Abstract: A stressed MOS device and a method for its fabrication are provided. The MOS device comprises a substrate having a surface, the substrate comprising a monocrystalline semiconductor material having a first lattice constant. A channel region is formed of the monocrystalline silicon material adjacent the surface. A stress inducing monocrystalline semiconductor material having a second lattice constant greater than the first lattice constant is grown under the channel region to exert a horizontal tensile stress on the channel region.

Abstract: By performing optical measurements and evaluating the optical response of an appropriately prepared measurement site, stress-related characteristics, such as intrinsic stress of dielectric layers, may be evaluated due to the dependency of the optical response on stress-induced modifications of the charge carrier mobility of a conductive layer provided below the dielectric layer probed by an optical signal. Consequently, inline measurement results may be obtained in a highly efficient manner, thereby providing the potential for monitoring complex stress engineering strategies during a manufacturing sequence for forming microstructure devices.

Abstract: By forming isolation trenches of different types of intrinsic stress on the basis of separate process sequences, the strain characteristics of adjacent active semiconductor regions may be adjusted so as to obtain overall device performance. For example, highly stressed dielectric fill material including compressive and tensile stress may be appropriately provided in the respective isolation trenches in order to correspondingly adapt the charge carrier mobility of respective channel regions.

Abstract: Methods are provided for semiconductor devices having low contact resistance. The method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprises forming an insulating layer overlying a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a device region therein. An opening is formed through the insulating layer to expose a portion of the device region, and the portion of the device region is then electrically contacted by a metallic liner layer. To reduce the resistance of the liner layer and hence the contact, ions of a conductivity determining impurity are implanted into the metallic liner layer. A metal layer is then deposited overlying the metallic liner layer to fill the opening through the insulating layer and to form a conductive plug.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having small electrical contacts to impurity doped regions and a method for fabrication of such a device are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a doped region formed therein. The doped region has a nucleating layer comprising nickel on its surface, and a nanowire structure comprising silicon and carbon electrically contacts the nucleating layer.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a stressed MOS device is provided. One method comprises the steps of providing a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate having a surface and a channel abutting the surface. A gate electrode having a first edge and a second edge is formed overlying the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate. The substrate is anisotropically etched to form a first recess aligned with the first edge and a second recess aligned with the second edge. The substrate is further isotropically etched to form a third recess in the substrate extending beneath the channel. The third recess is filled with an expanding material to exert an upward force on the channel and the first and second recesses are filled with a contact material. Conductivity determining ions are implanted into the contact material to form a source region and a drain region aligned with the first and second edges, respectively.

Abstract: By using an implantation mask having a high intrinsic stress, SMT sequences may be provided in which additional lithography steps may be avoided. Consequently, a strain source may be provided without significantly contributing to the overall process complexity.

Abstract: By forming a semiconductor alloy in a silicon-based active semiconductor region prior to the gate patterning, material characteristics of the semiconductor alloy itself may also be exploited in addition to the strain-inducing effect thereof. Consequently, device performance of advanced field effect transistors may be even further enhanced compared to conventional approaches using a strained semiconductor alloy in the drain and source regions.

Abstract: By providing a self-biasing semiconductor switch, an SRAM cell having a reduced number of individual active components may be realized. In particular embodiments, the self-biasing semiconductor device may be provided in the form of a double channel field effect transistor that allows the formation of an SRAM cell with less than six transistor elements and in preferred embodiments with as few as two individual transistor elements.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a stressed MOS device is provided. One method comprises the steps of providing a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate having a surface and a channel abutting the surface. A gate electrode having a first edge and a second edge is formed overlying the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate. The substrate is anisotropically etched to form a first recess aligned with the first edge and a second recess aligned with the second edge. The substrate is further isotropically etched to form a third recess in the substrate extending beneath the channel. The third recess is filled with an expanding material to exert an upward force on the channel and the first and second recesses are filled with a contact material. Conductivity determining ions are implanted into the contact material to form a source region and a drain region aligned with the first and second edges, respectively.

Abstract: By modifying the vertical dopant concentration in deep drain and source regions, the reaction behavior during the formation of metal silicide regions may be controlled. For this purpose, an increased dopant concentration is formed around a target depth for the metal silicide interface, thereby reducing the reaction speeds and thus improving the uniformity of the resulting metal silicide interface.

Abstract: By providing a self-biasing semiconductor switch, an SRAM cell having a reduced number of individual active components may be realized. In particular embodiments, the self-biasing semiconductor device may be provided in the form of a double channel field effect transistor that allows the formation of an SRAM cell with less than six transistor elements and, in preferred embodiments, with as few as two individual transistor elements.

Abstract: By providing a test structure including a plurality of test pads, the anisotropic behavior of stress and strain influenced electrical characteristics, such as the electron mobility, may be determined in a highly efficient manner. Moreover, the test pads may enable the detection of stress and strain induced modifications with a spatial resolution in the order of magnitude of individual circuit elements.

Abstract: A dislocation region is formed by implanting a light inert species, such as hydrogen, to a specified depth and with a high concentration, and by heat treating the inert species to create “nano” bubbles, which enable a certain mechanical decoupling to underlying device regions, thereby allowing a more efficient creation of strain that is induced by an external stress-generating source. In this way, strain may be created in a channel region of a field effect transistor by, for instance, a stress layer or sidewall spacers formed in the vicinity of the channel region.