Abstract: Silicon-rich silicides of titanium and tantalum have been found to be suitable for use as the gate metal in semiconductor integrated circuits replacing polysilicon altogether. Such silicon-rich silicides, formed by sintering a cosputtered alloy with silicon to metal ratio of three as in deposited film, are stable even on gate oxide. The use of these compounds leads to stable, low resistivity gates and eliminates the need for the high resistivity polysilicon gate.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit fabrication sequence, a relatively thick sacrificial layer (18) is deposited on a nonplanar surface of a device wafer in which high-resolution features are to be defined. The thick layer is characterized by a conforming lower surface and an essentially planar top surface and by the capability of being patterned in a high-resolution way. An intermediate masking layer (22) and then a thin resist layer (20) are deposited on the top surface of the sacrificial layer, the thickness of the resist layer being insufficient by itself to provide adequate step coverage if the resist layer were applied directly on the nonplanar surface. A high-resolution pattern defined in the resist layer is transferred into the intermediate masking layer. Subsequently, a dry processing technique is utilized to replicate the pattern in the sacrificial layer. A high-resolution pattern with near-vertical sidewalls is thereby produced in the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making patterned gold films in the manufacture of integrated circuit devices. The method calls for the deposition of a film of a gold compound whose heat of formation is in the range of from -20 to +10 Kcal/mole, selectively reducing the gold compound to elemental gold by irradiation, and chemically removing the unreduced portions of the gold compound.