Abstract: A semiconductor structure having a substrate, an insulator above a portion of the substrate, a conductor above the insulator; and at least two contact regions in the substrate on opposite sides of the portion of the substrate, wherein a voltage between the contact regions modulates a capacitance of the conductor.

Abstract: A process sort test circuit and methodology for determining performance characteristic of an IC chip. The circuit is located on an IC chip itself and comprises an input for receiving an input signal; a first path from the input to a first output for transmitting the input signal to the first output, the first path sensitive to variations in a manufacturing process for the IC chip; a second path from the input to a second output for transmitting the input signal to the second output, the second path being substantially less sensitive to the variations in the manufacturing process for the IC chip; and, a pulse generator device coupled to the first and second outputs for detecting a difference in arrival times of the input signal at the first and second outputs and for outputting a sort signal if the difference is of a preselected magnitude. The sort signal enables output indication of a performance characteristic of the IC chip.

Abstract: An FET device and method of making comprising a first dielectric layer; a substrate layer on the dielectric layer; a channel region of a first conductivity type formed in the substrate layer; a gate formed above the substrate layer over the channel region; FET diffusion regions of a second conductivity type formed in the substrate layer, the diffusion regions each having edges, the edges of the FET diffusion regions being separated by the channel region; and a body contact region of the first conductivity type extending continuously from the channel region. The first conductivity type material in the body contact region is thinner than the first conductivity type material in the channel region. The FET also includes a second dielectric layer formed on the body contact region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed that provides a decoupling capacitance and method for the same. The semiconductor device includes a first circuit region having a first device layer over an isolation layer and a second circuit region adjacent the first circuit region having a second device layer over a well. An implant layer is implanted beneath the isolation layer in the first circuit region, which will connect to the well of the second circuit region.

Abstract: Described is a method of increasing the capacitance of semiconductor capacitors by providing a first solid-state electrode pattern on a semiconductor medium, etching topographic features on said first electrode pattern in a manner effective in increasing the surface area of said first electrode pattern, depositing a dielectric layer upon said electrode pattern that substantially conforms to said topographic features, and depositing a second solid-state electrode pattern upon said dielectric layer and sufficiently insulated from said first solid-state electrode pattern so as to create a capacitance with said first solid-state electrode pattern.

Abstract: A method for removing one or more particles from a surface of an object is provided. The method has first and second steps of detecting and locating the one or more particles on the surface of the object. In a third step, focused energy is directed onto one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface. In preferred variations of the method of the present invention, the object is a semiconductor wafer and the directed focused energy is in the form of a laser. Also provided is an apparatus for removing the plurality of particles from the surface of the object. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting and locating the plurality of particles on the surface of the object, and a laser for directing focused energy on one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface.

Abstract: A FET with reduced reverse short channel effects is described, as well as a method to make said FET. Germanium is implanted throughout a semiconductor substrate at an intensity and dose such that a peak ion concentration is created below the source and drain of the FET. The germanium can be implanted prior to gate and source and drain formation, and reduces the reverse short channel effect normally seen in FETs. The short channel effect normally occurring in FETs is not negatively impacted by the germanium implant.

Abstract: True and complement data signals are provided to a multiplexer, which selects one of them based on a selection signal for capture by a single scannable latch in response to a clock signal. The scannable latch then provides the captured signal for testing by testing logic.

Abstract: A mask overlay measurement target includes nested boxes on three levels or has adjacent boxes sharing a common side, saving substantial area. The nested overlay measurement target also provides savings in measurement time since multiple overlay combinations can be measured at once. The nested target provides more level-to-level overlay information than has been available with standard box-in-box targets. The nested boxes are also used on a single level to provide area savings for stepper field placement metrology.

Abstract: A method and structure for preventing device leakage. The method and structure includes forming a blocking layer of preferably nitride over a junction between a source/drain region and a shallow trench isolation. A silicide is then formed over a landed area of the source/drain region but is blocked by the blocking layer from forming over the junction between the source/drain region and the shallow trench isolation. This prevents device leakage at this location.

Abstract: Described is an antifuse array comprising a plurality of antifuse elements and a plurality of cell plates. Each of the antifuse elements comprises a programming transistor and one of the cell plates. The programming transistor and the cell plate of each antifuse element are both activated to program the antifuse element. Each of the cell plates is coupled to a portion of the plurality of antifuse elements and to one of a plurality of decode circuits, and the decode circuits selectively activate its coupled cell plate. With a preferred embodiment, a multitude of interconnect lines are connected to the antifuses and in particular, each interconnect line intersects each of the cell plates and is associated with one antifuse in each group of antifuses. With this preferred embodiment, the array of antifuses are decoded by predecoding one of the cell plates by elevating the cell plate voltage from ground to a program voltage, and decoding one of the interconnect lines to program one of the antifuses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for contact testing a plurality of devices under test, either sequentially or simultaneously. In a first test phase it is determined whether the test probe to each contact is shorted to the most negative rail. In a second phase it is determined whether the test probe has made proper contact, and whether ESD diodes on the devices under test are functional. In both test phases a negative pulse is generated on a tester bus and applied to the contact by the test probe. In the first test phase the positive rail of the device under test is grounded; in the second test phase the positive rail of the device under test is made positive. The negative rail of the device under test is connected to the negative rail of the tester. In both test phases, upon termination of the negative pulse, the bus is restored to a positive voltage which is dependent upon the condition of the contact and the condition of expected input devices at the contact.

Abstract: A highly flexible system for performing a bitwrite operation on each bit of a Field Programmable Memory Array, while maintaining low-level routing requirements. The system consists of a bitwrite control subarray which is equal in width to the number of memory cells per word of a Field Programmable Memory Array and equal in height to 2N where N is the number chosen decode variations. Each cell of a Field Programmable Memory Array is associated via a bitwrite line with one cell of the bitwrite control subarray so that each cell can be independently controlled. The bitwrite control subarray can be programmed via a data bus prior to functional operation of the Field Programmable Memory Array, or while functional operation in the array continues.

Abstract: The present invention is a dual epi active pixel sensor cell having a p− region of dual thickness and a method of making the same. The dual epi active pixel sensor cell produces a sensor with improved noise and latch-up reduction and improved red absorption. The thin p− epi region is positioned in the logic region for improved latch-up immunity. The thick p− epi is position in the pixel region for improved red absorption.

Abstract: A viable T-gate FET is produced even when the cap of the “T” is mis-aligned from the stem of the “T”. A subtractive etch is used to selectively etch the material forming the cap of the T-gate and the material forming the stem of the T-gate in order to avoid the etching away of portions of the stem if the cap is mis-aligned relative to the stem. To that end, germanium (Ge) may be used as the material for the cap of the T-gate and poly silicon (polySi) may be used as the material for the stem of the T-gate. Since germanium can be etched selectively relative to silicon from 10:1 to as much as 20:1, the cap of the T can be formed without appreciable damage to the stem portion and thus without damage to the resultant FET device.

Abstract: A processor with multiple equivalent functional units for power reduction, which includes a mechanism for controlling the selection of functional units. Specifically, the processor comprises a first circuit performing a predetermined function at a first speed, a second circuit for performing the same predetermined function at a second speed, and a control system for selecting either the first or second circuit to perform the function. The control system further includes a mechanism for controlling the rate of execution of the processor instructions in the pipeline in order to compensate for the speed at which the first or second circuit was performing the predetermined function.

Abstract: A photoresist composition is disclosed having both negative tone and positive tone responses, giving rise to spaces being formed in the areas of diffraction which are exposed to intermediate amounts of radiation energy. This resist material may be used to print doughnut shapes or may be subjected to a second masking step, to print lines. Additionally, larger and smaller features may be obtained using a gray-scale filter in the reticle, to create larger areas of intermediate exposure areas.

Abstract: A method and structure for designing a circuit, including identifying paths in the circuit not satisfying a preselected performance criteria, wherein identified paths are initially designed to be coupled to a first power supply, and redesigning the circuit such that the identified paths are coupled to a second power supply having a higher voltage than the first power supply. The higher voltage increases performance of the identified paths such that the identified paths satisfy the performance criteria.

Abstract: A method and structure for improving the latch-up characteristic of semiconductor devices is provided. A dual depth STI is used to isolate the wells from each other. The trench has a first substantially horizontal surface at a first depth and a second substantially horizontal surface at a second depth which is deeper than the first depth. The n- and p-wells are formed on either side of the trench. A highly doped region is formed in the substrate underneath the second substantially horizontal surface of the trench. The highly doped region abuts both the first and the second wells and extends the isolation of the trench.

Abstract: A self-terminating module is provided that at least partially terminates a signal line when the self-terminating module is coupled thereto. The self-terminating module comprises an internal non-self-terminating module directly coupled to an internal termination circuit. Preferably an active internal termination circuit is employed. A pass circuit may be coupled between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module so as to pass a received signal therebetween with fewer reflected signal contributions. When a pass circuit is employed, a delay circuit responsive to a trigger signal controls signal transfer between the internal termination circuit and the internal non-self-terminating module. One or more self-terminating modules may be coupled to a signal line and the termination impedance of each module is selected to provide adequate signal line termination without significantly loading the signal line when one or more of the self-terminating modules are coupled thereto.