Abstract: The present invention relates to an interconnect capping layer and a method of fabricating a capping layer for an interconnect. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a capping layer for a copper interconnect used to interconnect elements in an integrated circuit. Embodiments of the invention provide a method of fabricating a capping layer for an interconnect in an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of: forming an interconnect comprising upper and lower lateral surfaces; forming a lateral diffusion stop layer between said lateral surfaces; and forming a capping layer.

Abstract: A structure and a process for a self-aligned vertical PNP transistor for high performance SiGe CBiCMOS process. Embodiments include SiGe CBiCMOS with high-performance SiGe NPN transistors and PNP transistors. As the PNP transistors and NPN transistors contained different types of impurity profile, they need separate lithography and doping step for each transistor. The process is easy to integrate with existing CMOS process to save manufacturing time and cost. As plug-in module, fully integration with SiGe BiCMOS processes. High doping Polysilicon Emitter can increase hole injection efficiency from emitter to base, reduce emitter resistor, and form very shallow EB junction. Self-aligned N+ base implant can reduce base resistor and parasitical EB capacitor. Very low collector resistor benefits from BP layer. PNP transistor can be Isolated from other CMOS and NPN devices by BNwell, Nwell and BN+ junction.

Abstract: A circuit having a circuit control terminal, a primary circuit and a protection circuit is provided. The primary circuit includes a primary control terminal and a primary gate oxide of a thickness T1. The primary control terminal is coupled to the circuit control terminal. The protection circuit having a protection control terminal is coupled to the primary circuit. The protection circuit includes a protection gate oxide of a second thickness T2 which is less than T1. The protection gate oxide reduces plasma induced damage in the primary circuit.

Abstract: An antenna diode circuit for discharging static charge accumulated during wafer processing is described. The antenna diode circuit includes first and second junctions coupled to a circuit element and substrate. Between the first and second junctions is a diode circuit path with an antenna diode and at least one diode protection circuit coupled in series. The diode protection circuit reduces or prevents EOS current from flowing through the diode circuit path during an EOS event.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate having a semiconductor device provided thereon, including the steps of forming a copper layer having an overburden of a desired thickness, forming a layer of inert metal on the copper layer, annealing the copper layer and removing the layer of inert metal.

Abstract: A device layer is configured to reduce change in stress characteristics due to subsequent processing to reduce cracking of a subsequently formed layer. The change in stress characteristics can be reduced by providing a shield layer over the device layer to protect the device layer from exposure to subsequently processing, such as curing medium used to form voids in an ultralow-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: First example embodiments comprise forming a stress layer over a MOS transistor (such as a LDMOS Tx) comprised of a channel and first, second and third junction regions. The stress layer creates a stress in the channel and the second junction region of the Tx. Second example embodiments comprises forming a MOS FET and at least a dummy gate over a substrate. The MOS is comprised of a gate, channel, source, drain and offset drain. At least one dummy gate is over the offset drain. A stress layer is formed over the MOS and the dummy gate. The stress layer and the dummy gate improve the stress in the channel and offset drain region.

Abstract: Disclosed relates to an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter. Capacitance and resistance or inductance of an EMI filter, which includes a resistor and a capacitor or an inductor and a capacitor, can be controlled, such that a cutoff frequency can be freely controlled without manufacturing a separate EMI filter according to a characteristic of a desired cutoff frequency. Further, an intelligent EMI filter that can be applied to a surge protection device, which includes an ESD protection function as well as the EMI filter, is provided, such that a process can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device is presented. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a dielectric layer formed thereon. The dielectric layer having a conductive line disposed in an upper portion of the dielectric layer. The substrate is processed to produce a top surface of the dielectric layer that is not coplanar with a top surface of the conductive line to form a stepped topography.

Abstract: A method of fabrication of a sputtered metal silicide layer over a copper interconnect. We form a dielectric layer over a conductive layer. We form an interconnect opening in the dielectric layer. We form a copper layer at least filling the interconnect opening. We planarize the copper layer to form a copper interconnect in the interconnect opening. The copper interconnect is over polished to form a depression. We form metal silicide layer over the copper interconnect using a low temperature sputtering process. We can form a cap layer over the metal silicide layer.

Abstract: A transistor device structure comprising: a substrate portion formed from a first material; and a source region, a drain region and a channel region formed in said substrate, the source and drain regions comprising a plurality of islands of a second material different from the first material, the islands being arranged to induce a strain in said channel region of the substrate.

Abstract: A processing layer, such as silicon, is formed on a metal silicide contact followed by a metal layer. The silicon and metal layers are annealed to increase the thickness of the metal silicide contact. By selectively increasing the thickness of silicide contacts, Rs of transistors in iso and nested regions can be matched.

Abstract: A method for forming silicide contacts in integrated circuits (ICs) is described. A spacer pull-back etch is performed during the salicidation process to reduce the stress between the spacer and source/drain silicide contact at the spacer undercut. This prevents the propagation of surface defects into the substrate, thereby minimizing the occurrence of silicide pipe defects. The spacer pull-back etch can be performed after a first annealing step to form the silicide contacts.

Abstract: Large tuning range junction varactor includes first and second junction capacitors coupled in parallel between first and second varactor terminals. First and second plates of the capacitors are formed by three alternating doped regions in a substrate. The second and third doped regions are of the same type sandwiching the first doped region of the second type. A first varactor terminal is coupled to the second and third doped regions and a second varactor terminal is coupled to the first doped region. At the interfaces of the doped regions are first and second depletion regions, the widths of which can be varied by varying the voltage across the terminals from zero to full reverse bias. At zero bias condition, junction capacitance (Cmax) is enhanced due to summation of two junction capacitances in parallel. At reverse bias condition, with the merging of the two junction depletion widths, the capacitor areas are drastically reduced, thereby reducing Cmin significantly.

Abstract: A first example embodiment comprises the following steps and the structure formed therefrom. A trench having opposing sidewalls is formed within a substrate. A stress layer having an inherent stress is formed over the opposing trench sidewalls. The stress layer having stress layer sidewalls over the trench sidewalls. Ions are implanted into one or more portions of the stress layer to form ion-implanted relaxed portions with the portions of the stress layer that are not implanted are un-implanted portions, whereby the inherent stress of the one or more ion-implanted relaxed portions of stress layer portions is relaxed.

Abstract: A structure and method for forming raised source/drain structures in a NFET device and embedded SiGe source/drains in a PFET device. We provide a NFET gate structure over a NFET region in a substrate and PFET gate structure over a PFET region. We provide NFET SDE regions adjacent to the NFET gate and provide PFET SDE regions adjacent to the PFET gate. We form recesses in the PFET region in the substrate adjacent to the PFET second spacers. We form a PFET embedded source/drain stressor in the recesses. We form a NFET S/D epitaxial Si layer over the NFET SDE regions and a PFET S/D epitaxial Si layer over PFET embedded source/drain stressor. The epitaxial Si layer over PFET embedded source/drain stressor is consumed in a subsequent salicide step to form a stable and low resistivity silicide over the PFET embedded source/drain stressor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to integrated circuits. In particular, it relates to an IC comprising a receiving stage for receiving an input signal, an output stage for generating an output signal having a larger voltage range than the input signal and a level shifter. Embodiments of the invention provide a structure and a method for fabricating the IC wherein the level shifter is incorporated within the IC to improve reliability of the IC.

Abstract: An example embodiment is a method of curing a film over a semiconductor structure. We provide a semiconductor structure comprised of a substrate and an interconnect structure. We provide a film over the semiconductor structure. We provide an electron source, an anode grid between the electron source and the semiconductor structure. We cure the film by exposing the film to an electron beam from the electron source that passes through the anode grid. We control the electron beam by controlling the bias voltage between the anode grid and the semiconductor structure. Another embodiment is a tool for curing a film.

Abstract: A method for forming a phase shift mask is presented. The method includes providing a substrate including a transparent material having first, second and third regions, the third region being disposed between the first and second regions. The method also includes forming a light reducing layer on a first major surface of the substrate. The light reducing layer is patterned to form a patterned light reducing layer having sidewalls defining openings to expose the first and second regions. The patterned light reducing layer is processed to transform the sidewalls of the patterned light reducing layer to angled sidewalls having an angle of less than 90° from a plane of the first major surface of the substrate. The angled sidewalls improve intensity balance of an image-formed by light-transmitted through the mask.

Abstract: A method to form a barrier layer and contact plug using a touch up RIE. In a first embodiment, we form a first barrier layer over the dielectric layer and the substrate in the contact hole. The first barrier layer is comprised of Ta. A second barrier layer is formed over the first barrier layer. The second barrier layer is comprised of TaN or WN. We planarize a first conductive layer to form a first contact plug in the contact hole. We reactive ion etch (e.g., W touch up etch) the top surfaces using a Cl and B containing etch. Because of the composition of the barrier layers and RIE etch chemistry, the barrier layers are not significantly etched selectively to the dielectric layer. In a second embodiment, a barrier film is comprised of WN.