Abstract: A controlled collapse chip connection (C4) structure having stronger resistance to failure is constructed for use with integrated circuit devices having copper wiring. Failure resistance is obtained by replacing the mechanically weak final passivation to copper interface. The weak interface is eliminated by use of a specific peg on peg structure together with a layer of shunt metal having excellent adhesion and barrier characteristics. A shunt metal, e.g., Ta or TaN, is placed between both the copper and final passivation and the copper and C4 metals such that it overlaps the edge of the peg defined wiring mesh to encase the copper. Overlap is obtained by the peg on peg structure where a SiO2 peg defines the copper wire mesh and a smaller Si3N4 peg placed on the SiO2 peg defines the overlap above the mesh wire and provides the ability to pattern the overlayer shunt without exposure of the copper conductor.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit on a chip with a single I/O node whose output generally corresponds to a performance level of the IC chip. The single I/O node provides an easy access and testing point for evaluating chip performance. The I/O node is used for coupling to the oscillator circuit, and for activating and monitoring its oscillating output signal. The single I/O node may be accessed at the wafer level, after packaging, or in the field.

Abstract: A method for fabricating FETs with abrupt halos provides an initial FET structure having a substrate, a dielectric layer over a portion of the substrate, a gate over the dielectric layer, sidewall insulators on either side of and adjacent the dielectric layer and gate, and halo regions comprising an n- or p-type dopant extending to a desired depth in the substrate adjacent each of the sidewall insulators and beneath a portion of the dielectric layer. The method is practiced by creating first amorphous regions within a portion of each of the halo regions to a depth less than the halo regions and implanting in and diffusing throughout only the first amorphous regions a dopant opposite the n- or p-type dopant used in the halo region to create extension source and drain regions. The method then involves forming dielectric spacers adjacent the sidewall insulators and creating second amorphous regions adjacent each of the dielectric spacers to a depth greater than the halo regions.

Abstract: A memory cell layout provides for sharing of power supply connections between adjacent rows and columns of a memory array, respectively by providing a subarray layout in which one power connection is serpentine, extending into adjacent rows, and another stitches together a connection of memory cells in adjacent columns and adjacent rows. The subarray layout may be expanded by reflection and produced by lithographic exposures of relatively large numbers of memory cells in a step-and-repeat fashion. The layout of the power connections to the memory cells allows a significant reduction in the number of power connections required and/or the provision of redundant connections and a shielding mesh without increase of the number of connections required as well as full exploitation of minimum feature size with increased manufacturing yield.

Abstract: Reliable metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices which exhibit little or no oxide breakdown at the Rx edge during device biasing are provided. The improved reliability is obtained by forming a contact to the polysilicon top conductor over a substantially thicker portion of the dielectric region. A method of fabricating the improved CMOS devices is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit memory cell, including at least three transistors and a capacitor to form a DRAM. The memory cell is fabricated on a semiconductor substrate including impurity regions, and using two semiconductor films, with dielectric films between the semiconductor films. The capacitor contains two electrodes. A substrate impurity region forms one of the electrodes; the other electrode is a semiconductor film which connects the gate of one device to an impurity region of another. The method for manufacturing the above-described integrated circuit, which may be used for the manufacture of similar circuits, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A substrate, such as a semiconductor chip or wafer, is implanted along with product wafers in an ion implant vacuum system. The substrate is then annealed in an annealing step that is accomplished while the substrate is within the vacuum system. The annealer is a rapid thermal annealer, such as a laser annealer or a flash lamp annealer. The annealing step does not affect the product wafers. Then a measurement is performed on the implanted and annealed substrate while it is within the vacuum system that can be suitably correlated with implant dose. The measurement can be with a technique such as a four point probe or with a tool that measures optical reflectivity from a surface of the implanted substrate. An additional implant can then be provided to product wafers if necessary to come closer to the desired dose.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing a Hedge Technique Analysis are used to enhance the performance of the functional logic design of a large scale integrated circuit while simplifying the underlying logic. The methodology first runs performance tests on the logic circuitry to assess the timing and characterize the logic paths; next, functional paths are identified and listed; common logic path leaves, twigs, and branches are then identified and ranked by the number of critical paths associated with each; all high ranking common logic path leaves, twigs, and branches are then collapsed; and, timing paths are re-run to characterize the final performance rating of the functional design.

Abstract: A processing system executing multiple programs and operating under control of an operating system, comprising a processor unit which includes a dispatch/decode unit under control of the operating system for dispatching and decoding instructions of the multiple programs, the instructions each including a program ID. The processor unit further comprises a plurality of execution units, each separately selectable by the operating system for receiving any of the instructions of the multiple programs from the dispatch/decode unit, wherein one of the execution units is executing an instruction from one of the multiple programs while another of the execution units is executing an instruction from another one of the multiple programs. The processor unit also comprises a retirement unit storing results of executed ones of the instructions uniquely in response to each program ID.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for automatically detecting an operating condition of an integrated circuit chip and for automatically outputting a control signal in response to automatically detecting one of at least two said operating conditions. With the preferred embodiment, FET off currents are reduced during burn-in of a CMOS integrated chip. This is done by a compact, local sensing circuit. The sensing circuit is off during the normal chip operation, and the sensing circuit is only used where needed to provide a local signal to cut down excessive FET off currents. The sensing circuit preferred embodiment is designed with an NFET bandgap device that employs a novel layout approach.

Abstract: An anti-fuse structure that can be programmed at low voltage and current and which potentially consumes very little chip spaces and can be formed interstitially between elements spaced by a minimum lithographic feature size is formed on a composite substrate such as a silicon-on-insulator wafer by etching a contact through an insulator to a support semiconductor layer, preferably in combination with formation of a capacitor-like structure reaching to or into the support layer. The anti-fuse may be programmed either by the selected location of conductor formation and/or damaging a dielectric of the capacitor-like structure. An insulating collar is used to surround a portion of either the conductor or the capacitor-like structure to confine damage to the desired location. Heating effects voltage and noise due to programming currents are effectively isolated to the bulk silicon layer, permitting programming during normal operation of the device.

Abstract: A silicon-germanium ESD element comprises a substrate of a first dopant type coupled to a first voltage terminal and a first diode-configured element. The first diode-configured element has a collector region of a second dopant type in the substrate, a SiGe base layer of the first dopant type on the collector region, with the SiGe base layer including a base contact region, and an emitter of the second dopant type on the SiGe base layer. Preferably, the SiGe base layer ion the collector region is an epitaxial SiGe layer and the second dopant type of the emitter is diffused in to the SiGe base layer. The ESD element of the present invention may further include a second diode-configured element of the same structure as the first diode-configured element, with an isolation region in the substrate separating the first and second diode-configured elements. The first and second diode-configured elements form a diode network.

Abstract: A system and method for designing a low power ASIC using weighted net toggle information. In particular, the system and method includes a simulation system that executes a set of application test suites that is representative of the code that will likely run on the ASIC and weights each of the applications. The weighted net toggle information can then be evaluated and utilized to modify the ASIC design.

Abstract: A method and semiconductor structure that uses a field enhanced region where the oxide thickness is substantially reduced, thereby allowing antifuse programming at burn-in voltages which do not damage the standard CMOS logic. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate that has a raised protrusion terminating at a substantially sharp point, an insulator layer over the raised protrusion sufficiently thin to be breached by a breakdown voltage applied to the sharp point, a region comprised of a material on the insulator over the raised protrusion for becoming electrically coupled to the substrate after the insulator layer is breached by the breakdown voltage, and a contact for supplying the breakdown voltage to the substrate.

Abstract: A high capacitance storage node structure is created in a substrate by patterning a hybrid resist (12) to produce both negative tone (16) and positive tone (18) areas in the exposed region (14). After removal of the positive tone areas (18), the substrate (12) is etched using the unexposed hybrid resist (12) and negative tone area (16) as a mask. This produces a trench (22) in the substrate (12) with a centrally located, upwardly projecting protrusion (24). The capacitor (26) is then created by coating the sidewalls of the trench (22) and protrusion (24) with dielectric (28) and filling the trench with conductive material (30) such as polysilicon.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that contains a coaxial signal line formed at least partially within a silicon-containing substrate. The coaxial signal line comprises an inner conductor having a length, said length axially surrounded by, and insulated from, an outer conductor along said length. A method of preparing such an integrated circuit having said coaxial signal line formed at least partially within a silicon-containing substrate is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Methods for forming a T-gate on a substrate are provided that employ a hybrid resist. The hybrid resist specifically is employed to define a base of the T-gate on the substrate with very high resolution. To define a base of the T-gate, a hybrid resist layer is deposited on the substrate. A mask having a reticle feature with an edge is provided and is positioned above the hybrid resist layer so that the edge of the reticle feature is above a desired location for the base of the T-gate. Thereafter, the hybrid resist layer is exposed to radiation through the mask, and the exposed hybrid resist layer is developed to define an opening therein for the base of the T-gate. Preferably the loop feature formed in the hybrid resist layer by the reticle feature during exposure is trimmed. The T-gate may be completed by employing any known T-gate fabrication techniques.

Abstract: Fine feature lithography is enhanced by selectively providing exposures to correct for effects such as foreshortening, corner rounding, nested to isolated print bias, feature size dependent bias, and other image biases in semiconductor processing. These results are achieved by increasing the local exposure dose in critical areas of specific images, such as line ends and corners. The general process incorporates techniques which tailor the exposure dose as a function of position to achieve the desired final image shape. The techniques include contrast enhancement layers (CEL), scanning optical beams, and exposures with different masks. In one embodiment the process of forming a pattern comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a photosensitive coating, exposing the center area of the pattern on the photosensitive coating with one mask, and exposing ends of the pattern on the photosensitive coating without exposing the center area with a second mask.

Abstract: A structure and method for simultaneously forming array structures and support structures on a substrate comprises forming the array structures to have a V-groove, forming the support structures to have a planar surface, and simultaneously forming a first oxide in the V-groove and a second oxide in the planar surface, wherein the first oxide is thicker than the second oxide.

Abstract: A memory cell which comprises a substrate having a top surface; a capacitor extending vertically into the substrate for storing a voltage representing a datum, said capacitor occupying a geometrically shaped horizontal area; a transistor formed above the capacitor and occupying a horizontal area substantially equal to the geometrically shaped horizontal area, and having a vertical device depth, for establishing an electrical connection with the capacitor, in response to a control signal, for reading from, and writing to, the capacitor, wherein the transistor includes a gate formed near the periphery of said horizontal device area and having a vertical depth approximately equal to the vertical device depth; an oxide layer on an inside surface of the gate; a conductive body formed inside the oxide layer, said conductive body having a top surface and a bottom surface and a vertical depth approximately equal to the vertical device depth; and diffusion regions in the body near the top and bottom surfaces and a met