Abstract: Integrated chips and methods of forming the same include forming a lower conductive line over an underlying layer. An upper conductive via is formed over the lower conducting lines. An encapsulating layer is formed on the lower conductive line and the upper conductive via using a treatment process that converts an outermost layer of the lower conductive line and the upper conductive via into the encapsulating layer.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor structure includes forming a metallization layer on a substrate. The method further includes forming a dielectric layer on the metallization layer. The method further includes forming one or more openings in the dielectric layer and the metallization layer exposing a top surface of the substrate. The method further includes forming a polymer-adhering liner layer on sidewalls of the dielectric layer in the one or more openings. The method further includes selectively depositing a dielectric polymer in at least a top portion of the one or more openings and on the polymer-adhering liner layer. The dielectric polymer seals an air gap positioned between a bottom surface of the dielectric polymer and a top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Magnetic structures including magnetic inductors and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)-containing structures that have tapered sidewalls are formed without using an ion beam etch (IBE). The magnetic structures are formed by providing a material stack of a dielectric capping layer and a sacrificial dielectric material layer above a lower interconnect level. First and second etching steps are performed to pattern the sacrificial dielectric material layer and the dielectric capping layer such that a patterned dielectric capping layer is provided with a tapered sidewall. After removing the sacrificial dielectric material layer, a magnetic material-containing stack is formed within the opening in the patterned dielectric capping layer and atop the patterned dielectric capping layer. A planarization process is then employed to pattern the magnetic-containing stack by removing the magnetic material-containing stack that is located atop the patterned dielectric capping layer.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor structure includes forming a metallization layer on a substrate. The method further includes forming a dielectric layer on the metallization layer. The method further includes forming one or more openings in the dielectric layer and the metallization layer exposing a top surface of the substrate. The method further includes forming a polymer-adhering liner layer on sidewalls of the dielectric layer in the one or more openings. The method further includes selectively depositing a dielectric polymer in at least a top portion of the one or more openings and on the polymer-adhering liner layer. The dielectric polymer seals an air gap positioned between a bottom surface of the dielectric polymer and a top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) containing sensor that includes a vertically oriented stack of an emitter overlying a supporting substrate, a base region present directly atop the emitter and a collector atop the base region. A first extrinsic base region is in contact with a first sidewall of a vertically oriented base region. The first extrinsic base region is electrically contacted to provide the bias current of the bipolar junction transistor during sensor operation. A second extrinsic base region is in contact with a second sidewall of the base region. The second extrinsic base region includes a sensing element. A sample trench is present adjacent to the BJT having a trench sidewall provided by the sensing element.

Abstract: Integrated circuits including metal-insulator-metal capacitors (MIMCAPs) generally include a diffusion barrier layer on the top and bottom surfaces of the electrode and a self-formed oxide layer on sidewalls of the electrode. The diffusion barrier layers and the self-formed oxide layers on the sidewalls of the electrode prevent diffusion of the metal defining the electrode into the interlayer dielectric. Also described are processes for fabricating the MIMCAPs.

Abstract: A method including forming a dual damascene interconnect structure comprising a metal wire above a via, recessing the metal wire to form a trench, depositing a liner along a bottom and a sidewall of the trench, and forming a new metal wire in the trench. The method may also include forming a dual damascene interconnect structure comprising a metal wire above a via, recessing the metal wire to form a trench, depositing a liner along a bottom and a sidewall of the trench, removing the liner along the bottom of the trench, and forming a new metal wire in the trench.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming one or more memory device layers over a contact structure. In the method, a plurality of hardmask layers are deposited on the one or more memory device layers in a stacked configuration. Alternating hardmask layers of the stacked configuration are different from each other in at least one respect. The method further includes patterning the plurality of hardmask layers and the one or more memory device layers into a pillar over the contact structure.

Abstract: Embedded resistors which have tunable resistive values located between interconnect levels are provided. The embedded resistors have a pillar structure, i.e., they have a height that is greater than their width, thus they occupy less real estate as compared with conventional planar resistors that are typically employed in BEOL technology.

Abstract: After forming a contact opening in a dielectric material layer located over a substrate, a metal liner layer comprising a nitride of an alloy and a metal contact layer comprising the alloy that provides the metal liner layer are deposited in-situ in the contact opening by sputter deposition in a single process and without an air break. Compositions of the metal liner layer and the metal contact layer can be changed by varying gas compositions employed in the sputtering process.

Abstract: A capacitor structure is provided that includes conformal layers of a lower electrode, a high-k metal oxide dielectric, and an upper electrode. The capacitor structure is formed by a single process which enables the in-situ conformal deposition of the electrode and dielectric layers of the capacitor structure. The single process includes atomic layer deposition in which a metal-containing precursor is selected to provide each of the layers of the capacitor structure. The lower electrode layer is formed by utilizing the metal-containing precursor and a first reactive gas, the high-k metal oxide dielectric layer is provided by switching the first reactive gas to a second reactive gas, and the upper electrode layer is provided by switching the second reactive gas back to the first reactive gas.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided in which metal semiconductor alloy pillars are formed at least partially within the sidewall surfaces of each semiconductor fin that extends from a surface of a substrate. These pillars are fuses (i.e., FinFET fuses) that are formed at a very tight pitch dimensions. The pillars can be trimmed after forming FinFET devices. The present application provides a method for forming on-chip FinFET fuses easily by choice of the metal semiconductor alloy, the amount of pillar trim, the number of contacted pillars and to a lower design degree the height of each pillar.

Abstract: Integration of structures including an embedded magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device such as a magnetic tunneling junction device includes pre-patterned etch stop layers to prevent excessive etching of the interlayer dielectric during a via open step.

Abstract: A method of forming a resistive random access memory device which contains uniform layer composition is provided. The method enables the in-situ deposition of a bottom electrode layer (i.e., a metal layer), a resistive switching element (i.e., at least one metal oxide layer), and a top electrode layer (i.e., a metal nitride layer and/or a metal layer) with compositional control. Resistive random access memory devices which contain uniform layer composition enabled by the in-situ deposition of the bottom electrode layer, the resistive switching element, and the top electrode layer provide significant benefits for advanced memory technologies.

Abstract: A low resistance middle-of-line interconnect structure is formed without liner layers. A contact metal layer is deposited on source/drain regions of field-effect transistors and directly on the surfaces of trenches within a dielectric layer using plasma enhancement. Contact metal fill is subsequently provided by thermal chemical vapor deposition. The use of low-resistivity metal contact materials such as ruthenium is facilitated by the process. The process further facilitates the formation of metal silicide regions on the source/drain regions.

Abstract: Integration of structures including an embedded magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device such as a magnetic tunneling junction device includes pre-patterned etch stop layers to prevent excessive etching of the interlayer dielectric during a via open step.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming one or more memory device layers over a contact structure. In the method, a plurality of hardmask layers are deposited on the one or more memory device layers in a stacked configuration. Alternating hardmask layers of the stacked configuration are different from each other in at least one respect. The method further includes patterning the plurality of hardmask layers and the one or more memory device layers into a pillar over the contact structure.

Abstract: After forming a contact opening in a dielectric material layer located over a substrate, a metal liner layer comprising a nitride of an alloy and a metal contact layer comprising the alloy that provides the metal liner layer are deposited in-situ in the contact opening by sputter deposition in a single process and without an air break. Compositions of the metal liner layer and the metal contact layer can be changed by varying gas compositions employed in the sputtering process.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming one or more memory device layers over a contact structure. In the method, a plurality of hardmask layers are deposited on the one or more memory device layers in a stacked configuration. Alternating hardmask layers of the stacked configuration are different from each other in at least one respect. The method further includes patterning the plurality of hardmask layers and the one or more memory device layers into a pillar over the contact structure.

Abstract: At least one opening having a biconvex shape is formed into a dielectric material layer. A void-free metallization region (interconnect metallic region and/or metallic contact region) is provided to each of the openings. The void-free metallization region has the biconvex shape and exhibits a low wire resistance.