A High Density MIM Capacitor in a Standard CMOS Process

A simple metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor in a standard $0.25{\;}\mu\textrm{m}$ digital CMOS process is described. Using all six interconnect layers, this capacitor exploits both the lateral and vertical electrical fields to increase the capacitance density (capacitance per unit area). Compared to a conventional parallel plate capacitor in the four upper metal layers, this capacitor achieves lower parasitic substrate capacitance, and improves the capacitance density by a factor of 4. Measurements and an extracted model for the capacitor are also presented. Calculations, model and measurements agree very well.