Patent ID: 6911362

Claim:
A method for forming an electronic device, the method comprising: forming a capacitor structure on a portion of a substrate, the capacitor structure including a first electrode on the substrate, a capacitor dielectric on the first electrode, a second electrode on the dielectric, and a hard mask on the second electrode so that the capacitor dielectric is between the first and second electrodes, so that the first electrode and the capacitor dielectric are between the second electrode and the substrate, and so that the first and second electrodes and the capacitor dielectric are between the hard mask and the substrate; forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the hard mask and on portions of the substrate surrounding the capacitor structure; removing portions of the interlayer dielectric layer to expose the hard mask while maintaining portions of the interlayer dielectric layer on portions of the substrate surrounding the capacitor structure wherein removing portions of the interlayer dielectric layer comprises planarizing the interlayer dielectric layer to a level of the hard mask; and removing the hard mask thereby exposing portions of the second electrode while maintaining the portions of the interlayer dielectric layer on portions of the substrate surrounding the capacitor.