Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a silicide layer is formed after the fabrication of a functional gate electrode using a gate-last scheme. An initial semiconductor structure has at least one impurity regions formed on a semiconductor substrate, a sacrifice film formed over the impurity region, an isolation layer formed over the sacrifice film and a dielectric layer formed over the isolation film. A via is patterned into the dielectric layer of the initial semiconductor structure and through the thickness of the isolation layer such that a contact opening is formed in the isolation layer. The sacrifice film underlying the isolation layer is then removed leaving a void space underlying the isolation layer. Then, a metal silicide precursor is placed within the void space, and the metal silicide precursor is converted to a silicide layer through an annealing process.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are provided. Provided is an epitaxial layer equipped with a lateral epitaxial layer that can block a Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) edge from a downstream etching process step, which can result in a reduced STI divot. A method involves forming a semiconductor substrate on a source region and a drain region and forming a semiconductor region on the semiconductor substrate. The method also comprises creating at least a first isolation feature adjacent to the semiconductor region and depositing an epitaxial layer on the semiconductor region and laterally between the semiconductor region and the at least the first isolation feature.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are provided. A method involves forming a semiconductor substrate on a source region and a drain region, the semiconductor substrate comprises a first crystal. The method also involves forming an epitaxial layer of a second crystal on the semiconductor substrate. The first crystal has a first lattice constant and the second crystal has a second lattice constant. The first epitaxial layer does not touch a spacer or a gate electrode. Forming the epitaxial layer can comprise forming a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer, wherein the first epitaxial layer has a conductivity type impurity that is less than the conductivity type impurity of the second epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A temperature sensor generates a digital output signal representative of the absolute temperature of the sensor. The sensor includes a first circuit configured to generate a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage signal and a second circuit configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current signal. A comparator receives the CTAT and PTAT signals and generates a comparison signal based on a comparison between the signals. A converter circuit receives the comparison signal and generates a digital output signal based on the comparison signal. The digital output signal is representative of the temperature of the sensor.

Abstract: Methods of making fins and semiconductor structures containing fins are provided. The methods involve forming a multi-layer structure over a semiconductor substrate. The multi-layer structure comprises a first layer over the semiconductor substrate, a second layer over the first layer, and a third layer over the second layer. The method also comprises removing upper portions of the semiconductor substrate and portions of the multi-layer structure to form fins of the semiconductor substrate and portions of the multi-layer structure. Further, the method comprises selectively oxidizing the first layer while oxidization of the second layer and the third layer is less than the oxidization of the first layer. The oxidation can be performed before gap fill recess or after gap fill recess.

Abstract: In an example embodiment there is described herein an apparatus, comprising a device having an input and an output, a controllable selecting device having a first input coupled to input of the device and a second input coupled to the output of the device, and a selection control circuit having a test input for receiving a test signal and a power mode input for receiving a power mode signal. The selection control circuit is coupled to the controllable selecting device and operable to control which input the controllable selecting device selects. The selection control circuit is configured to select the first input to isolate the device responsive to the test signal indicating no testing is being performed the power mode signal indicating a low power mode.

Abstract: A method of forming a device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer having first and second regions. The first region comprises wide features and the second region comprises narrow features. A depth delta exists between bottoms of the wide and narrow features. A non-conformal layer is formed on the substrate and it lines the wide and narrow trenches in the first and second regions. The non-conformal layer is removed. Removing the non-conformal layer reduces the depth delta between the bottoms of the wide and narrow features in the first and second region.

Abstract: Semiconductors devices and methods of making semiconductor devices are provided. According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device, having more than two types of threshold voltages, can be employed in a logic integrated circuit with an embedded SRAM. The semiconductor device can include at least two transistors. The two transistors can be the same conductivity type (e.g., n-type or p-type). In addition, the two transistors can have disparate voltage thresholds.

Abstract: Semiconductors devices and methods of making semiconductor devices are provided. According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device can include a p-type field effect transistor area having an active region with an epitaxial layer grown thereupon and an isolation feature adjacent to the active region. A height of the isolation feature equals or exceeds a height of an interface between the epitaxial layer and the active region. More particularly, a height of the isolation feature in the corner of a junction between the isolation feature and the action region equals or exceeds the height to the interface between the epitaxial layer and the active region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a via and trench are formed in a semiconductor structure. The via and the trench are suitable for having a metal-based wire placed therein by damascene, dual damascene, plating and other suitable techniques. The via is etched into a dielectric layer of a semiconductor structure comprising a base cap layer, the dielectric layer formed over the base cap layer, and a hardmask formed over the dielectric layer. The via is filled with a sacrifice material, where the sacrifice material contains a metal or a metal compound, where the sacrifice material additionally forms a sacrifice layer over the hardmask layer. The sacrifice material placed in the via does not contain a material or film containing a Si—O bond. The sacrifice material is used as a support for a photomask that is placed over the sacrifice layer, where the photomask is developed to have a trench pattern formed therein.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, comprising a silicon layer, an n-type field-effect transistor (NFET) disposed in and on a silicon layer, and a p-type field-effect transistor (PFET) disposed in and on the silicon layer, wherein the PFET includes a boron-doped silicon-germanium layer disposed on the silicon layer. Also, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising forming a first conductive layer over a p-well of a silicon layer, forming a second conductive layer over an n-well of the silicon layer, implanting fluorine ions into both the p-well and the n-well, exposing both the p-well and the n-well to ammonium hydroxide and peroxide, and epitaxially growing a boron-doped silicon-germanium layer on the silicon layer.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a semiconductor structure is formed having a gate oxide formed over a semiconductor substrate. The gate oxide is formed as to have three different regions characterized by a different average thickness of gate oxide in each region. A first oxidation process is performed on a semiconductor substrate having both a Si (110) orientation region and a Si (100) orientation region on a surface thereof. Gate oxide is formed at a faster rate on the Si (110) orientation region of the semiconductor substrate relative to the Si (100) orientation region. A portion of the gate oxide is selectively removed and a second oxidation process is performed to form additional gate oxide. A triple oxide semiconductor substrate is recovered with the gate oxide having three different thickness formed thereon. The triple oxide semiconductor substrate is formed using a decreased number of processing acts.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a device and related device structures are provided herein. According to one embodiment, a method for fabricating a device includes the acts of producing a substrate; forming a structure on the substrate having a lower dielectric layer, a metal layer, an upper dielectric layer, a planarizing layer, and a layer of photoresist material; developing the photoresist material according to a mask pattern; etching the planarizing layer and the upper dielectric layer according to the mask pattern; removing the photoresist material and the planarizing layer upon etching of the planarizing layer and the upper dielectric layer; applying a selective metal growth or metal/organic film to respective exposed portions of the metal layer following etching of the upper dielectric layer, thereby obtaining an inverted mask pattern; and etching at least the metal layer and the lower dielectric layer according to the inverted mask pattern.

Abstract: MOSFETs and methods of making MOSFETs are provided. According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) transistor that includes a semiconductor region formed on the substrate, a source region and drain region formed in the semiconductor region that are separated from each other, a channel region formed in the semiconductor region that separates the source region and the drain region, an interfacial oxide layer (IL) formed on the channel region into which at least one element disparate from Si, O, or N is incorporated at a peak concentration greater than 1×1019 atoms/cm2, and a high-k dielectric layer formed on the interfacial oxide layer having a high-k/IL interface at a depth substantially adjacent to the IL. In addition, at least one depth of peak density of the incorporated element(s) is located substantially below the high-k/IL interface.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, gate electrodes of a multi-gate field effect transistors and methods of making a gate electrode of a multi-gate field effect transistor are provided. The gate electrode can contain a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate; a fin over the dielectric layer; a gate insulating layer over the side surfaces of the fin; a gate electrode layer over the fin; and a polysilicon layer over the fin. The gate electrode does not contain a gate insulating layer over the upper surface of the dielectric layer except portions of the upper surface of the dielectric layer that contact with the side surfaces of the gate insulating layer formed over the side surface of the fin. In another embodiment, the gate electrode can contain an oxygen diffusion barrier layer or a first oxygen diffusion layer over the upper surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, Ru is removed from the surface of a semiconductor structure by contact with a cleaning solution comprising one or more selected from permanganate ion, orthoperiodic ion and hypochlorous ion, such that Ru is removed from surfaces of the semiconductor substrate where the presence of Ru is undesirable. In some embodiments, a semiconductor structure is formed or provided having at least one metalized layer formed over an underlying layering or semiconductor substrate. The metalized layer contains a dielectric material with one or more metal wires of copper-containing material formed in a trench and/or via in the dielectric material. A cap layer having Ru is formed on the surface of the copper-containing material forming the one or more metal wires. The semiconductor structure is contacted with the cleaning solution comprising one or more selected from permanganate ion, orthoperiodic ion and hypochlorous ion to remove a portion of the Ru present in the semiconductor structure.

Abstract: FinFETs and methods of making. FinFETs are provided. The FinFET contains two or more fins over a semiconductor substrate; two or more epitaxial layers over side surfaces of the fins; and metal-semiconductor compounds over an upper surfaces of the epitaxial layers. The fin has side surfaces that are substantially vertical relative to the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial layer has an upper surface that extends at an oblique angle with respect to the side surface of the fin. The FinFET can contain a contact over the metal-semiconductor compounds.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure having a cap layer formed over a metalized dielectric layer is formed by depositing manganese on the surface of the metalized dielectric layer. The deposited manganese serves as a first cap layer to remove oxidation on the surface of the metalized dielectric layer. The presence of oxidation on the surface of the metalized dielectric layer can be delirious for performance of a device constructed out of the semiconductor structure. A second cap layer is then formed by depositing silicon carbide or nitrogen enriched silicon carbide over the first cap layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is formed by placing a thin barrier metal layer in an interconnection trench or via in a manner such that the opening of the trench or via is not obstructed by an overhang that interferes with the placement of copper into the interconnection trench or via. The material for forming a copper interconnection line contains copper and manganese. Upon annealing, a manganese oxide layer is formed having barrier properties against copper diffusion.

Abstract: Methods of making fins and semiconductor structures containing fins are provided. The methods involve forming a multi-layer structure over fins and isolation materials and performing a multi-stage etching process to remove upper portions of the multi-layer structure and upper portions of isolation materials. Upper portions of the fins are exposed by removing the upper portions of the isolation materials via the multi-stage etching process. A stage of the multi-stage etching process removes an upper layer of the multi-layer structure and an upper portion of the isolation materials, and the stage can be terminated about at the same time when the upper surface of the underlying layer of the multi-layer structure is exposed.