Resistive random accress memory containing a conformal titanium aluminum carbide film and method of making

{
  "publication_number": "US10361366B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Resistive random accress memory containing a conformal titanium aluminum carbide film and method of making",
  "abstract": "A plurality of embodiments for ReRAM devices and method of making are described. According to one embodiment, the ReRAM device includes a first electrode film formed on a substrate, a metal oxide film with oxygen vacancies formed on a first electrode film, a conformal TiAlC film, oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the metal oxide film, formed on the metal oxide film, and a second electrode film formed on the TiAlC film. According to another embodiment, the ReRAM device includes a pair of vertical metal oxide films, a pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films formed on the pair of vertical metal oxide films, the pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the pair of vertical metal oxide films, and an electrode film formed between the pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A resistive random access memory, comprising: a first electrode film formed on a substrate; a metal oxide film with oxygen vacancies formed on the first electrode; a conformal TiAlC film, oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the metal oxide film, formed on the metal oxide film; and a second electrode film formed on the TiAlC film.",
    "2. The resistive random access memory of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide film is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3, HfO 2, TiO 2, ZrO 2, and a combination thereof.",
    "3. The resistive random access memory of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide film includes a laminate of two or more of Al 2 O 3, HfO 2, TiO 2, and ZrO 2.",
    "4. The resistive random access memory of claim 1, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the absence of a plasma.",
    "5. The resistive random access memory of claim 4, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by alternating gaseous exposures of a titanium halide and an aluminum alkyl.",
    "6. The resistive random access memory of claim 5, wherein the aluminum alkyl is selected from the group consisting of Al(Me) 3, Al(Et) 3, Al(Pr) 3, and Al(i-Bu) 3.",
    "7. The resistive random access memory of claim 5, wherein the titanium halide is selected from the group consisting of TiF 4, TiCl 4, TiBr 4, and TiI 4.",
    "8. The resistive random access memory of claim 5, further comprising purging with an inert gas between the alternating gaseous exposures of the titanium halide and the aluminum alkyl.",
    "9. The resistive random access memory of claim 4, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by alternating gaseous exposures of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4) and trimethylaluminum (AlMe 3).",
    "10. The resistive random access memory of claim 1, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the metal oxide film during an annealing at a substrate temperature is between about 400° C. and about 600° C.",
    "11. A vertical resistive random access memory, comprising: a pair of vertical metal oxide films; a pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films formed on the pair of vertical metal oxide films, the pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the pair of vertical metal oxide films; and an electrode film formed between the pair of vertical conformal TiAlC films.",
    "12. A method of forming a resistive random access memory (ReRAM), the method comprising: forming a first electrode on a substrate forming a metal oxide film with oxygen vacancies on the first electrode; forming a conformal TiAlC film on the metal oxide film, the TiAlC oxidized by diffused oxygen atoms from the metal oxide film; and forming a second electrode on the TiAlC film.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein the metal oxide film is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3, HfO 2, TiO 2, ZrO 2, and a combination thereof.",
    "14. The method of claim 12, wherein the metal oxide film includes a laminate of two or more of Al 2 O 3, HfO 2, TiO 2, and ZrO 2.",
    "15. The method of claim 12, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the absence of a plasma.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by alternating gaseous exposures of a titanium halide and an aluminum alkyl.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein the aluminum alkyl is selected from the group consisting of Al(Me) 3, Al(Et) 3, Al(Pr) 3, and Al(i-Bu) 3.",
    "18. The method of claim 16, wherein the titanium halide is selected from the group consisting of TiF 4, TiCl 4, TiBr 4, and TiI 4.",
    "19. The method of claim 16, further comprising purging with an inert gas between the alternating gaseous exposures of the titanium halide and the aluminum alkyl.",
    "20. The method of claim 15, wherein the conformal TiAlC film is formed by alternating gaseous exposures of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4) and trimethylaluminum (AlMe 3)."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to semiconductor processing and semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to resistive random access memory (ReRAM) devices and method of making.\n\nReRAM devices are a class of storage memory devices. The basic idea behind ReRAM devices is that a dielectric film which is normally insulating, can be made to conduct current through a filament or conduction path formed after application of a sufficiently high voltage. The conduction path can arise from different mechanisms, including vacancy or metal defect migration. Conventional plasma-assisted film deposition does not provide adequate film conformality for high aspect ratio vertical three dimensional (3D) ReRAM devices due to the directional film deposition characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for new methods for depositing conformal films with excellent step coverage, material properties, and electronic properties for vertical 3D ReRAM devices.\n\nEmbodiments of the invention describe thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of conformal titanium aluminum carbide (TiAlC) films that exhibit excellent step coverage, material properties, and electronic properties for vertical 3D ReRAM devices. The thermal ALD is carried out in the absence of a plasma using alternating gaseous exposures of reactant gases.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01L 45/1233",
    "G11C 13/0007",
    "G11C 2213/15",
    "H01L 41/08",
    "H01L 45/1253",
    "H01L 45/146",
    "H01L 45/16",
    "H01L 45/1616",
    "H01L 45/1658",
    "H10N 70/011",
    "H10N 70/023",
    "H10N 70/046",
    "H10N 70/826",
    "H10N 70/841",
    "H10N 70/8833"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G11C 13/00",
    "H10N 30/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Tokyo Electron Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Takahiro Hakamata",
    "Genji Nakamura",
    "Sara Aoki",
    "Toshio Hasegawa",
    "Takamichi Kikuchi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-08-03",
  "publication_date": "2019-07-23",
  "grant_date": "2019-07-23",
  "priority_date": "2017-08-03",
  "application_number": "US-201816054699-A",
  "family_id": "65229858",
  "cited_by_count": 327,
  "citations": [
    "US20040208994A1",
    "US8362454B2",
    "US20150255511A1",
    "US20160336414A1",
    "US10002936B2",
    "US10049913B2",
    "US9985206B1"
  ]
}