Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a first transistor element and a second transistor element. The first transistor element comprises at least one first amorphous region and the second transistor element comprises at least one second amorphous region. A stress-creating layer is formed over the first transistor element. The stress-creating layer does not cover the second transistor element. A first annealing process is performed. The first annealing process is adapted to re-crystallize the first amorphous region and the second amorphous region. After the first annealing process, a second annealing process is performed. The stress-creating layer remains on the semiconductor substrate during the second annealing process.

Abstract: By providing heat dissipation elements or heat pipes in temperature critical areas of a semiconductor device, enhanced performance, reliability and packing density may be achieved. The heat dissipation elements may be formed on the basis of standard manufacturing techniques and may be positioned in close proximity to individual transistor elements and/or may be used for shielding particular circuit portions.

Abstract: By providing a test structure for evaluating the patterning process and/or the epitaxial growth process for forming embedded semiconductor alloys in sophisticated semiconductor devices, enhanced statistical relevance in combination with reduced test time may be accomplished.

Abstract: By providing a test structure for evaluating the patterning process and/or the epitaxial growth process for forming embedded semiconductor alloys in sophisticated semiconductor devices, enhanced statistical relevance in combination with reduced test time may be accomplished.

Abstract: Operation of complex integrated circuits at low temperatures may be enhanced by providing active heating elements within the integrated circuit so as to raise the temperature of at least critical circuit portions at respective operational phases, such as upon power-up. Consequently, enhanced cold temperature performance may be obtained on the basis of existing process elements in order to provide design stability without requiring extensive circuit simulation or redesign of well-established circuit architectures.

Abstract: By repeatedly applying a process sequence comprising an etch process and a selective epitaxial growth process during the formation of drain and source areas in a transistor device, highly complex dopant profiles may be generated on the basis of in situ doping. Further-more, a strain material may be provided while stress relaxation mechanisms may be reduced due to the absence of any implantation processes.

Abstract: After forming the outer drain and source regions of an N-channel transistor, the spacer structure may be removed on the basis of an appropriately designed etch stop layer so that a rigid material layer may be positioned more closely to the gate electrode, thereby enhancing the overall strain-inducing mechanism during a subsequent anneal process in the presence of the material layer and providing an enhanced stress memorization technique (SMT). In some illustrative embodiments, a selective SMT approach may be provided.

Abstract: By forming a single spacer element and reducing the size thereof by a well-controllable etch process, a complex lateral dopant profile may be obtained at reduced process complexity compared to conventional triple spacer approaches in forming drain and source regions of advanced MOS transistors.

Abstract: By appropriately locally controlling the conditions during a re-growth process in a memory region and a speed-critical device region, the creation of dislocation defects may be reduced in the memory region, thereby enhancing overall stability of respective memory cells. On the other hand, enhanced strain levels may be obtained in the speed-critical device region by performing an efficient amorphization process and re-crystallizing amorphized portions, for instance, in the presence of a rigid material to provide a desired high strain level.

Abstract: By incorporating germanium material into thermal sensing diode structures, the sensitivity thereof may be significantly increased. In some illustrative embodiments, the process for incorporating the germanium material may be performed with high compatibility with a process flow for incorporating a silicon/germanium material into P-channel transistors of sophisticated semiconductor devices. Hence, temperature control efficiency may be increased with reduced die area consumption.

Abstract: A selective stress memorization technique is disclosed in which the creation of tensile strain may be accomplished without additional photolithography steps by using an implantation mask or any other mask required during a standard manufacturing flow, or by providing a patterned cap layer for a strained re-crystallization of respective drain and source areas. In still other aspects, additional anneal steps may be used for selectively creating a crystalline state and a non-crystalline state prior to the re-crystallization on the basis of a cap layer. Thus, enhanced strain may be obtained in one type of transistor while not substantially negatively affecting the other type of transistor without requiring additional photolithography steps.

Abstract: By providing an interlayer dielectric material with different removal rates, a desired minimum material height above gate electrode structures of sophisticated transistor devices of the 65 nm technology or 45 nm technology may be obtained. The reduced removal rate above the gate electrode may thus provide enhanced process robustness during the planarization of the interlayer dielectric layer stack prior to the formation of contact elements.

Abstract: By providing a test structure for evaluating the patterning process and/or the epitaxial growth process for forming embedded semiconductor alloys in sophisticated semiconductor devices, enhanced statistical relevance in combination with reduced test time may be accomplished.

Abstract: By forming thermocouples in a contact structure of a semiconductor device, respective extension lines of the thermocouples may be routed to any desired location within the die, without consuming valuable semiconductor area in the device layer. Thus, an appropriate network of measurement points of interest may be provided, while at the same time allowing the application of well-established process techniques and materials. Hence, temperature-dependent signals may be obtained from hot spots substantially without being affected by design constraints in the device layer.

Abstract: By selectively modifying the spacer width, for instance, by reducing the spacer width on the basis of implantation masks, an individual adaptation of dopant profiles may be achieved without unduly contributing to the overall process complexity. For example, in sophisticated integrated circuits, the performance of transistors of the same or different conductivity type may be individually adjusted by providing different sidewall spacer widths on the basis of an appropriate masking regime.

Abstract: A technique is presented which provides for a selective pre-amorphization of source/drain regions of a transistor while preventing pre-amorphization of a gate electrode of the transistor. Illustrative embodiments include the formation of a pre-amorphization implant blocking material over the gate electrode. Further illustrative embodiments include inducing a strain in a channel region by use of various stressors.

Abstract: By introducing additional strain-inducing mechanisms on the basis of stress memorization techniques, the performance of NMOS transistors may be significantly increased, thereby reducing the imbalance between PMOS transistors and NMOS transistors. By amorphizing and re-crystallizing the respective material in the presence of a mask layer at various stages of the manufacturing process, a drive current improvement of up to approximately 27% has been observed, with the potential for further performance gain.

Abstract: A new technique enables providing a stress-inducing alloy having a highly stress-inducing region and a region which is processable by standard processing steps suitable for use in a commercial high volume semiconductor device manufacturing environment. The regions may be formed by a growth process with a varying composition of the growing material or by other methods such as ion implantation. The highly stress-inducing region near the channel region of a transistor may be covered with an appropriate cover.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a first transistor element and a second transistor element. The first transistor element comprises at least one first amorphous region and the second transistor element comprises at least one second amorphous region. A stress-creating layer is formed over the first transistor element. The stress-creating layer does not cover the second transistor element. A first annealing process is performed. The first annealing process is adapted to re-crystallize the first amorphous region and the second amorphous region. After the first annealing process, a second annealing process is performed. The stress-creating layer remains on the semiconductor substrate during the second annealing process.