Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide improved technology for forming high speed logical gate of a semiconductor device. SOLUTION: An FET (field effect transistor) has: a gate disposed between a source and a drain; a gate dielectric layer disposed under the gate; and spacers disposed on the sides of the gate. The gate dielectric layer is made of a conventional oxide, and the spacer has a reduced dielectric constant (k). The reduced dielectric constant (k) can be made smaller than 3.85, and can be made larger than 3.85 (approximately same as that of the oxide) and smaller than 7.0 (approximately same as that of nitride). The spacer consists preferably of a material which can be etched selectively in relation to the gate dielectric layer. The spacer can have porosity, and a thin layer which prevents moisture absorption is deposited on a surface of the porous spacer. The spacer can be made of a material which is chosen from the group consisting of Black Diamond, Coral, TERA and a Blok type material. A hole is formed into the material of the spacer by exposing the spacer to oxygen plasma. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit chip having a first region of a first layout rule and a second region of a second layout rule. The method includes using a first material to establish a first hard mask pattern in only the first region and using a second material to establish a second hard mask pattern on top of the first hard mask pattern. The second material is additionally used to establish a third hard mask pattern in the second region.
Abstract:
A permanent protective hardmask 40 protects the dielectric properties of a main bulk dielectric layer 30 having a desirably low dielectric constant in a semiconductor device from undesirable increases in the dielectric constant, undesirable increases in current leakage, and low device yield from surface scratching during subsequent processing steps. The protective hardmask 40 further includes a single layer 50 or dual layer 50,60 sacrificial hardmask particularly useful when interconnect structures such as via openings and/or lines are formed in the low dielectric material during the course of making the final product. The sacrificial hardmask layers 50,60 and the permanent hardmask layer 40 may be formed in a single step from a same precursor wherein process conditions are altered to provide films of differing dielectric constants. Most preferably, a dual damascene structure has a tri-layer hardmask comprising silicon carbide, PECVD silicon nitride, and PECVD silicon dioxide, respectively, formed over a bulk low dielectric constant interlevel dielectric prior to forming the interconnect structures in the interlevel dielectric. The protective hardmask 40 has a low dielectric constant k which may be the same or similar to that of the bulk dielectric layer 30.
Abstract:
Poorly adherent layers such as silicon nitride and silicon dioxide exhibit improved adhesion to copper member by providing an intervening germanium-containing layer. The germanium-containing layer is copper germanide, germanium oxide, germanium nitride or combinations thereof. The germanium-containing layer enhances the adhesion such that the poorly adherent layer is less susceptible to delamination from the copper member.