Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first thin film resistor on a first dielectric layer. A first layer of interconnect conductors on the first dielectric layer includes a first and second interconnect conductors electrically contacting the first thin film resistor. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. A second thin film resistor is formed on the second dielectric layer. A third dielectric layer is formed on the second dielectric layer. A second layer of interconnect conductors on the third dielectric layer includes a third interconnect conductor extending through an opening in the second and third dielectric layers to contact the first interconnect conductor, a fourth interconnect conductor extending through an opening in the second and third dielectric layers to contact the second interconnect conductor, and two interconnect conductors extending through openings in the third dielectric layer of the second thin film resistor.

Abstract: A Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) can be fabricated with a well region that include a channel region having an average dopant concentration substantially less the average doping concentration of the remaining portions of the well region. The lower average doping concentration of channel region compared to the remaining portions of the well region reduces the pinch-off voltage of the JFET.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an integrated circuit (IC). The IC comprises transistors and contact fuses. The contact fuses each comprise a conducting layer, a frustum-shaped contact has a narrower end that contacts the conducting layer and a first metal layer that is located over the conducting layer. A wider end of the frustum-shaped contact contacts the first metal layer. The frustum-shaped contact has a ratio of an opening of the wider end to the narrower end that is at least about 1.2. The contact fuses each further include a heat sink that is located over and contacts the first metal layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated high voltage capacitor, a method of manufacture therefore, and an integrated circuit chip including the same. The integrated high voltage capacitor, among other features, includes a first capacitor plate (120) located over or in a substrate (105), and an insulator (130) located over the first capacitor plate (120), at least a portion of the insulator (130) comprising an interlevel dielectric layer (135, 138, 143, or 148). The integrated high voltage capacitor further includes a second capacitor plate (160) located over the insulator (130) and a top-level dielectric layer (199) located at least partially along a sidewall of the second capacitor plate (160).

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes one or more LDMOS transistors and one of more SCR-LDMOS transistors. Each LDMOS transistor includes a LDMOS well of a first conductivity type, a LDMOS source region of a second conductivity type formed in the LDMOS well, and a LDMOS drain region of a second conductivity type separated from the LDMOS well by a LDMOS drift region of the second conductivity type. Each SCR-LDMOS transistor comprising a SCR-LDMOS well of the first conductivity type, a SCR-LDMOS source region of the second conductivity type formed in the SCR-LDMOS well, a SCR-LDMOS drain region of a second conductivity type, and a anode region of the first conductivity type between the SCR-LDMOS drain region and the SCR-LDMOS drift region. The anode region is separated from the SCR-LDMOS well by a SCR-LDMOS drift region of the second conductivity type.

Abstract: A method (10) of forming fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) transistors (150) and partially-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) transistors (152) on a semiconductor substrate (104) as part of an integrated circuit fabrication process is disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment of the instant invention is a method of providing a connection between a first conductor and a second conductor wherein the first conductor is situated under the second conductor and separated by a first insulating layer, the method comprising the steps of: forming an opening in the first insulating layer (layer 124 or 128 of FIGS. 1-4), the opening having a top, a bottom and sidewalls and is situated between the first conductor and the second conductor; forming a second insulating layer (layer 134, 138, and 142 of FIGS. 3 and 4) exclusively on the sidewalls of the opening thereby leaving a smaller opening in the first insulating layer; forming a conductive material (material 140 of FIGS. 3 and 4) in the smaller opening; and wherein the first insulating layer is comprised of a low-k material and the second insulating layer is comprised of an insulator which has electrical leakage properties which are less than the electrical leakage properties of the first insulating layer.

Abstract: Integrated circuit inductors (5) are formed by interconnecting various metal layers (10) in an integrated circuit with continuous vias (200). Using continuous vias (200) improves the Q factor over existing methods for high frequency applications. The contiguous length of the continuous vias should be greater than three percent of the length of the inductor (5).

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising isolation structures that selectively induce strain into active regions of NMOS and PMOS devices. Form a hard mask layer over a semiconductor body. A resist layer is formed on the hard mask layer that exposes and defines isolation regions. The hard mask layer is patterned and trench regions are formed using the hard mask layer as a mask. An oxide trench liner that induces compressive strain into active regions of the PMOS region is formed within trench regions of the PMOS region. A nitride trench liner that induces tensile strain into active regions of the NMOS region is formed within the NMOS trench regions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a gate dielectric, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit. The method for manufacturing the gate dielectric, without limitation, may include forming a nitrided dielectric layer (520) over a substrate (310), the nitrided dielectric layer (520) having a non-uniformity of nitrogen in a bulk thereof, and removing at least a portion of the nitrided dielectric layer (520) using a high temperature chemical treatment, the removing reducing the non-uniformity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for maintaining performance of an integrated circuit at a reduced power. The systems and methods employ a performance monitor that generates a signal indicative of at least one performance characteristic of at least a portion of a critical path associated with the integrated circuit. The system further comprises a supply control that adjusts a supply voltage of the integrated circuit to maintain performance at a reduced power based on the signal. A temperature adjustment component can be provided to adjust the signal to compensate for temperature offsets associated with performance of the performance monitor relative to performance of the critical path over different operating temperatures. A performance measurement of the performance monitor can be determined based on the concurrent triggering of the performance monitor and the critical path.

Abstract: A trench is formed in a low K dielectric (100) over a plurality of vias (120) also formed in the low K dielectric layer (100). The vias are separated by a distance of less than XV and the edge of the trench is greater than XTO from the edge ? of the via closest to the edge of the trench. The trench and vias are subsequently filled with copper (150), (160) to form the interconnect line.

Abstract: A method of forming a rectifying diode. The method comprises providing a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and having a first dopant concentration and forming a second semiconductor region in the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has the first conductivity type and having a second dopant concentration greater than the first dopant concentration. The method also comprises forming a conductive contact to the first semiconductor region and forming a conductive contact to the second semiconductor region. The rectifying diode comprises a current path, and the path comprises: (i) the conductive contact to the first semiconductor region; (ii) the first semiconductor region; (iii) the second semiconductor region; and (iv) the conductive contact to the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region does not extend to a layer buried relative to the first semiconductor region.

Abstract: A static random-access memory (SRAM) device and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the SRAM device includes: (1) a row of SRAM cells coupled to a word line and a power source configured to vary in voltage to enable the row of SRAM cells to operate in a retain-till-accessed (RTA) mode and (2) a word line driver coupled to the power source and configured to drive the word line.

Abstract: Hybrid linear predictive speech coding system with phase alignment predictive quantization zero phase alignment of speech prior to waveform coding aligns synthesized speech frames of a waveform coder with frames synthesized with a parametric coder. Inter-frame interpolation of LP coefficients suppresses artifacts in resultant synthesized speech frames.

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising a modifiable strain inducing layer. A semiconductor body is provided. First and second regions of the semiconductor body are identified. A modifiable tensile strain inducing layer is formed over the device within the first and second regions. A mask is then formed that exposes the second region and covers the first region. A material is selected for a modification implant and the selected material is implanted into the second region thereby converting a portion of the modifiable tensile strain inducing layer into a compressive strain inducing layer within the PMOS region.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining efficacy of stress protection circuitry. The methods and systems employ a ring oscillator that models at least one parameter of a functional circuit to be protected by the stress protection circuit. A stress signal is applied to the ring oscillator and parametric degradation is measured to determine the effectiveness of the stress protection circuit in protecting the ring oscillator. A stress signal can be a voltage or current that stresses the normal operation of a functional circuit. The parametric degradation of the ring oscillator can be correlated to the parametric degradation that would be experienced by the functional circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a transistor device, and a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit including the same. The method for manufacturing the transistor device, among other elements, includes forming a gate structure over a substrate, implanting an atom selected from the group consisting of fluorine, silicon, or germanium into the substrate proximate the gate structure to cause at least a portion of the substrate to be in a sub-amorphous state, and implanting a dopant into the substrate having the implanted atom therein, thereby forming source/drain regions in the substrate, wherein the transistor device does not have a halo/pocket implant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device 200 while reducing silicon loss. In one aspect, the process includes removing a photoresist layer 270 from a semiconductor substrate 235 adjacent a gate 240 and cleaning the semiconductor substrate with a wet clean solution. The removing step includes subjecting the photoresist layer 270 to a plasma ash. The plasma ash removes at least a portion of a crust 275 formed on the photoresist layer 270 but leaves a substantial portion of the photoresist layer 270. The photoresist layer 270 is subjected to a wet etch subsequent to the plasma ash that removes a substantial portion of the photoresist layer 270.

Abstract: A method (1300) of forming a semiconductor device comprising an isolation structure is disclosed, and includes forming a trench region within a semiconductor body (1308). Then, surfaces of the trench region are nitrided (1310) via a nitridation process. An oxidation process is performed that combines with the nitrided surfaces (1312) to form a nitrogen containing liner. Subsequently, the trench region is filled with dielectric material (1316) and then planarized (1318) to remove excess dielectric fill material.