Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for its fabrication are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a pattern of conductive traces is formed on a film of transfer material. A semiconductor device die is interconnected to the pattern of conductive traces and a resin body is formed around the die, one side of the conductive traces, and the interconnecting means. The film of transfer material forms, at this stage of the process, one side of the package. The film of transfer material is then peeled from the pattern of conductive traces and the resin body to expose the other side of the pattern of conductive traces. Contact to the other side of the pattern provides electrical contact to the senmiconductor device die.

Abstract: A process for forming a buried contact (50) in a semiconductor device (20) which avoids etch damage to the substrate and forms a self-aligned, low resistance contact to a silicon substrate (22) is provided. After forming a contact opening (32) through overlying insulating and conducting layers (24, 28,30), a silicide region (40) is formed in the substrate at the contact surface (34) exposed by the contact opening (32). A refractory metal silicide which provides high etching selectivity to polysilicon is formed in the substrate at the contact surface (34) by either a blanket deposition of a refractory metal into the contact opening (32), or alternatively, by a selective deposition process using contact surface (34) as a nucleation site. In a preferred embodiment, a cobalt or tantalum silicide region (40) is formed in the substrate at the contact surface (34) and a conductive layer (42) is deposited and etched to form an interconnect (48) contacting the silicide region (40).

Abstract: A semiconductor device is formed by a process in which a diffusant penetration layer and a diffusant source layer containing a boron dopant are formed overlaying the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The diffusant source layer is annealed to cause the boron dopant to controllably diffuse through the diffusant penetration layer to the semiconductor substrate to form a doped region at the surface. The diffusant source layer and the diffusant penetration layer are removed and a gate insulator is formed on the substrate surface overlaying the doped region. An N doped gate electrode is then formed overlaying the gate insulator.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an improved semiconductor device is disclosed wherein a protective layer of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is selectively formed to encapsulate a refractory-metal conductor. To form the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer, first an Al/refractory-metal alloy is selectively formed on the surface of the refractory-metal conductor, then the Al/refractory-metal alloy is reacted with O.sub.2. The resulting Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 encapsulation layer acts as an O.sub.2 diffusion barrier preventing the oxidation of the refractory-metal during subsequent process steps used to fabricate the semiconductor device. In addition, the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer improves the mechanical compatibility of the refractory-metal conductor with other materials used to construct the semiconductor device, such as, for example, improving the adhesion of an overlying layer of passivation glass to the refractory-metal conductor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed having elevated source and drain regions formed by selectively depositing silicon onto a patterned layer of silicon which acts as a nucleation site for the propagation of the selective deposition process. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a silicon substrate is provided of a first conductivity type having an active surface area surrounded by an isolation region. A gate dielectric is formed overlying the active surface area of the substrate and a gate electrode is formed on a central portion of the active surface area. An insulation layer is formed which encapsulates the gate electrode and a first layer of silicon is deposited on the substrate. The first silicon layer is patterned to form a patterned portion overlying the active surface area and the isolation region which is spaced apart from the gate electrode by the insulation layer overlying the gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a package sealed by a UV-curable, thixotropic, acrylated epoxy and a method for sealing the package are disclosed. The package is sealed at room temperature by polymer cross-linking of the epoxy which is initiated by exposure of at least a portion of the expoxy to ultraviolet (UV) frequency radiation. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a base is provided having an electronic component attached to the base at a predetermined location. A lid having a layer of UV-curable epoxy screen-printed to a bonding portion is positioned onto the base enclosing the electronic component within a cavity formed by the union of the base and the lid. The lid is sealed to the base at room temperature by irradiating an exposed edge portion of the epoxy layer with UV frequency radiation. The formation of the seal at room temperature avoids thermal damage to temperature sensitive materials in both the package and the enclosed electronic component.

Abstract: A stacked shared-gate CMOS transistor and method of fabrication are disclosed. An improved CMOS transistor is fabricated by the formation of a bulk transistor and an overlying isolated (SOI) transistor wherein each transistor is adjoined to a portion of a shared gate having the same conductivity type as the related transistor. The differential conductivity of the shared gate is obtained by the fabrication of a conductive diffusion-barrier layer intermediate to conductive layers. Improved switching performance is obtained as a result of higher current levels produced by the isolated transistor.

Abstract: In a polish palnarization process using a polishing apparatus and an abrasive slurry, a boron nitride (BN) polish stop layer (18) is provided to increase the polish selectivity. The BN layer deposited in accordance with the invention has a hexagonal-close-pack crystal orientation and is characterized by chemical inertness and high hardness. The BN layer has a negligible polish removal rate yielding extremely high polish selectivity when used as a polish stop for polishing a number of materials commonly used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. In accordance with the invention, a substrate (12) is provided having an uneven topography including elevated regions and recessed regions. A BN polish stop layer (18) is desposited to overlie the substrate (12) and a fill material (20, 36) which can be dielectric material or a conductive material, is deposited to overlie the BN polish stop (18) and the recessed regions of the substrate.

Abstract: A structure and process for fabricating a fully self-aligned high-performance bipolar semiconductor device is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a substrate is provided having a first surface. A heavily doped buried layer is formed in the substrate extending from the first surface and a lightly doped epitaxial layer overlies the first surface. An isolation region is formed in the epitaxial layer dividing the epitaxial layer into an active surface region and an isolation region. A base electrode is formed on a first portion of the active surface region having an opening which exposes a second portion of the active surface region. An emitter electrode, which is self-aligned to the base electrode, overlies a portion of the base electrode and extends through the opening in the base electrode making contact with the second portion of the active surface region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and process wherein an ITLDD device (60) is formed having an inverse-T (IT) transistor gate with a variable work function (.PHI.) across the gate. The variable work function is attained by depositing a work function adjusting layer onto the thin gate extensions of the IT-gate. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor substrate (10) of a first conductivity type is provided having a gate dielectric layer (12) formed thereon. First and second lightly doped regions (36, 37) of a second conductivity type are formed in the substrate which are spaced apart by a channel region (38). An IT-gate electrode (48) is formed on the gate dielectric layer overlying the first and second lightly doped regions and the channel region. The IT-gate has a relatively thick central section (32) and relatively thin lateral extensions (50) projecting from the central portion along the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: In a TAB bonded semiconductor device, off-chip power and ground distribution is provided by electrically conductive leads spanning across the face of the semiconductor device. Means for supporting at least one TAB lead carrying a power or ground signal across the face of the semiconductor device to an external bonding site is positioned in a central portion of the chip bonding area. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device is provided having a plurality of bonding pads arrayed on at least two sides of a face surface thereon. At least one TAB lead is bonded to a bonding pad on a first side of the face surface and spans across the face surface and is bonded to a bonding pad located in a second side of the face surface. An interior tape section overlies a central portion of the face surface supporting the TAB lead.

Abstract: An automatic system for the inspection of a plurality of protruding features of an object employing computer vision. The system examines the position of a tip of the feature and compares it with an ideal position to determine if the object is defective or not. The position of the tip is calculated from a cluster of perceived pixels above a certain threshold of light intensity. In one embodiment, mathematic morphological manipulations of the gray scale perceived pixels assists in the analysis of the positions of the protruding features. The system provides an objective, fast and economical method of inspecting objects, such as electronic packages having a plurality of leads protruding therefrom.

Abstract: A method for fabricating and especially for encapsulating a semiconductor device in a plastic package is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the method includes steps of providing an encapsulation mold having a first chamber and a second chamber, with the second chamber spaced outwardly from and substantially surrounding the first chamber. The first chamber is shaped to receive a removable insert. An insert is selected for the particular body type and style which is desired and that insert is secured in the first chamber. The insert has a cavity which is shaped to define the desired encapsulated device package body. A lead frame is provided including a bonding area and a plurality of leads, each lead having a inner portion near the bonding area and an outer portion extending outwardly from the bonding area.

Abstract: An insulated gate field effect device is disclosed having a channel region which includes both a horizontal and a vertical portion. The device is fabricated on a semiconductor substrate having a recess formed in its surface. The recess has a bottom forming a second surface with the wall of the recess extending between the first and second surfaces. A source region is formed at the first surface and a drain is formed at the second surface spaced apart from the wall. A channel region is defined along the wall and the second surface between the drain region and the source region. A gate insulator and gate electrode overlie the channel region.

Abstract: An electronic pad array carrier IC device for mounting on a printed circuit board (PCB) or flex circuit substrate has a thin, flexible "tape" substrate having a plurality of traces. The substrate may be a polyimide or other material that can withstand relatively large lateral mechanical displacement. An integrated circuit die is mounted in proximity with or on the substrate and electrical connections between the integrated circuit chip and the traces are made by any conventional means. The substrate traces are provided at their outer ends with solder balls or pads for making connections to the PCB. A package body covers the die, which body may be optionally used to stand off the package a set distance from the PCB so that the solder balls will form the proper concave structure. Alternatively, a carrier structure may be provided around the periphery of the substrate to add rigidity during handling, testing and mounting, but which may also provide the stand-off function.

Abstract: A molded package having reduced unintentional and undesirable mold flash or bleed around an exposed heat sink is provided through the use of a compression structure within the package. The compression structure may be integral with a heat sink, die bond flag, if one is present, or may be a separate structure, which extends from a die support surface of the heat sink to the opposite side of the mold. During molding, the compression structure presses a heat dissipation surface of the heat sink against the mold surface forming a tight seal to prevent the mold compound from creeping around between the mold and the heat dissipation surface to form flash. The heat sink may also be provided with adhesion promotion features along its side to improve the physical bond or attachment between the heat sink and the plastic body of the package.

Abstract: An improved packaged semiconductor device is provided having an electronic component, such as an integrated circuit, enclosed within a single layer ceramic PGA package. A cap, of substantially the same areal dimension as the base, is sealed to the base forming a cavity in which the integrated circuit is mounted. Input/output pins are attached to through-holes in the base and extend through the base and are exposed by holes in the cap aligned to the through-holes in the base. Extensive glass sealing of the cap to the base, made possible by the substantially co-extensive nature of the cap with respect to the base, provides a sturdy highly reliable seal making the packaged semiconductor device better able to withstand mechanical stress.

Abstract: A stacked shared-gate CMOS transistor and method of fabrication are disclosed. An improved CMOS transistor is fabricated by the formation of a bulk transistor and an overlying isolated (SOI) transistor wherein each transistor is adjoined to a portion of a shared gate having the same conductivity type as the related transistor. The differential conductivity of the shared gate is obtained by the fabrication of a conductive diffusion-barrier layer intermediate to conductive layers. Improved switching performance is obtained as a result of higher current levels produced by the isolated transistor.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the formation of an LDD structure in an MOS transistor having a reduced mask count and providing high integrity source/drain junctions. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention an MOS transistor is formed having a gate dielectric overlying an active region of the substrate. A transistor gate is formed in a central portion of the active region and an oxidation layer is formed over the active region and the transistor gate. A lightly-doped source/drain region is formed which is self aligned to the transistor gate. A conformal layer of an oxygen reactive material is formed overlying the transistor gate and the active region. The oxygen reactive material is anisotropically etched in a oxygen plasma reactive ion etch to form a sidewall spacer on the edge the transistor gate. The oxygen reactive ion etch does not penetrate the oxidation layer overlying the active region. A heavily-doped source/drain region is formed which is self aligned to the edge of the sidewall spacer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, device metallization, and method are described. The device metallization, which is especially designed for submicron contact openings, includes titanium silicide to provide a low resistance contact to a device region, titanium nitride and sputtered tungsten to provide a diffusion barrier, etched back chemical vapor deposited tungsten for planarization, and aluminum or an aluminum alloy for interconnection.