Method of fabricating semiconductor device having dielectric layer with improved electrical characteristics

Abstract

A semiconductor device having a dielectric layer with improved electrical characteristics and associated methods, the semiconductor device including a lower metal layer, a dielectric layer, and an upper metal layer sequentially disposed on a semiconductor substrate and an insertion layer disposed between the dielectric layer and at least one of the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer, wherein the dielectric layer includes a metal oxide film and the insertion layer includes a metallic material film.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
 forming a lower metal layer on a semiconductor substrate;   forming an insertion material layer on the lower metal layer, the insertion material layer being substantially oxygen-free as deposited;   forming a dielectric layer on the insertion material layer; and   forming an upper metal layer on the dielectric layer,   wherein the insertion material layer is converted to an insertion layer including a metal oxide, a metal nitride, or a metal oxynitride during the forming of the dielectric layer.   
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the insertion material layer has a lower activation energy than the lower metal layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the insertion material layer includes a metal film, a metal carbide film, or a metal nitride film. 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the insertion material layer includes a zirconium film, a zirconium carbide film, or a zirconium nitride film. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the lower metal layer includes a metal nitride. 
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the insertion layer is formed by an oxidation of the insertion material layer by an O 3  oxidant during the forming of the dielectric layer. 
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the insertion material layer prevents oxidation of the lower metal layer during forming the dielectric layer. 
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a metal oxide in the form of MO x , where M is a metal, O is oxygen, and x is about 0.5 to 4. 
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a metal of the insertion material layer. 
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the insertion layer has a thickness of up to about 10 Å. 
     
     
         28 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
 forming a lower metal layer on a semiconductor substrate;   forming a dielectric layer on the lower metal layer;   forming an insertion material layer on the dielectric layer, the insertion material layer being substantially oxygen-free as deposited; and   forming an upper metal layer on the insertion material layer,   wherein the insertion material layer is converted to an insertion layer including a metal oxide, a metal oxynitride, or a metal nitride during the forming of the upper metal layer.   
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the insertion material layer includes a metal film, a metal carbide film, or a metal nitride film. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the insertion material layer includes a zirconium film. 
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the insertion layer is formed by nitrating the insertion material layer by a nitrating agent used during the forming of the upper metal layer. 
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the upper metal layer includes a metal nitride. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a metal oxide in the form of MO x , where M is a metal, O is oxygen, and x is about 0.5 to 4. 
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the insertion material layer substantially prevents oxidation of the upper metal layer during the forming of the upper metal layer. 
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the dielectric layer includes a metal of the insertion material layer. 
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the insertion layer has a thickness of up to about 10 Å.