 . Processing continues with a deposition to form inter-level dielectric  65  and a reactive ion etch to form via  70 . The insulator layer  60  acts as an etch stop for the MIM capacitor top plate  55  to prevent exposure to the via etch, thus preventing breakdown of the MIM capacitor dielectric. 
   Although reliability of the capacitor dielectric is improved in conventional MIM capacitor fabrication, it has been observed that the performance of FETs formed on FEOL levels  20  below the insulator layer  60  are degraded. The formation of a MIM capacitor with reduced sensitivity to dielectric damage without degrading the performance of FETs is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is thus an object of the present invention to provide MIM capacitors with reduced sensitivity to dielectric damage without degrading the performance of FETs in an integrated circuit. 
   The foregoing and other objects of the invention are realized, in a first aspect, by a semiconductor structure comprising: 
   a substrate comprising a plurality of levels formed thereupon; 
   a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor formed on an inter-level dielectric layerin a first of the plurality of levels; and 
   an insulator layer selectively formed on said MIM capacitor, wherein portions of the inter-level dielectric layer are insulator layer-free. 
   Another aspect of the invention is a method of forming a semiconductor structure comprising the steps of: 
   providing a substrate comprising a plurality of levels formed thereupon; 
   forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor on an inter-level dielectric layer in a first of the plurality of levels; and 
   selectively forming an insulator layer on said MIM capacitor, wherein portions of the inter-level dielectric layer are insulator layer-free. 
   A further aspect of the invention is an integrated circuit comprising: 
   a substrate comprising a lower level including a plurality of field effect transistors and an upper level; 
   a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor formed on an inter-level dielectric layer in the upper level; and 
   a silicon nitride layer selectively encapsulating a portion of the MIM capacitor, wherein portions of the inter-level dielectric layer are silicon nitride layer-free, said silicon nitride layer-free portions allow hydrogen and/or deuterium to diffuse to the FETs. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and other features of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the detailed description of the invention as rendered below. In the description to follow, reference will be made to the several figures of the accompanying Drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional MIM capacitor. 
       FIGS. 2A-E  show a MIM capacitor formed according to an embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   With the integration of MIM capacitors and FETs on integrated circuit chips, MIM capacitor processing is typically performed in BEOL levels subsequent to FET processing in FEOL levels and, as such, the effect of MIM capacitor processing is not expected to have an effect on FET performance. The inventors have observed that when MIM capacitors and FETs are formed by conventional means such as was described with reference to  FIG. 1 , the performance of the FETs degraded. For example, it was observed that an increase in threshold voltage shift over time occurred in FETs which were integrated with MIM capacitors in an integrated circuit. 
   It was determined that the shift in threshold voltage was related to the out-diffusion of hydrogen or deuterium from the channel regions of the FETs when MIM capacitors and FETs are formed in an integrated circuit chip. Without the integration of MIM capacitors, FETs formed in FEOL levels are exposed to subsequent processing steps such as, for example, a high temperature anneal in a BEOL level which results in hydrogen or deuterium diffusing through inter-level dielectrics to the FETs. Hydrogen or deuterium which diffuses out of the channel regions of the FETs is replaced by hydrogen or deuterium supplied from the ambient atmosphere (i.e. high temperature anneal). Thus, threshold voltage shifts are avoided since the channel regions of the FETs are not depleted of hydrogen or deuterium. 
   For MIM capacitors formed according to conventional techniques as described with reference to  FIG. 1 , it has been determined that the etch stop layer (i.e. insulator layer  60 ) has an effect on the diffusion of hydrogen or deuterium from the ambient atmosphere to the FETs. For example, it has been determined that silicon nitride etch stop layer  60  formed over the entire substrate is a barrier to ambient hydrogen or deuterium diffusion during subsequent anneals. Hydrogen or deuterium is not able to diffuse from the ambient atmosphere to the channel regions of the FETs to replace hydrogen or deuterium which diffuses out of the FET channel regions. The out-diffusion of hydrogen or deuterium causes a loss of passivation in the channel regions, leading to an increase in threshold voltage shift over time due to hot-electron effects. 
   The invention relates to forming MIM capacitors on BEOL levels without degrading the performance of FETs formed on FEOL levels by providing a path for diffusion of hydrogen and/or deuterium from the BEOL levels to the FETs. This is accomplished by selective formation of an insulator layer on the MIM capacitors. A portion of the insulator layer is selectively removed from an inter-level dielectric layer such that ambient hydrogen and/or deuterium may diffuse to the FETs while another portion of the insulator layer remains on the MIM capacitors to prevent damage to the capacitor dielectric caused by etch processes. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2A , a substrate  100  is provided upon which FEOL levels  105  are formed by methods known to those skilled in the art. Substrate  100  can be selected from materials such as, for example, silicon or silicon-on-insulator (SOI). FEOL levels  105  comprise semiconductor structures such as, for example, FETs, interconnects and isolation regions (not shown). BEOL levels  110  are subsequently formed upon the FEOL levels  105 , and include semiconductor structures such as, for example, inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer  115 , and interconnects and MIM capacitors (described hereinafter with reference to  FIG. 2B ). ILD layer  115  can be formed of known a dielectric material such as, for example, silicon oxide or a low-k dielectric such as SILK (available from Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich.). 
     FIGS. 2B-E  show the formation of a MIM capacitor according to the invention.  FIG. 2B  shows a lower metal layer  120  such as, for example, a layer of aluminum is formed on ILD layer  115  by methods known in the art such as, for example, chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition. Aluminum layer  120  is subsequently patterned and etched as described hereinafter to provide the bottom plate of a MIM capacitor and interconnects. A capacitor dielectric  125  such as, for example, silicon oxide or silicon nitride is formed on aluminum layer  120 . A top metal plate  130  such as, for example, titanium nitride (TiN) is formed on the capacitor dielectric  125 . The capacitor dielectric  125  and the top metal plate  130  are defined using, for example, known photolithographic and etch processes. 
   An insulator layer  135  is then formed as shown in  FIG. 2C  using a known process such as, for example, chemical vapor deposition, sputter deposition or physical vapor deposition. Insulator layer  135  comprises a material which has a lower etch rate than ILD layer  115  during a subsequent via etch process. For example, when an oxide ILD layer  115  is utilized, a preferred material for use as insulator layer  135  is silicon nitride. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2D , a photoresist layer  140  is patterned using known photolithographic processes. Exposed portions of aluminum layer  120  and silicon nitride layer  135  are removed by known etch processes such as, for example, a reactive ion etching to form the bottom plate  145  of MIM capacitor  150  and interconnects  155  as shown in  FIG. 2E . Silicon nitride layer  135  encapsulates a portion of MIM capacitor  150  including capacitor dielectric  125  and top metal plate  130 , and also remains on the upper surface of the interconnects  155 , which is of no consequence. However, the silicon nitride layer  135  is removed from all other regions of the substrate resulting in openings  160  which are permeable to hydrogen and/or deuterium diffusion. Processing continues with a subsequent inter-level dielectric deposition and formation of via studs in the ILD level (not shown). The silicon nitride layer  135  acts as an etch stop for the top metal plate  130  to prevent exposure of the top metal plate  130  to the via etch. 
   By selectively forming openings  160  during MIM capacitor  150  processing in the BEOL levels  110  according to the invention, ambient hydrogen and/or deuterium can diffuse through diffusion paths  165  to FETs formed on FEOL levels  105 , and the silicon nitride layer  135  remains on the top plate  130  of the MIM capacitors  150  to prevent damage to capacitor dielectric  125  due to etch processes which are exposed to MIM capacitors  150 . 
   For integrated circuit design rules that limit the maximum metal density to, for example, about 70%, at least about 30% of the substrate would include openings  160  which would be permeable to hydrogen and/or deuterium diffusion. The inventors have observed that the performance of FETs improved by incorporating openings  160  in integrated circuits including MIM capacitors and FETs. The invention provides reliable MIM capacitors without degrading the performance of FETs. 
   While the invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the spirit and scope of the invention is not limited thereby. Rather, various modifications may be made to the invention as described above without departing from the overall scope of the invention as described above and as set forth in the several claims appended hereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7