Abstract: Methods of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a barrier layer on a substrate, wherein the barrier layer comprises molybdenum; and forming a lead free interconnect structure on the barrier layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of a composite carbon nanotube structure comprising a number of carbon nanotubes disposed in a matrix comprised of a metal or a metal oxide. The composite carbon nanotube structures may be used as a thermal interface device in a packaged integrated circuit device.

Abstract: A method of forming a copper interconnect on a substrate comprises providing a substrate that includes a dielectric layer and a trench etched into the dielectric layer, depositing a barrier layer within the trench, using a palladium immobilization process to form a metal catalyst layer on the barrier layer, activating the metal catalyst layer, and using a vapor deposition process to deposit a copper seed layer onto the metal catalyst layer. The vapor deposition process may include PVD, CVD, or ALD. An electroplating process or an electroless plating process may then be used to deposit a bulk copper layer onto the copper seed layer to fill the trench. A planarization process may follow to form the final interconnect structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal carbide layer begins with providing a substrate, an organometallic precursor material, at least one doping agent such as nitrogen, and a plasma such as a hydrogen plasma. The substrate is placed within a reaction chamber; and heated. A process cycle is then performed, where the process cycle includes pulsing the organometallic precursor material into the reaction chamber, pulsing the doping agent into the reaction chamber, and pulsing the plasma into the reaction chamber, such that the organometallic precursor material, the doping agent, and the plasma react at the surface of the substrate to form a metal carbide layer. The process cycles can be repeated and varied to form a graded metal carbide layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a microelectronic package having a direct contact heat spreader, a package formed according to the method, a die-heat spreader combination formed according to the method, and a system incorporating the package. The method comprises metallizing a backside of a microelectronic die to form a heat spreader body directly contacting and fixed to the backside of the die thus yielding a die-heat spreader combination. The package includes the die-heat spreader combination and a substrate bonded to the die.

Abstract: A method for forming an interconnect on a semiconductor substrate comprises providing at least one carbon nanotube within a trench, etching at least one portion of the carbon nanotube to create an opening, conformally depositing a metal layer on the carbon nanotube through the opening, and forming a metallized contact at the opening that is substantially coupled to the carbon nanotube. The metal layer may be conformally deposited on the carbon nanotube using an atomic layer deposition process or an electroless plating process. Multiple metal layers may be deposited to substantially fill voids within the carbon nanotube. The electroless plating process may use a supercritical liquid as the medium for the plating solution. The wetting behavior of the carbon nanotube may be modified prior to the electroless plating process to increase the hydrophilicity of the carbon nanotube.

Abstract: A wafer having a plurality of dies (also called array chips) on the wafer, the die having an electrode to generate a deprotecting reagent, a working electrode to electrochemically synthesize a material, a confinement electrode adjacent to the working electrode to confine reactive reagents, and a die pad, wherein die pads of the plurality of dies are interconnected on the wafer to electrochemically synthesize the material in parallel on a plurality of working electrodes is disclosed. Also, a method for wafer-scale manufacturing of a plurality of dies and a method for electrochemically synthesizing a material in parallel on a plurality of dies on a wafer are disclosed.

Abstract: A metal oxide sensor is provided on a semiconductor substrate to provide on-chip sensing of gases. The sensor may include a metal layer that may have pores formed by lithography to be of a certain width. The top metal layer may be oxidized resulting in a narrowing of the pores. Another metal layer may be formed over the oxidized layer and electrical contacts may be formed on the metal layer. The contacts may be coupled to a monitoring system that receives electrical signals indicative of gases sensed by the metal oxide sensor.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method of constructing an electronic assembly is provided. A layer of metal is formed on a backside of a semiconductor wafer having integrated formed thereon. Then, a porous layer is formed on the metal layer. A barrier layer of the porous layer at the bottom of the pores is thinned down. Then, a catalyst is deposited at the bottom of the pores. Carbon nanotubes are then grown in the pores. Another layer of metal is then formed over the porous layer and the carbon nanotubes. The semiconductor wafer is then separated into microelectronic dies. The dies are bonded to a semiconductor substrate, a heat spreader is placed on top of the die, and a semiconductor package resulting from such assembly is sealed. A thermal interface is formed on the top of the heat spreader. Then a heat sink is placed on top of the thermal interface.

Abstract: An embodiment mitigates one or more of the limiting factors of fabricating polymer ferroelectric memory devices. For example, an embodiment reduces the degradation of the ferroelectric polymer due to the polymer's reaction with, and migration or diffusion of, adjacent metal electrode material. Further, the ferroelectric polymer is exposed to fewer potentially high temperature or high energy processes that may damage the polymer. An embodiment further incorporates an immobilized catalyst to improve the adhesion between adjacent layers, and particularly between the electrolessly plated electrodes and the ferroelectric polymer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention include fabricating carbon nanotube bundles with controlled length, diameter, and metallic contacts.

Abstract: Methods of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a barrier layer on a substrate, wherein the barrier layer comprises molybdenum; and forming a lead free interconnect structure on the barrier layer.

Abstract: A method includes forming a barrier layer on a substrate surface including at least one contact opening; forming an interconnect in the contact opening; and reducing the electrical conductivity of the barrier layer. A method including forming a barrier layer on a substrate surface including a dielectric layer and a contact opening, depositing a conductive material in the contact opening, removing the conductive material sufficient to expose the barrier layer on the substrate surface, and reducing the electrical conductivity of the barrier layer. An apparatus including a circuit substrate including at least one active layer including at least one contact point, a dielectric layer on the at least one active layer, a barrier layer on a surface of the dielectric layer, a portion of the barrier layer having been transformed from a first electrical conductivity to a second different and reduced electrical conductivity, and an interconnect coupled to the at least one contact point.

Abstract: Numerous embodiments of a method to assemble nano-materials on a platform are described. In one embodiment, a nano-material is functionalized with a first bondable group. The functionalized nano-material is disposed on an assembly platform having an electrode to form a first layer. Additional layers of the nano-material may be formed above the first layer to form a semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the nano-material may be a carbon nanotube.

Abstract: A system and method for storing a solution containing a subset of a group consisting of a metal ion, a complexing agent, an ammonium salt, and a strong base and then nearer to a time of use in an electroless deposition process, using the solution to form an electroless deposition solution containing the entire group. In one embodiment of the invention, the metal ion includes a cobalt ion, the complexing agent includes citric acid, the ammonium salt includes ammonium chloride, and the strong base includes tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

Abstract: Complementary metal oxide semiconductor metal gate transistors may be formed by depositing a metal layer in trenches formerly inhabited by patterned gate structures. The patterned gate structures may have been formed of polysilicon in one embodiment. The trenches may be filled with metal by surface activating using a catalytic metal, followed by electroless deposition of a seed layer followed by superconformal filling bottom up.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of providing a substrate; sequentially forming a seed layer over the substrate and forming a protection layer over the seed layer; and sequentially removing the protection layer and forming a conductor over the seed layer. The present invention further includes a structure having a substrate, the substrate having a device; an insulator disposed over the substrate, the insulator having an opening, the opening disposed over the device; a barrier layer disposed over the opening; a seed layer disposed over the barrier layer; and a protection layer disposed over the seed layer.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method for forming contact formations is provided. A substrate may be placed in an electrolytic solution. The substrate may have an exposed conductive portion and the electrolytic solution may include a plurality of metallic ions and an accelerator. The accelerator may include at least one of bis-(sodium sulfopropyl)-disulfide and 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid-sodium salt. A voltage may be applied across the electrolytic solution and the conductive portion of the substrate to cause the metallic ions to be changed into metallic particles and deposited on the conductive portion. The electrolytic solution may also include a protonated organic additive. The electrolytic solution may also include an acid and a surfactant. The acid may include at least one of sulfuric acid, methane sulfonic acid, benzene sulfonic acid, and picryl sulfonic acid. The surfactant may include at least one of polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol.

Abstract: Metal alloy barrier layers formed of a group VII metal alloyed with boron (B) and/or phosphorous (P) and an at least one element from glyoxylic acid, such as carbon (C), hydrogen (H), or carbon and hydrogen (CH) formed by electoless plating are described. These barrier layers may be used as a barrier layer over copper bumps that are soldered to a tin-based solder in a die package. Such barrier layers may also be used as barrier layer liners within trenches in which copper interconnects or vias are formed and as capping layers over copper interconnects or vias to prevent the electromigration of copper.

Abstract: A copper electroplating bath composition and a method of copper electroplating to improve gapfill are provided. The method of electroplating includes providing an aqueous electroplating composition, comprising copper, at least one acid, at least one halogen ion, an additive including an accelerating agent, a suppressing agent, and a suppressing-accelerating agent, and the solution and mixture products thereof; contacting a substrate with the plating composition; and impressing a multi-step waveform potential upon the substrate, wherein the multi-step waveform potential includes an entry step, wherein the entry step includes a first sub-step applying a first current and a second sub-step applying second current, the second current being greater than the first current. The accelerating agent is provided in concentration of greater than 1.