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Smart electrodes for ultralarge-area thin film capacitors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Patrick Daniels ,
Jon Ihlefeld ,
William Borland  and
Jon-Paul Maria
Patrick Daniels
Affiliation:
North Carolina State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
Jon Ihlefeld
Affiliation:
North Carolina State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
William Borland
Affiliation:
Dupont Electronic Technologies, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
Jon-Paul Maria
Affiliation:
North Carolina State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
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Abstract

A process suitable for preparing metal-insulator-metal thin film capacitors with submicron insulating layers and top electrodes with cm-scale dimensions is presented. Most importantly, this process does not require sophisticated deposition equipment or a clean room environment. The key to large area yield is co-firing the insulator film with a non-dewetting electrode during the dielectric crystallization/densification anneal. We propose a mechanism of electrode dewetting during the high temperature anneal where the metal laterally retreats from geometric asperities that compromise the integrity of the insulating layer. This behavior is driven by surface energy minimization, which promotes metal migration away from the regions of high curvature. This methodology is not material specific, and only requires a top electrode with a large contact angle to the dielectric in question. Using this technique, functional thin film capacitors with 2.5 cm lateral dimensions and 1 μm dielectric thicknesses can be routinely prepared.

Keywords

Electronic materialFerroelectricThin film
Type
Rapid Communications
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 22 , Issue 7 , July 2007 , pp. 1763 - 1766
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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