Abstract:
In sophisticated integrated circuits, an electronic fuse (200) may be formed such that an increased sensitivity to electromigration may be accomplished by including at least one region of increased current density. This may be accomplished by forming a corresponding fuse region (203) as a non-linear configuration, wherein at corresponding connection portions of linear segments, the desired enhanced current crowding may occur during the application of the programming voltage. Hence, increased reliability and more space- efficient layout of the electronic fuses may be accomplished.
Abstract:
Bonding wires (252A) for sophisticated bonding applications may be efficiently formed on the basis of a corresponding template device (200) that may be formed on the basis of semiconductor material (201), such as silicon, in combination with associated fabrication techniques, such as lithography and etch techniques. Hence, any appropriate diameter and cross-sectional shape may be obtained with a high degree of accuracy and reliability.
Abstract:
In a CMOS manufacturing process flow, a cap layer (151C) formed on top of a gate electrode material (151 A) may be maintained throughout the entire implantation sequence for defining the drain and source regions (154) and may be removed during an etch process in which the width of a sidewall spacer structure (155) may be reduced so as to reduce a lateral offset of metal suicide regions (156) and of a stressed dielectric material. Thus, overall enhanced transistor performance may be obtained while nevertheless providing a high degree of compatibility with existing CMOS process strategies.
Abstract:
Semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating semiconductor devices are provided. One exemplary method comprises providing a silicon-comprising substrate having a first surface, etching a recess into the first surface, the recess having a side surface and a bottom surface, implanting carbon ions into the side surface and the bottom surface, and forming an impurity-doped, silicon-comprising region overlying the side surface and the bottom surface.
Abstract:
Techniques for forming self-aligned contacts by forming gate sidewall spacers and gates before forming the contacts are provided, in one aspect, a method of forming self-aligned contacts includes the steps of: forming multiple gate sidewall spacers on a substrate; burying the gate sidewall spacers In a dielectric; forming gate trenches by selectively rernoving the dielectric from: regions between the gate sidewall spacers in which gates will be formed; forming the gates in the gate trenches; forming contact trenches by selectively removing the dielectric from regions between the gate sidewall spacers in which the self-aligned contacts will be formed; and forming the self-aligned contacts in the contact trenches. A device structure having self-aligned contacts is also provided.
Abstract:
Provided are methods of High Productivity Combinatorial testing of semiconductor substrates, each including multiple site isolated regions. Each site isolated region includes a titanium nitride structure as well as a hafnium oxide structure and/or a polysilicon structure. Each site isolated region is exposed to an etching solution that includes sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrogen fluoride. The composition of the etching solution and/or etching conditions are varied among the site isolated regions to study effects of this variation on the etching selectivity of titanium nitride relative to hafnium oxide and/or polysilicon and on the etching rates. The concentration of sulfuric acid and/or hydrogen peroxide in the etching solution may be less than 7 % by volume each, while the concentration of hydrogen fluoride may be between 50 ppm and 200 ppm. In some embodiments, the temperature of the etching solution is maintained at between about 40C and 60C.
Abstract:
In semiconductor devices, integrity of a titanium nitride material (152) may be increased by exposing the material to an oxygen plasma (110) after forming a thin silicon nitride -based material. The oxygen plasma (110) may result in an additional passivation of any minute surface portions which may not be appropriately covered by the silicon nitride-based material. Consequently, efficient cleaning recipes, such as cleaning processes (111) based on SPM, may be performed after the additional passivation without undue material loss of the titanium nitride material (152). In this manner, sophisticated high-k metal gate stacks may be formed with a very thin protective liner material on the basis of efficient cleaning processes without unduly contributing to a pronounced yield loss in an early manufacturing stage.
Abstract:
[041] A silicon photon detector device and methodology are provided for detecting incident photons in a partially depleted floating body SOI field-effect transistor (310) which traps charges created by visible and mid infrared light in a floating body region (304) when the silicon photon detector is configured in a detect mode, and then measures or reads the resulting enhanced drain current with a current detector in a read mode.
Abstract:
Memory cells in integrated circuit devices may be formed on the basis of functional molecules (120) which may be positioned within via openings (111 ) on the basis of appropriate patterning techniques, which may also be used for forming semiconductor-based integrated circuits. Consequently, memory cells may be formed on a ''molecular" level without requiring extremely sophisticated patterning regimes, such as electron beam lithography and the like.
Abstract:
Shallow trench isolation silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices are formed with improved charge protection. Embodiments include an SOI film diode (411) and a P+? substrate junction as a charging protection device. Embodiments also include a conductive path from the SOI transistor drain (415), through a conductive contact (451), a metal line (459), a second conductive contact (453), an SOI diode (411), isolated from the transistor (409), a third conductive contact (455), a second conductive line (461), and a fourth conductive contact (457) to a P+?-doped substrate contact (449) in the bulk silicon layer (403) of the SOI substrate.