Patent 7101813 was granted and assigned to Micron Technology on September, 2006 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A dielectric film containing atomic layer deposited Zr—Sn—Ti—O and a method of fabricating such a dielectric film produce a reliable dielectric layer having an equivalent oxide thickness thinner than attainable using SiO2. Depositing titanium and oxygen onto a substrate surface by atomic layer deposition, depositing zirconium and oxygen onto a substrate surface by atomic layer deposition, and depositing tin and oxygen onto a substrate surface by atomic layer deposition form the Zr—Sn—Ti—O dielectric layer. Dielectric films containing atomic layer deposited Zr—Sn—Ti—O are thermodynamically stable such that the Zr—Sn—Ti—O will have minimal reactions with a silicon substrate or other structures during processing.