Method of fabricating a wordline in a memory array of a semiconductor device
US6358788B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/32134
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Metal nitride and metal oxynitride extrusions often form on metal silicides. These extrusions can cause short circuits and degrade processing yields. The present invention discloses a method of selectively removing such extrusions. In one embodiment, a novel wet etch comprising an oxidizing agent and a chelating agent selectively removes the extrusions from a wordline in a memory array. In another embodiment, the wet etch includes a base that adjusts the pH of the etch to selectively remove certain extrusions relative to other substances in the wordline. Accordingly new metal silicide structures can be used to form novel wordlines and other types of integrated circuits.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.