Abstract: A semiconductor component having smooth, void-free conductive layers and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component. Surface features such as gate structures are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A layer of insulating material is formed on the gate structures and a layer of polysilicon is formed on the layer of insulating material. The layer of polysilicon is annealed in a hydrogen ambient to redistribute the silicon atoms of the polysilicon layer. Redistribution of the atoms fills voids that may be present in the layer of polysilicon and smoothes the surface of the layer of polysilicon. Another layer of polysilicon is formed over the annealed layer of polysilicon. This polysilicon layer is annealed in a hydrogen ambient to redistribute the silicon atoms and smooth the surface of the polysilicon layer, thereby forming a subsequently annealed polysilicon layer. Control gate structures are formed from the subsequently annealed polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor component having a memory cell coupled to a trench line and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component. Trenches having sidewalls are formed in a semiconductor substrate and a trench line is formed in each trench. A polysilicon insert is formed between the trench line and each sidewall of the trench. A column of memory cells is formed between the trenches where each memory cell of the column of memory cells has a gate structure, a source region, and a drain region. The source regions of the column of memory cells are electrically coupled to the trench line on one side of the column of memory cells via one of the polysilicon inserts. The drain regions of the column of memory cells are electrically coupled to the trench line adjacent the opposite side of the column of memory cells via another of the polysilicon inserts.

Abstract: A semiconductor component having a substantially planar surface on which a film can be deposited and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component. A layer of dielectric material is formed over a semiconductor substrate and a layer of polysilicon is formed on the layer of dielectric material. The polysilicon layer is patterned to form floating gate structures and expose portions of the layer of dielectric material. Additional dielectric material is formed over the floating gate structures and the exposed portions of the layer of dielectric material. The additional dielectric material is planarized such that it has a surface that is substantially contiguous with and coplanar with the floating gate structures. An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) dielectric structure or stack is formed on the surfaces of the floating gate structures and the dielectric material. A layer of polysilicon is formed on the ONO dielectric structure.

Abstract: A memory device and a method for compensating for a load current in the memory device. The memory device includes a plurality of I/O buffers where each I/O buffer includes an I/O write-buffer driver circuit. The I/O write-buffer driver circuit is coupled to a load current compensation circuit. Although each I/O buffer includes an I/O write-buffer circuit, a single load current compensation circuit may be coupled to several I/O write-buffer driver circuits. The load current compensation circuit generates a load compensation current for each I/O buffer circuit that is not being programmed. The load compensation current increases the load current so that a drain-side programming voltage (VPROG) drives a substantially constant load current, wherein the drain-side programming voltage is substantially independent of the number of bits being programmed.

Abstract: A memory device and a method for refreshing the memory device. The memory device includes a memory cell capable of storing two bits of data. One bit is referred to as the normal data bit and the other bit is referred to as the complementary data bit. Each memory cell has an associated dynamic reference cell. The normal data is refreshed by latching refresh data into a data latch and ORing the latched data with input data. The refresh data is written to the corresponding memory location. The data for the complementary data bit is refreshed by latching complementary data bit refresh data into the complementary data latches and writing to the memory cell. The normal and complementary data bits are refreshed before each read operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor component and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component that mitigates electromigration and stress migration in a metallization system of the semiconductor component. A hardmask is formed over a dielectric layer and an opening is etched through the hardmask and into the dielectric layer. The opening is lined with a barrier layer and filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material is planarized, where the planarization process stops on the barrier layer. Following planarization, the electrically conductive material is recessed using either an over-polishing process with highly selective copper slurry or a wet etching process to partially re-open the filled metal-filled trench or via. The recess process is performed such that the exposed portion of the electrically conductive material is below the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A fixture suitable for coupling a lid to a substrate having a semiconductor chip coupled thereto and a method for coupling the lid to the substrate. A support structure has a cavity having a floor and a pedestal protruding from the floor. A guide extends from the support structure. A compression mechanism is coupled to the guide wherein the compression mechanism includes an actuator plate coupled to a compression plate by a compressible means. An actuator is coupled to the compression mechanism. A packaging substrate having a semiconductor chip is mounted to the packaging substrate and a lid is mounted over the semiconductor chip to form a semiconductor component. The semiconductor component is placed on a support structure and the actuator is activated to urge the compression plate to apply a uniform force against the lid.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for reading a mark on a wafer. The apparatus includes a wafer receptacle having a mirror material coated on one side and a plurality of slots formed therein. The wafer receptacle is coupled to a base plate via a back support. The apparatus may also include a front support coupled between the wafer receptacle and the base plate. A plurality of concave mirrors are coupled to the base plate. A wafer placed in one of the plurality of slots reflects light to the mirror material coating the wafer receptacle. The light is reflected by the mirror material to one of the concave mirrors, which rectifies an image contained in the light and reflects the rectified image to the back support. The image can be viewed on the back support.

Abstract: An insulated gate field effect semiconductor component having a source-side halo region and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component. A gate structure is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The source-side halo region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. After formation of the source-side halo region, spacers are formed adjacent opposing sides of the gate structure. A source extension region and a drain extension region are formed in the semiconductor substrate using an angled implant. The source extension region extends under the gate structure, whereas the drain extension may extend under the gate structure or be laterally spaced apart from the gate structure. A source region and a drain region are formed in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An insulated gate semiconductor device (100) having reduced gate resistance and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device (100). A gate structure (112) is formed on a major surface (104) of a semiconductor substrate (102). Successive nitride spacers (118, 128) are formed adjacent the sidewalls of the gate structure (112). The nitride spacers (118, 128) are etched and recessed using a single etch to expose the upper portions (115A, 117A) of the gate structure (112). Source (132) and drain (134) regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate (102). Silicide regions (140, 142, 144) are formed on the top surface (109) and the exposed upper portions (115A, 117A) of the gate structure (112) and the source region (132) and the drain region (134). Electrodes (150, 152, 154) are formed in contact with the silicide (140, 142, 144) of the respective gate structure (112), source region (132), and the drain region (134).

Abstract: A semiconductor component having an optical interconnect formed thereover and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor component. The semiconductor component has a transistor coupled to a light emitting device and another transistor coupled to a light detecting device by a metallization system. The light emitting device is optically coupled to the light detecting device by an optical interconnect formed over the transistors and the metallization system.

Abstract: A metallization system (10) suitable for use in a semiconductor component and a method for fabricating the metallization system (10). The metallization system (10) includes a dielectric material (20) disposed on a major surface (14) of a substrate (12). The dielectric material (20) contains a dielectric filled plug (26) over a conductor (19). A metal filled plug (38) extends through the dielectric filled plug (26). The metal of the metal filled plug (38) electrically contacts the conductor (19). The metallization system (10) may be fabricated by etching a via (24) in the dielectric material (20) and filling the via (24) with a dielectric material (26) having a dielectric constant that is greater than the dielectric constant of the dielectric material (20) disposed on the major surface. A via (34) is formed in the dielectric material (26) that fills the via (24) and the via (34) is filled with a metal.