Abstract: A semiconductor device having a controlled resistance value within a predetermined range. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and an oxide layer provided above the substrate. There is also included a first dielectric layer that is silicon-rich above the oxide layer. There is further included a second dielectric layer above the silicon-rich layer.

Abstract: A structure and method of maximizing the volume of low dielectric constant material between adjacent traces of a conductive interconnect structure. A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating layer located over the semiconductor substrate, a conductive interconnect layer having a plurality of conductive traces located over the first insulating layer, and a patterned insulating layer located over the patterned interconnect layer. One or more trenches are formed in the upper surface of the first insulating layer. These trenches, which do not extend completely through the first insulating layer, are located between adjacent traces of the interconnect layer. A dielectric material having a low dielectric constant is located in these trenches, and between adjacent traces of the patterned interconnect layer. The trenches advantageously maximize the volume of low dielectric constant material which is located between the traces.

Abstract: A method is provided for suppressing or eliminating void formation during the manufacture of integrated circuits. TEOS is deposited and etched to form recesses that assist in eliminating or suppressing void formation. The recesses may be located in an interlevel layer, or within the oxide layer just beneath the passivation layer.

Abstract: The degradation of integrity of the gate oxide in a CMOS transistor due to the formation of a tungsten silicide strapping layer on the polycrystalline silicon gate as a result of the migration of fluorine atoms from the tungsten hexafluoride used to form the tungsten silicide is reduced by increasing the dopant concentration of the polycrystalline silicon layer thereby to form dopant atoms in the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline silicon to block the migration of fluorine through the polycrystalline silicon to the underlying gate oxide. By preventing fluorine from reaching the gate oxide in this manner, the degradation of the gate oxide due to the replacement of oxygen by fluorine is decreased.