Abstract:
The present invention features double-or dual-gate logic devices that contain gate conductors that are consistently self-aligned and that have channels that are of constant width. The inventive process also provides a method of selectively etching germanium-containing gate conductor materials without significantly etching the adjacent silicon channel material. In this manner, the gate conductor can be encased in a dielectric shell without changing the length of the silicon channel. A single-crystal silicon wafer is utilized as the channel material. Pillars or stacks of self aligned dual gate MOSFETs are generated by etching, via the juxtaposition of overlapping germanium-containing gate conductor regions. Vertically etching through regions of both gate conducting material and dielectric insulating material provides an essentially perfect, self-aligned dual gate stack. A process is described wherein the gate conductor material can be selectively etched without etching the channel material.
Abstract:
An immersion lithography system is provided which includes an optical source operable to produce light having a nominal wavelength and an optical imaging system. The optical imaging system has an optical element in an optical path from the optical source to an article to be patterned thereby. The optical element has a face which is adapted to contact a liquid occupying a space between the face and the article. The optical element includes a material which is degradable by the liquid and a protective coating which covers the degradable material at the face for protecting the face from the liquid, the protective coating being transparent to the light, stable when exposed to the light and stable when exposed to the liquid.
Abstract:
A method of forming CMOS semiconductor (10) materials with PFET (16) and NFET (14) areas formed on a semiconductor substrate (12), covered respectively with a PFET (16) and NFET (14) gate dielectric layers composed of silicon oxide and different degrees of nitridation (18D and 18E) thereof. Provide a silicon substrate (12) with a PFET (16) area and an NFET (14) area and form PFET and NFET gate oxide layers thereover. Provide nitridation of the PFET gate oxide layer above the PFET area to form the PFET gate dielectric layer (42) above the PFET area with a first concentration level of nitrogen atoms in the PFET gate dielectric I ayer above the PFET area. Provide nitridation of the NFET gate oxide layer to form the NFET gate dielectric layer (40) above the NFET area with a different concentration level of nitrogen atoms from the first concentration level. The NFET gate dielectric layer (40) and the PFET gate dielectric layer (42) can have the same thickness.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a wrapped-gate transistor including a substrate having an upper surface and first and second side surfaces opposing to each other. Source and drain regions (28) are formed in the substrate with a channel region therebetween. The channel region extends from the first side surface to the second side surfaces of the substrate. A gate dielectric layer (40) is formed on the substrate. A gate electrode (42) is formed on the gate dielectric layer (40) to cover the channel region from the upper surface and the first and second side surfaces with the gate dielectric (40) therebetween. The substrate is a silicon island (12) formed on an insulation layer of an SOI (silicon-on-insulator) substrate or a conventional non-SOI substrate, and has four side surfaces including the first and second side surfaces. The source and drain regions (28) are formed on the portions of the substrate adjoining the third and fourth side surfaces which are perpendicular to the first and second side surfaces. The wrapped-gate structure provides a better and quicker potential control within the channel area, which yields steep sub-threshold slope and low sensitivity to the 'body-to-source' voltage.
Abstract:
A vertical transistor particularly suitable for high density integration includes potentially independent gate structures (3230) o opposite sides of a semiconductor pillar (2910) formed by etching in a trench. The gate structure is surrounded by insulting material (2620) which is selectively etchable to isolation material surrounding the transistor. A contact (3820) is made to the lower end of the pillar by selectively etching the isolation material selective to the insulating material. The upper end of the pillar is covered by a cap (2730) and sidewalls of selectively etchable materials so that gate and source connection openings (3720, 3620) can also be made by selective etching with good registration tolerance.
Abstract:
Hybrid substrates characterized by semiconductor islands of different crystal orientations and methods of forming such hybrid substrates. The methods involve using a SIMOX process to form an insulating layer. The insulating layer may divide the islands of at least one of the different crystal orientations into mutually aligned device and body regions. The body regions may be electrically floating relative to the device regions.
Abstract:
An immersion lithography system is provided which includes an optical source operable to produce light having a nominal wavelength and an optical imaging system. The optical imaging system has an optical element in an optical path from the optical source to an article to be patterned thereby. The optical element has a face which is adapted to contact a liquid occupying a space between the face and the article. The optical element includes a material which is degradable by the liquid and a protective coating which covers the degradable material at the face for protecting the face from the liquid, the protective coating being transparent to the light, stable when exposed to the light and stable when exposed to the liquid.
Abstract:
Non-volatile and radiation-hard switching and memory devices (225) using vertical nano-tubes (155) and reversibly held in state by van der Waals' forces and methods of fabricating the devices. Means for sensing the state of the devices include measuring capacitance, and tunneling and field emission currents.