Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a first layer over the semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the first layer. The drain region comprises a drain rectangular portion having a first end and a second end, a first drain end portion contiguous with the drain rectangular portion and extending from the first end of the drain rectangular portion away from a center of the drain region, and a second drain end portion contiguous with the drain rectangular portion and extending from the second end of the drain rectangular portion away from the center of the drain region. The semiconductor device also comprises a source region free from contact with and surrounding the drain region in the first layer. The first drain end portion and the second drain end portion have a same doping type and a different doping concentration than the drain rectangular portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate structure, and a source region and a drain region on opposite sides of the gate structure. The source region comprises a first region of a first conductivity type, and a second region of a second conductivity type, the second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. The first region is arranged between the second region and the gate structure. The second region comprises at least one projection protruding into the first region and toward the gate structure.

Abstract: A high-voltage super junction device is disclosed. The device includes a semiconductor substrate region having a first conductivity type and having neighboring trenches disposed therein. The neighboring trenches each have trench sidewalls and a trench bottom surface. A region having a second conductivity type is disposed in or adjacent to a trench and meets the semiconductor substrate region at a p-n junction. A gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate region and is electrically isolated from the semiconductor substrate region by a gate dielectric. A body region having the second conductivity type is disposed on opposite sides of the gate electrode near a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A source region having the first conductivity type is disposed within in the body region on opposite sides of the gate electrode near the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A super junction includes a substrate and an epitaxial layer over the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a first dopant type. The super junction further includes an angled trench in the epitaxial layer, the angled trench having sidewalls disposed at an angle ranging from about 85-degrees to about 89-degrees with respect to a top surface of the epitaxial layer. The super junction further includes a doped body in the epitaxial layer surrounding the angled trench, the doped body having a second dopant type, the second dopant type opposite that of the first dopant type.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes a substrate and a first well in the substrate, the first well having a first dopant type. The bipolar transistor further includes a split collector region in the first well. The split collector region includes a highly doped central region having a second dopant type opposite the first dopant type; and a lightly doped peripheral region having the second dopant type, the lightly doped peripheral region surrounding the highly doped central region. A dopant concentration of the lightly doped peripheral region is less than a dopant concentration of the highly doped central region.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first doped region, a second doped region and a dielectric. The first doped region and the second doped region respectively has an aspect ratio and a dopant concentration uniformity along a depth in the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric is between the first doped region and the second doped region. The dopant concentration uniformity is within 0.2% and the aspect ratio of the semiconductor substrate is greater than about 10.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a hard mask layer over a substrate comprising a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, and forming a plurality of trenches in the hard mask layer and extending into the substrate. Each trench has at least one side wall and a bottom wall. The method further includes forming at least one barrier insulator layer along the at least one side wall and over the bottom wall of each trench, removing the at least one barrier insulator layer over the bottom wall of each trench, and filling the plurality of trenches with a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type.

Abstract: A high-voltage super junction device is disclosed. The device includes a semiconductor substrate region having a first conductivity type and having neighboring trenches disposed therein. The neighboring trenches each have trench sidewalls and a trench bottom surface. A region having a second conductivity type is disposed in or adjacent to a trench and meets the semiconductor substrate region at a p-n junction. A gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate region and electrically is electrically isolated from the semiconductor substrate region by a gate dielectric. A body region having the second conductivity type is disposed on opposite sides of the gate electrode near a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A source region having the first conductivity type is disposed within in the body region on opposite sides of the gate electrode near the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments for the present disclosure include a semiconductor device, an ultra-high voltage (UHV) laterally-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor, and methods of forming the same. An embodiment includes a first well region of a first conductivity type in a top surface of a substrate, and a second well region of a second conductivity type in the top surface of the substrate. The second well region laterally separated from the first well region by a portion of the substrate. The embodiment further includes a third region of the second conductivity type in the first well region, and a first field oxide region in the first well region, a second field oxide region in the second well region, the second field oxide region having a second bottom surface, and the first field oxide region having a first bottom surface lower than the second bottom surface and on and directly contacting the third region.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a hard mask layer over a substrate comprising a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, and forming a plurality of trenches in the hard mask layer and extending into the substrate. Each trench has at least one side wall and a bottom wall. The method further includes forming at least one barrier insulator layer along the at least one side wall and over the bottom wall of each trench, removing the at least one barrier insulator layer over the bottom wall of each trench, and filling the plurality of trenches with a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus to increase breakdown voltage of a semiconductor power device. A bonded wafer is formed by bonding a device wafer to a handle wafer with an intermediate oxide layer. The device wafer is thinned substantially from its original thickness. A power device is formed within the device wafer through a semiconductor fabrication process. The handle wafer is patterned to remove section of the handle wafer below the power device, resulting in a breakdown voltage improvement for the power device as well as a uniform electrostatic potential under reverse biasing conditions of the power device, wherein the breakdown voltage is determined. Other methods and structures are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus to increase breakdown voltage of a semiconductor power device. A bonded wafer is formed by bonding a device wafer to a handle wafer with an intermediate oxide layer. The device wafer is thinned substantially from its original thickness. A power device is formed within the device wafer through a semiconductor fabrication process. The handle wafer is patterned to remove section of the handle wafer below the power device, resulting in a breakdown voltage improvement for the power device as well as a uniform electrostatic potential under reverse biasing conditions of the power device, wherein the breakdown voltage is determined. Other methods and structures are also disclosed.

Abstract: Removing photoresist from alignment marks on a semiconductor wafer using a wafer edge exposure process is disclosed. The alignment marks on the wafer are covered by photoresist used in conjunction with semiconductor processing of one or more layers deposited on the semiconductor wafer. One or more parts of the edge of the wafer are exposed to remove the photoresist from these parts and thus reveal alignment marks on the wafer. The exposure of the one or more parts of the wafer is accomplished without performing a photolithographic clear out process. Rather, a wafer edge exposure (WEE) process is inventively utilized. Once the WEE process is performed, subsequent layers may be deposited by aligning them using the revealed alignment marks.

Abstract: Removing photoresist from alignment marks on a semiconductor wafer using a wafer edge exposure process is disclosed. The alignment marks on the wafer are covered by photoresist used in conjunction with semiconductor processing of one or more layers deposited on the semiconductor wafer. One or more parts of the edge of the wafer are exposed to remove the photoresist from these parts and thus reveal alignment marks on the wafer. The exposure of the one or more parts of the wafer is accomplished without performing a photolithographic clear out process. Rather, a wafer edge exposure (WEE) process is inventively utilized. Once the WEE process is performed, subsequent layers may be deposited by aligning them using the revealed alignment marks.

Abstract: A new method of removing impurities and moisture from the surface of a wafer and thereby preventing polysilicon residue is described. A dielectric layer is provided over the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer is deposited overlying the dielectric layer. A hard mask layer is deposited overlying the polysilicon layer and patterned to form a hard mask. The wafer is cleaned whereby moisture and impurities form on the surfaces of the hard mask and the polysilicon layer. Thereafter, the wafer is heat treated whereby the moisture and impurities are removed. Thereafter, the polysilicon layer is etched away where it is not covered by the hard mask to complete formation of a polysilicon line on a wafer in the fabrication of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A plasma etch method for forming a patterned silicon containing dielectric layer within a microelectronics fabrication. There is first provided a plasma reactor chamber. There is then fixed within the plasma reactor chamber a microelectronics fabrication. The microelectronics fabrication comprises: (1) a substrate employed within the microelectronics fabrication; (2) a metal layer formed over the substrate; (3) a silicon containing dielectric layer formed upon the metal layer; and (4) a patterned photoresist layer formed upon the silicon containing dielectric layer. There is then etched through use of a plasma etch method at a first plasma reactor chamber pressure while employing the patterned photoresist layer as a photoresist etch mask layer the silicon containing dielectric layer to form a patterned silicon containing dielectric layer while reaching and etching the metal layer to form an etched metal layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of removing photoresist from a wafer surface having a bonding pad using a three step clean composed of (1) a wet cleaning the substrate, (2) a F-containing gas high temperature plasma treatment which prevents the corrosion of aluminum contact pad, and (3) completely striping the photoresist strip using an O.sub.2 dry ash. The invention eliminates metal bonding pad corrosion and the completely removes residual photoresist from keyholes.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an electrostatic chuck of a plasma etching apparatus wherein a dummy wafer is placed on the chuck, the chamber evacuated, and an RF voltage applied that is greater than the normal RF voltage used to etch.

Abstract: A new method of metallization using a tungsten plug is described. Semiconductor device structures are provided in and on a semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer covers the semiconductor device structures wherein a contact opening is made through the insulating layer to the semiconductor substrate. A barrier layer is deposited conformally over the surface of the insulating layer and within the contact opening. A stress buffer layer is deposited overlying the barrier layer wherein the stress buffer layer prevents volcano defects. A tungsten plug is formed within the contact opening to complete the formation of the tungsten plug metallization without volcano defects in the fabrication of an integrated circuit device.

Abstract: Plasma reactors are used extensively in the manufacture of integrated circuits for the deposition and etching of thin films at low temperatures. Their range of operating temperatures and gas pressures make them highly susceptible to build-up of deposits on the inner surfaces of the reaction chamber which subsequently become dislodged by vibrations, stresses, and other aggravations and are dispersed within the system as particulates. The monitoring of particulate accumulation on wafers is conventionally done by subjecting a test wafer to a simulated operation within the tool under gas flow alone. Some types of plasma reactors incorporate oscillating gas dispersion housings in order to improve homogeneity of the gas mixture. The motion of these housings can induce significant particle displacement within the chamber. The correct monitoring procedure for these tools must therefore include the motion of the distribution housing in addition to the conventional procedures.