Methods of forming metal oxide

Abstract

Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. Metal oxide may be deposited over a first electrode, with the deposited metal oxide having a relatively low degree of crystallinity. The degree of crystallinity within the metal oxide may be increased after the deposition of the metal oxide. A dielectric material may be formed over the metal oxide, and a second electrode may be formed over the dielectric material. The degree of crystallinity may be increased with a thermal treatment. The thermal treatment may be conducted before, during, and/or after formation of the dielectric material.

I/we claim,: 
     
         1 . A method of increasing crystallinity within a metal oxide, comprising:
 annealing the metal oxide at a temperature of at least about 600° C. while exposing the metal oxide to an environment which is either inert relative to reaction with all constituents of the metal oxide, or reducing relative to reaction with one or more constituents of the metal oxide; the metal oxide being electrically conductive after said anneal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide comprises oxygen in combination with one or more of praseodymium, barium, calcium, manganese, strontium, titanium, iron, cesium and lead. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide comprises PrCaMnO; where the listed composition is described in terms of principle components, rather than in terms of a specific stoichiometry. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the environment comprises H 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the environment comprises argon and/or N 2 . 
     
     
         6 . A method of forming an electrically conductive metal oxide, comprising:
 depositing metal oxide over an underlying material; and   after the depositing, increasing crystallinity of the metal oxide by annealing the metal oxide at a temperature of at least about 600° C. while exposing the metal oxide to an environment which is reducing relative to reaction with one or more constituents of the metal oxide.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the metal oxide comprises PrCaMnO, where the listed composition is described in terms of principle components, rather than in terms of a specific stoichiometry; wherein the deposited metal oxide is entirely amorphous; and wherein the environment comprises H 2 . 
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a memory cell, comprising:
 depositing metal oxide over a first electrode, the deposited metal oxide having a relatively low degree of crystallinity;   after the depositing, increasing the degree of crystallinity within the metal oxide, the metal oxide having the increased degree of crystallinity being electrically conductive;   forming a dielectric material over the metal oxide; and   forming a second electrode over the dielectric material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the increasing the degree of crystallinity comprises a thermal treatment of the metal oxide conducted prior to formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the metal oxide is a first metal oxide, and wherein the dielectric material comprises a second metal oxide, and wherein the formation of the dielectric material utilizes water as the only source of oxygen for the second metal oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the second metal oxide consists of one or both of hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the increasing the degree of crystallinity comprises a thermal treatment of the metal oxide conducted after formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the increasing the degree of crystallinity comprises a thermal treatment of the metal oxide conducted during formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the increasing the degree of crystallinity comprises:
 a first thermal treatment of the metal oxide conducted prior to formation of the dielectric material; and 
 a second thermal treatment of the metal oxide conducted during and/or after formation of the dielectric material. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the first and second thermal treatments each comprise maintaining the metal oxide at a temperature of at least about 600° C. for a duration of at least about 5 minutes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the deposited metal oxide is entirely amorphous. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the increasing the degree of crystallinity comprises annealing the metal oxide at a temperature of at least about 600° C. while exposing the metal oxide to an environment which is either inert relative to reaction with all constituents of the metal oxide, or reducing relative to reaction with one or more constituents of the metal oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the anneal is conducted before formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the anneal is conducted during formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the anneal is conducted after formation of the dielectric material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the metal oxide comprises oxygen in combination with one or more of praseodymium, barium, calcium, manganese, strontium, titanium, iron, cesium and lead. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the metal oxide is a first metal oxide, and wherein the dielectric material comprises one or more of a second metal oxide, silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the dielectric material is formed to a thickness of less than or equal to about 50 Å.