Abstract: A microelectronic device fabricating method includes providing a substrate having a beveled portion and forming a layer of structural material on the beveled portion. Some of the structural material can be removed from the beveled portion by anisotropic etching to form a device feature from the structural material. The device feature can be formed on the beveled portion as with a pair of spaced, adjacent barrier material lines that are substantially void of residual shorting stringers extending therebetween. Structural material can be removed from the beveled portion to form an edge defined feature on a substantially perpendicular edge of the substrate. The beveled portion and perpendicular edge can be part of a mandril. The mandril can be removed from the substrate after forming the edge defined feature.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a plug structure having low contact resistance includes the following steps. First, a silicon substrate and a BPSG layer covering thereon are provided. The silicon substrate has a dopant area. Next, the BPSG layer is etched to form a contact window to be contiguous with the dopant area. If the dopant area is doped with boron, a silicon-germanium layer is formed upon the dopant area as a barrier layer. Then, a barrier layer is formed next to the contact window, and a metal plug surrounded by the barrier layer is formed. After conductive interconnecting lines are formed upon the BPSG layer, a rapid thermal annealing is adopted to reactivate the dopant area. In the case that the boron is doped in the dopant area, the silicon-germanium layer keeps the boron from migrating to the barrier layer to lower the contact resistance of the plug structure.

Abstract: A Schottky diode has a Schottky junction formed by a thin metal layer and/or metal silicide layer at the top side of a doped well in a semiconductor body or substrate. In contrast to the fabrication of low-impedance contacts on CMOS wells, a metal, to be precise titanium in the preferred embodiment, is applied not to a highly doped contact region but to the lightly doped semiconductor material of the doped well, for example an HV well for the fabrication of high-voltage transistors.

Abstract: A MOSgated device has spaced vertical trenches lined with a gate oxide and filled with a P type polysilicon gate. The gate oxide extends along a vertical N? channel region disposed between an N+ source region and an N? drift region. A Schottky barrier of aluminum is disposed adjacent the accumulation region extending along the trench to collect holes which are otherwise injected into the source region during voltage blocking. A common source or drain contact is connected to the N+ region and to the Schottky contact. A two gate embodiment is disclosed in which separately energized gates are connected to alternatively located gate polysilicon volumes.

Abstract: An intermediate construction of an integrated circuit includes a semiconductive substrate and a raised mandril over the substrate. The raised mandril may be raised out from the substrate and have at least one edge substantially perpendicular to the substrate and at least one beveled edge. A layer of structural material may form an edge defined feature on the at least one perpendicular edge.

Abstract: A high aspect ratio contact structure formed over a junction region in a silicon substrate comprises a titanium interspersed with titanium silicide layer that is deposited in the contact opening and directly contacts an upper surface of the substrate. Silicon-doping of CVD titanium, from the addition of SiH4 during deposition, reduces consumption of substrate silicon during the subsequent silicidation reaction in which the titanium reacts with silicon to form a titanium silicide layer that provides low resistance electrical contacts between the junction region and the silicon substrate. The contact structure further comprises a titanium nitride contact fill that is deposited in the contact opening and fills substantially the entire contact opening.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a Schottky diode using a shallow trench contact to reduce leakage current in the fabrication of an integrated circuit device is described. An insulating layer is deposited over a thermal oxide layer provided overlying a silicon semiconductor substrate. A contact opening is etched through the insulating layer and the thermal oxide layer to the silicon substrate. The contact opening is overetched whereby a shallow trench is formed within the silicon substrate underlying the contact opening wherein the shallow trench has a bottom and sidewalls comprising the silicon substrate. A first metal layer is deposited over the insulating layer and within the contact opening and within the shallow trench.

Abstract: A process of forming a nitride film on a semiconductor substrate including exposing a surface of the substrate to a rapid thermal process to form the nitride film.

Abstract: A Schottky diode is adjusted by implanting an implant species by way of a titanium silicide Schottky contact and driving the implant species into the underlying silicon substrate by a rapid anneal. The implant is at a low energy, (e.g. about 10 keV) and at a low dose (e.g. less than about 9E12 atoms per cm2) such that the barrier height is slightly increased and the leakage current reduced without forming pn junction and retaining the peak boron concentration in the titanium silicide layer.

Abstract: The invention includes an array of devices and a charge pump supported by a semiconductive material substrate. A damage region is under the array, and extends less than or equal to 50% of a distance between the array and the charge pump. The invention also includes a method in which a mask is formed over a monocrystalline silicon substrate. A neutral-conductivity-type dopant is implanted through an opening in the mask and into a section of the substrate to produce a damage region. A first boundary extends around the damage region. The masking layer is removed, and epitaxial silicon is formed over the substrate. An array of devices is formed to be supported by the epitaxial silicon. The array is bounded by a second boundary. The first boundary extends less than or equal to 100 microns beyond the second boundary.

Abstract: A diffusion barrier multi-layer structure for a TFT LCD by the LTPS process and the process for fabricating thereof are disclosed. By increasing the coarseness between two layers of the diffusion barrier multi-layer structure with a plasma treatment, or by forming a loose and porous impurity collecting layer between two layers of the diffusion barrier multi-layer structure to trap the impurity atoms, the impurity diffusion can be effectively obstructed.

Abstract: An integrated semiconductor circuit device comprising a diode bridge circuit formed of a Schottky barrier diode and a periphery circuit formed of a MOS transistor which are formed on a single silicon substrate, wherein a Schottky barrier, which is a component of the Schottky barrier diode, is made of a silicide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as a pin diode, includes a first drift layer, a second drift layer, an anode layer on the first drift layer, and a buffer layer formed between the first and second drift layers. The shortest distance from the pn-junction between the anode layer and the buffer layer, and the thickness of the buffer layer are set at the respective values at which a high breakdown voltage is obtained, while reducing the tradeoff relation between the soft recovery and the fast and low-loss reverse recovery.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming an insulator layer on an integrated circuit, forming a barrier layer having a first titanium film and a titanium nitride film on the insulator layer, heat-treating the barrier layer to release nitrogen gas from the titanium nitride film, forming a second titanium film on the barrier layer, and forming an aluminum film used as a wired metal on the second titanium film.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to physical vapor deposition targets comprising both Ti and Zr. The targets can comprise a uniform texture across the target surface and throughout the thickness; and can further have an increased mechanical strength compared to high purity titanium and tantalum. The sputtering targets can be utilized to sputter deposit a thin film; and such film can be utilized as a copper barrier layer.

Abstract: A three-terminal semiconductor transistor device comprises a semiconductor base region in contact with a first electric terminal, a conductive emitter region in contact with the semiconductor base region, forming a first Schottky barrier junction at the interface of the conductive emitter region and the semiconductor base region. The conductive emitter region is in contact with a second electric terminal. The three-terminal semiconductor transistor device further includes a conductive collector region in contact with the semiconductor base region, forming a second Schottky barrier junction at the interface of the conductive collector region and the semiconductor base region. The conductive collector region is in contact with a third electric terminal. The tunneling currents through the first and the second Schottky barrier junctions are substantially controlled by the voltage of the semiconductor base region.

Abstract: A core memory array having a plurality of charge trapping dielectric memory devices. The core memory array can include a substrate having a first semiconductor bit line and a second semiconductor bit line formed therein and a body region interposed between the first and the second bit lines. Over the body region can be formed a first dielectric layer disposed, a dielectric charge trapping layer and a second dielectric layer. At least one word line can be disposed over the second dielectric layer, which defines a channel within the body region. Each bit line can include a bit line contact assembly having a locally metalized portion of the bit line and a conductive via traversing a dielectric region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type provided on a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, a base layer of a second conductivity type provided in the first semiconductor layer, for defining a vertical MISFET including source regions and a gate electrode on a gate insulation film, a Schottky barrier diode (SBD)-forming region provided in the first semiconductor layer around the base layer, a guard ring region of the second conductivity type provided around SBD-forming region, a first main electrode disposed above the first semiconductor layer and provided in common as both a source electrode of the MISFET and an anode of the SBD, a surface gate electrode disposed above the first semiconductor layer, and a second main electrode provided in common as a drain electrode of the MISFET and a cathode of the SBD.

Abstract: The invention describes herein relates to new titanium-comprising materials which can be utilized for forming titanium alloy sputtering targets. The titanium alloy sputtering targets can be reactively sputtered in a nitrogen-comprising sputtering atmosphere to form an alloy TiN film, or alternatively in a nitrogen-comprising and oxygen-comprising sputtering atmosphere to form an alloy TiON thin film. The thin films formed in accordance with the present invention can have a non-columnar grain structure, low electrical resistivity, high chemical stability, and barrier layer properties comparable to those of TaN for thin film Cu barrier applications. Further, the titanium alloy sputtering target materials produced in accordance with the present invention are more cost-effective for semiconductor applications than are high-purity tantalum materials and have superior mechanical strength suitable for high-power sputtering applications.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device, comprising a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, source/drain diffusion layers formed on both sides of the gate electrode, a gate electrode side-wall on the side of the source/drain diffusion layer and a gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode and having an L-shaped/reversed L-shaped cross-sectional shape, and a semiconductor layer extending over the gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contacting structure on a lightly-doped P-type region of a semiconductor component, this P-type region being positively biased during the on-state operation of said component, including, on the P region a layer of a platinum silicide, or of a metal silicide having with the P-type silicon a barrier height lower than or equal to that of the platinum silicide.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize a semiconductor device having a high TFT characteristic. In manufacturing an active matrix display device, electric resistivity of the electrode material is kept low by preventing penetration of oxygen ion into the electrode in doping of an impurity ion. A display device having a low electric resistivity can be obtained.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a large-area silicide layer and fabrication method is provided. A semiconductor device, consistent with one embodiment of the invention, includes a silicon substrate, a gate insulating layer disposed over the silicon substrate, a gate electrode disposed over the gate insulating layer, and at least one active region disposed adjacent the gate electrode. Formed over the active region and in contact with the insulating layer is a silicide layer. The active region may, for example, be a source/drain region. The silicide layer generally has a surface area which is larger than that of conventional silicide layers. This, for example, reduces the resistance of the active regions of the semiconductor device and enhances device performance.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices that utilize a silicon-containing dielectric layer are disclosed. In one embodiment, a silicon-containing material is deposited on a substrate. The deposited material is processed with a reactive agent to react with silicon atoms of the deposited material to form the dielectric layer. The silicon-containing dielectric layer provides for improved or smaller semiconductor devices by reducing leakage and increasing the dielectric constant.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device, comprising a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, source/drain diffusion layers formed on both sides of the gate electrode, a gate electrode side-wall on the side of the source/drain diffusion layer and a gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode and having an L-shaped/reversed L-shaped cross-sectional shape, and a semiconductor layer extending over the gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode.

Abstract: A multi-layer conductor system including: a base layer having an electrically insulative top portion including alumina; an electrically conductive intermediate layer formed on the top portion of the base layer; and an electrically conductive top layer formed on the intermediate layer; wherein the intermediate layer includes alumina and a precious metal alloy consisting of silver and a precious metal other than silver; wherein the top layer comprises a precious metal selected from the group consisting of silver and a silver alloy such that the difference between the percentage weight of silver in the precious metal of the top layer and the percentage weight of silver in the precious metal alloy of the intermediate layer is limited to thereby provide advantages in use.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device, includes: a semiconductor substrate including a transistor; a first protective insulating film for covering the semiconductor substrate; at least one data storage capacitor element formed on the first protective insulating film; a second protective insulating film for covering the first protective insulating film and the capacitor element; a hydrogen barrier layer; and an interconnection layer for electrically connecting the transistor and the capacitor element, wherein: the capacitor element includes a lower electrode formed on the first protective insulating film, a capacitor film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the capacitor film, the capacitor film includes an insulating metal oxide, the second protective insulating film has a first contact hole reaching the upper electrode and a second contact hole reaching the lower electrode, and the hydrogen barrier layer is provided in the first and second contact holes, so as not to expose the upper and

Abstract: A termination structure and reduced mask process for its manufacture for either a FRED device or any power semiconductor device comprises at least two concentric diffusion guard rings and two spaced silicon dioxide rings used in the definition of the two guard rings in an implant and drive system. A first metal ring overlies and contacts the outermost diffusion. A second metal ring which acts as a field plate contacts the second diffusion and overlaps the outermost oxide ring. A third metal ring, which acts as a field plate, is a continuous portion of the active area top contact and overlaps the second oxide ring. The termination is useful for high voltage (of the order of 1200 volt) devices. The rings are segments of a common aluminum or palladium contact layer. A thin high resistivity layer of amorphous silicon is deposited over the full upper surface of the wafer and is disposed between the wafer upper surface and all of the metal rings.

Abstract: A method of forming a multi-layer structure over an insulating layer comprises the steps of: selectively depositing a barrier layer on a predetermined region of an insulating layer by use of a first deposition mask; selectively depositing a metal seed layer made of a metal which is different in substance from the barrier layer by use of a second deposition mask, so that the metal seed layer extends not only on an entire surface of the barrier layer but also a peripheral region positioned outside the predetermined region of the insulating layer; and forming a metal plating layer made of the same metal as the seed layer, so that the metal plating layer is adhered on the metal seed layer whereby the metal plating layer is separated from the barrier layer and also from the insulating layer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor device in which a device isolating insulating film is formed in a periphery of a device region of a semiconductor silicon substrate device region. A side wall insulating film formed of a silicon nitride film is formed to cover the periphery of a channel region on the silicon substrate. A Ta2O5 film, and a metal gate electrode are formed inside a trench whose side wall is formed of the side wall insulating film. An interlayer insulating film is formed on the device isolating insulating film. A Schottky source/drain formed of silicide is formed on the silicon substrate in a bottom portion of the trench whose side wall is formed of the side wall insulating film and interlayer insulating film. A source/drain electrode is formed on the Schottky source/drain.

Abstract: A FRED device having an ultralow Irr employs a contact layer which contacts spaced P diffusions in an N type silicon substrate and also contacts the silicon surface spanning between the P diffusions. The contact layer is formed of a contact having a lower barrier height than the conventional aluminum, and is palladium silicide with a top contact layer of aluminum.

Abstract: A method of fabricating apparatus, and the apparatus, for providing low voltage temperature compensation in a single power supply HFET including a stack of epitaxially grown compound semiconductor layers with an HFET formed in the stack. A Schottky diode is formed in the stack adjacent the HFET during the formation of the HFET. The HFET and the Schottky diode are formed simultaneously, with a portion of one of the layers of metal forming the gate of the HFET being positioned in contact with a layer of the stack having a low bandgap (e.g. less than 0.8 eV) to provide a turn-on voltage for the Schottky diode of less than 1.8 Volts. The Schottky diode is connected to the gate contact of the HFET by a gate circuit to compensate for changes in current loading in the gate circuit with changes in temperature.

Abstract: A microelectronic device fabricating method includes providing a substrate having a beveled portion and forming a layer of structural material on the beveled portion. Some of the structural material can be removed from the beveled portion by anisotropic etching to form a device feature from the structural material. The device feature can be formed on the beveled portion as with a pair of spaced, adjacent barrier material lines that are substantially void of residual shorting stringers extending therebetween. Structural material can be removed from the beveled portion to form an edge defined feature on a substantially perpendicular edge of the substrate. The beveled portion and perpendicular edge can be part of a mandril. The mandril can be removed from the substrate after forming the edge defined feature.

Abstract: A Schottky contact is formed in the area of a MOSgated device semiconductor device chip which is occupied by a source pad. The Schottky contact is formed by the direct contact of the aluminum source electrode to the silicon chip in the source area. A different barrier metal can be used for the Schottky. A guard ring diffusion surrounds the Schottky metal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as a pin diode, includes a first drift layer, a second drift layer, an anode layer on the first drift layer, and a buffer layer formed between the first and second drift layers. The shortest distance from the pn-junction between the anode layer and the buffer layer, and the thickness of the buffer layer are set at the respective values at which a high breakdown voltage is obtained, while reducing the tradeoff relation between the soft recovery and the fast and low-loss reverse recovery.

Abstract: On a semiconductor layer 1 consisting of a substrate of a semiconductor single crystal or the like, a metallic layer 2 of a thickness of 20 nm or less is formed. The metallic layer 2 comprises a first area A directly contacting with the semiconductor layer 1, and a second area B that is interposed by an intermediate layer 3 consisting of an insulator, a metal different from the metallic layer 2 or a semiconductor different from the semiconductor layer 1 between the semiconductor 1 and the metallic layer 2, and of a thickness of 10 nm or less. The first area and the second area are different in their Schottky currents, further in their Schottky barrier heights. Any one of the respective areas A and B has an area of nanometer level, and the respective interfaces in each of the areas A and B have an essentially uniform potential barrier, respectively. Such a film-like composite structure contributes to a minute semiconductor device of nanometer level and realization of a new functional device.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device, comprising a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, source/drain diffusion layers formed on both sides of the gate electrode, a gate electrode side-wall on the side of the source/drain diffusion layer and a gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode and having an L-shaped/reversed L-shaped cross-sectional shape, and a semiconductor layer extending over the gate side-wall insulating film covering a part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode.

Abstract: On a Schottky tunnel junction with Schottky metal as a source, an extremely thin and a high density impurities semiconductor layer having a conduction type different from that of a high density impurities semiconductor constituting the base junction is formed, and height and width of this extremely thin high density impurities semiconductor layer are controlled by adjusting a voltage loaded to a MOS gate formed on this tunnel junction section, so that a main portion of the drain current comprises a carrier passing through the barrier because of the tunnel effect and a carrier moving over this barrier. In addition, a CMOS structure is made to prepare a three-dimensionally or three-dimensionally integrated circuit.

Abstract: A barrier film for a semiconductor device structure. The barrier film includes a compound including nitrogen and at least one of titanium or tantalum, nitrogen in a concentration that varies within the barrier film, and oxygen in a concentration that varies within the barrier film.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device, includes: a semiconductor substrate including a transistor; a first protective insulating film for covering the semiconductor substrate; at least one data storage capacitor element formed on the first protective insulating film; a second protective insulating film for covering the first protective insulating film and the capacitor element; a hydrogen carrier layer; and an interconnection layer for electrically connecting the transistor and the capacitor element, wherein: the capacitor element includes a lower electrode formed on the first protective insulating film, a capacitor film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the capacitor film, the capacitor film includes an insulating metal oxide, the second protective insulating film has a first contact hole reaching the upper electrode and a second contact hole reaching the lower electrode, and the hydrogen barrier layer is provided in the first and second contact holes, so as not to expose the upper and

Abstract: A method of forming a multi-layer structure over an insulating layer comprises the steps of: selectively depositing a barrier layer on a predetermined region of an insulating layer by use of a first deposition mask; selectively depositing a metal seed layer made of a metal which is different in substance from the barrier layer by use of a second deposition mask, so that the metal seed layer extends not only on an entire surface of the barrier layer but also a peripheral region positioned outside the predetermined region of the insulating layer; and forming a metal plating layer made of the metal as the seed layer, so that the metal layer is adhered on the metal seed layer whereby the metal plating layer is separated from the barrier layer and also from the insulating layer.

Abstract: In this invention, one or more metal-containing sources and one or more ammonium halides are heated such that they evaporate into a vacuum environment (except that, in MOMBE, a beam of the organometallic source compound may be created by other means) and made to impinge on a substrate. The materials interact on the substrate to form a film of the desired nitride compound or alloy; the substrate usually will be heated to promote chemical reaction and good film properties such as high crystallinity. Other sources—to provide dopant impurities like silicon or magnesium, for example—would be part of a deposition system envisioned in this invention. Multiple film layers, including quantum wells and superlattices, may be formed using this method, in addition to a single film.

Abstract: A transistor fabrication process is provided which derives a benefit from having barrier atoms incorporated in a lateral area under a gate oxide of the transistor in close proximity to the drain. To form the transistor, a gate oxide layer is first grown across a silicon-based substrate. A polysilicon layer is then deposited across the gate oxide layer. Portions of the polysilicon layer and the oxide layer are removed to form a gate conductor and gate oxide, thereby exposing source-side and drain-side junctions within the substrate. An LDD implant is performed to lightly dope the source-side and drain-side junctions. An etch stop material may be formed upon opposed sidewall surfaces of the gate conductor, the upper surface of the gate conductor, and the source-side and drain-side junctions. Spacers may then be formed laterally adjacent the etch stop material located upon sidewall surfaces of the gate conductor.

Abstract: A silicon film is formed within a contact hole formed in a first insulating film on a semiconductor substrate in a manner that an upper portion of the contact hole remains, and a cobalt film is then deposited on the silicon film. Thereafter, a heat treatment is carried out so as to react the silicon film with the cobalt film, thereby forming a cobalt silicide layer in the surface portion of the silicon film. A barrier layer is formed on the cobalt silicide layer so as to completely fill the contact hole, and thus, a plug including the polysilicon film, the cobalt silicide layer and the barrier layer is formed. After a recess is formed in a second insulating film deposited on the first insulating film so as to expose the top surface of the plug, a capacitor bottom electrode, a capacitor dielectric film and a capacitor top electrode are successively formed in the recess.

Abstract: When the threshold voltage of a long-channel transistor is set during the same dopant step of a manufacturing process that sets the threshold voltage of a short-channel transistor, the threshold voltage of the long-channel transistor is increased by connecting the long-channel transistor in series with a schottky diode.

Abstract: A method for lowering the anneal temperature required to form a multi-component material, such as refractory metal silicide. A shallow layer of titanium is implanted in the bottom of the contact area after the contact area is defined. Titanium is then deposited over the contact area and annealed, forming titanium silicide. A second embodiment comprises depositing titanium over a defined contact area. Silicon is then implanted in the deposited titanium layer and annealed, forming titanium silicide. A third embodiment comprises combining the methods of the first and second embodiments. In further embodiment, nitrogen, cobalt, cesium, hydrogen, fluorine, and deuterium are also implanted at selected times.

Abstract: A Schottky rectifier has multiple stages with substantially identical or very similar structures. Each stage includes a nitride-based semiconductor layer, a Schottky contact formed on one surface of the semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact formed on an opposite surface of the semiconductor layer. The Schottky layer is formed from a metallic material with a high metal work function, and the ohmic contact is formed from a metallic material with a low metal work function. At least one of the stages is a middle stage located between two adjacent stages, such that the Schottky contact of the middle stage and the ohmic contact of one of the adjacent stages are joined together, and such that the ohmic contact of the middle stage and the Schottky contact of another one of the adjacent stages are joined together.

Abstract: A method for use in the fabrication of integrated circuits includes providing a substrate assembly having a surface. A diffusion barrier layer is formed over at least a portion of the surface. The diffusion barrier layer is formed of RuSix, where x is in the range of about 0.01 to about 10. The barrier layer may be formed by depositing RuSix, by chemical vapor deposition or the barrier layer may be formed by forming a layer of ruthenium relative to a silicon containing region and performing an anneal to form RuSix from the layer of ruthenium and the silicon containing region. Capacitor electrodes, interconnects or other structures may be formed with such a diffusion barrier layer.

Abstract: A schottky diode is formed of a sintered barrier metal layer which contacts a lightly doped silicon surface. The barrier metal layer is formed of palladium as well as a small quantity of another metal whose choice is determined by the desired value of the barrier height of the resulting schottky diode. A small quantity of platinum is selected to increase the barrier height, and a small quantity of nickel is selected to decrease the barrier height. A contact metal, which may include a tri-metal layer of titanium, nickel and silver, is formed atop the sintered schottky barrier layer. The resulting process also allows for control of reverse hot leakage current.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming a transistor gate conductor having an etch stop arranged at a depth below its upper surface such that the lateral width of the gate conductor above the etch stop may be exclusively narrowed to provide for reduction of transistor channel length. A masking layer, i.e., photoresist, patterned above the gate conductor is isotropically etched so as to minimize its lateral width prior to etching the gate conductor. Portions of the gate conductor not protected by the photoresist may be etched from above the etch stop to define a new pair of opposed sidewall surfaces for the upper portion of the gate conductor. The lateral width of the upper portion of the gate conductor thus may be reduced to a smaller dimension than that of conventional gate conductors. The gate conductor is subjected to an anisotropic etch in which portions of the gate conductor not protected by the narrowed photoresist are etched down to the etch stop.