Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided which includes a first semiconductor device in a first active semiconductor region and a second semiconductor device in a second active semiconductor region. A first dielectric liner overlies the first semiconductor device and a second dielectric liner overlies the second semiconductor device, with the second dielectric liner overlapping the first dielectric liner at an overlap region. The second dielectric liner has a first portion having a first thickness contacting an apex of the second gate conductor and a second portion extending from peripheral edges of the second gate conductor which has a second thickness substantially greater than the first thickness. A first conductive via contacts at least one of the first or second gate conductors and the conductive via extends through the first and second dielectric liners at the overlap region. A second conductive via may contact at least one of a source region or a drain region of the second semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon germanium on insulator (SGOI) structure. A SiGe layer is deposited on an SOI wafer. Thermal mixing of the SiGe and Si layers is performed to form a thick SGOI with high relaxation and low stacking fault defect density. The SiGe layer is then thinned to a desired final thickness. The Ge concentration, the amount of relaxation, and stacking fault defect density are unchanged by the thinning process. A thin SGOI film is thus obtained with high relaxation and low stacking fault defect density. A layer of Si is then deposited on the thin SGOI wafer. The method of thinning includes low temperature (550° C.-700° C.) HIPOX or steam oxidation, in-situ HCl etching in an epitaxy chamber, or CMP. A rough SiGe surface resulting from HIPOX or steam oxidation thinning is smoothed with a touch-up CMP, in-situ hydrogen bake and SiGe buffer layer during strained Si deposition, or heating the wafer in a hydrogen environment with a mixture of gases HCl, DCS and GeH4.

Abstract: Silicide is protected during MC RIE etch by first forming an oxide film over the silicide and, after performing MC RIE etch, etching the oxide film. The oxide film is formed from a film of alloyed metal-silicon (M-Si) on the layer of silicide, then wet etching the metal-silicon. An ozone plasma treatment process can be an option to densify the oxide film. The oxide film may be etched by oxide RIE or wet etch, using 500:1 DHF.

Abstract: An improved method for applying stress proximity technique process on a semiconductor device and the improved device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method utilizes an additional set of sidewall spacers on one or more NFET devices during the fabrication process. This protects the one or more of the NFET devices during the activation of a compressive PFET stress liner, thereby reducing the compressive forces on the one or more NFET devices, and creating a semiconductor device with improved performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of forming a conductive stud contacting a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a protective layer covering the semiconductor device; selectively etching an opening down through the protective layer reaching a contact area of the semiconductor device, the opening being away from a protected area of the semiconductor device; and filling the opening with a conductive material to form the conductive stud. One embodiment may further include forming a dielectric liner directly on top of the semiconductor device, and forming the protective layer on top of the dielectric liner. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a semiconductor device made thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming a compressive stress nitride film overlying a plurality of p-type field effect transistor gate structures produced on a substrate through a high-density plasma deposition process. Embodiments include generating an environment filled with high-density plasma using source gases of at least silane, argon and nitrogen; biasing the substrate to a high frequency power of varying density, in a range between 0.8 W/cm2 and 5.0 W/cm2; and depositing the high-density plasma to the plurality of gate structures to form the compressive stress nitride film.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for extending the life of abrasive disks used in the conditioning of polishing pads used in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) of polishing pads used to polish and/or planarize the surfaces of semiconductor wafers during the production of integrated circuits. The invention consists of the a disk comprising a plurality of abrasive segments, each of which is fixed in tangential and radial relationship to one another about the common axis of rotation of the conditioning disk. Means are provided for movement of the abrasive segments, individually or in sets, into or out of the plane of the active abrasive surface of the conditioning disk according to the present invention.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is characterized as high-frequency power (supplied by an RF generator at 13.56 MHz). The FET device may also include NFET gate structures. A blocking layer is deposited over the NFET gate structures so that the nitride layer overlies the blocking layer; after the blocking layer is removed, the nitride layer is not in contact with the NFET gate structures. The nitride layer has a thickness in the range of about 300-2000 ?.

Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect structure in an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) material, the method include the steps of creating one or more via openings in the ILD material; forming a first liner covering at least one of the one or more via openings; creating one or more trench openings on top of at least one of the one or more via openings covered by the first liner; and forming a second liner covering the trenching openings and at least part of the first liner. An interconnect structure formed by the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method of forming a dual segment liner covering a first and a second set of semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes forming a first liner and a first protective layer on top thereof, the first liner covering the first set of semiconductor devices; forming a second liner, the second liner having a first section covering the first protective layer, a transitional section, and a second section covering the second set of semiconductor devices, the second section being self-aligned to the first liner via the transitional section; forming a second protective layer on top of the second section of the second liner; removing the first section and at least part of the transitional section of the second liner; and obtaining the dual segment liner including the first liner, the transitional section and the second section of the second liner. A semiconductor structure with a self-aligned dual segment liner formed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is also provided.

Abstract: Fully and uniformly silicided gate conductors are produced by deeply “perforating” silicide gate conductors with sub-lithographic, sub-critical dimension, nanometer-scale openings. A silicide-forming metal (e.g. cobalt, tungsten, etc.) is then deposited, polysilicon gates, covering them and filling the perforations. An anneal step converts the polysilicon to silicide. Because of the deep perforations, the surface area of polysilicon in contact with the silicide-forming metal is greatly increased over conventional silicidation techniques, causing the polysilicon gate to be fully converted to a uniform silicide composition. A self-assembling diblock copolymer is used to form a regular sub-lithographic nanometer-scale pattern that is used as an etching “template” for forming the perforations.

Abstract: A method for cleaning oxide from the interconnects of a semiconductor that are comprised of nickel (Ni) silicide or nickel-silicide alloys where nickel is the primary metallic component is disclosed. The cleaning comprises performing an SC1 cycle, exposing the wafer comprising a NiSi contact to an SC1 solution. This removes oxygen atoms from the silicon oxide of the nickel silicide. Next, a rinse cycle is performed on the wafer to remove the SC1 solution. Finally, an HCl cycle is performed. During this cycle, the wafer comprising an NiSi contact is introduced to an HCl solution, removing oxygen atoms from the nickel oxide of the NiSi. The method of the present invention provides for lower contact resistance of NiSi semiconductor devices, facilitating semiconductor devices that have the benefits of miniaturization allowed by the NiSi technology, and higher performance due to the reduced contact resistance.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is characterized as high-frequency power (supplied by an RF generator at 13.56 MHz). The FET device may also include NFET gate structures. A blocking layer is deposited over the NFET gate structures so that the nitride layer overlies the blocking layer; after the blocking layer is removed, the nitride layer is not in contact with the NFET gate structures. The nitride layer has a thickness in the range of about 300-2000 ?.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided in which non-directional and directional metal (e.g. Ni) deposition steps are performed in the same process chamber. A first plasma is formed for removing material from a target; a secondary plasma for increasing ion density in the material is formed in the interior of an annular electrode (e.g. a Ni ring) connected to an RF generator. Material is deposited non-directionally on the substrate in the absence of the secondary plasma and electrical biasing of the substrate, and deposited directionally when the secondary plasma is present and the substrate is electrically biased. Nickel silicide formed from the deposited metal has a lower gate polysilicon sheet resistance and may have a lower density of pipe defects than NiSi formed from metal deposited in a solely directional process, and has a lower source/drain contact resistance than NiSi formed from metal deposited in a solely non-directional process.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for detecting flatness and/or unevenness of a surface of an overcoat layer on a colored pixel layer of a color filter with a high degree of accuracy. The apparatus includes: a light source 34, placed almost directly above the surface of a plate 30, for emitting an emission-line spectrum corresponding to at least one color of coloring particles in a color filter 32; a photo-receiver 36, placed obliquely upward with respect to the surface of the plate 30 and having a spectral sensitivity corresponding to the emission-line spectrum of the light source, for receiving reflected light from the color filter 32 on the plate 30 during inspection; and a detection means 42 for creating a brightness distribution for a color using a color signal output from the photo-receiver 36 as corresponding to its spectral sensitivity to detect the flatness (unevenness) of the surface of an overcoat layer 16.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of fabricating a contact structure in a layer of dielectric material between a semiconductor device and a back-end-of-line interconnect. The method includes creating at least one contact opening in said layer of dielectric material; forming a first TiN film through a chemical-vapor deposition process, said first TiN film lining said contact opening; and forming a second TiN film through a physical vapor deposition process, said second TiN film lining said first TiN film. A contact structure fabricated according to embodiments of the invention is also provided.

Abstract: A software-enabled Route Input System (RIS) process facilitates consistent communication among the various entities involved in route creation, where the entities have different tasks and objectives. The primary teams are the process flow definers (IE), individual process owners (PE) and the execution team that assembles the process steps into a final manufacturing flow (RBT). The IE and PE provide process flow sequence and/or process operation details required by the RBT. Additional business rules are applied by the execution team to process the input data into its final form. The RIS assures a high level of quality and consistency in the route build process, which permits more efficient and lower cost operation of the manufacturing line. The RIS may be used with any Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

Abstract: A multimedia presentation apparatus and method by which a presenter is freed from the requirement of having or providing or transporting a supporting computer system such as the notebook or laptop system by the incorporation of computing capability and an accessible data port into the housing of the apparatus through which an executable data file may be delivered to cause generation of the desired presentation.

Abstract: A device for flowing a liquid on a surface comprises: a flow path. A first port supplies the liquid to one end of the flow path and applies a first port pressure for retaining the liquid when the flow path is remote from the surface. A second port receives the liquid from the other end of the flow path and applies a second port pressure such that the difference between the first and second negative port pressures is oriented to promote flow of the liquid from the first port to the second port via the flow path in response to the flow path being located proximal to the surface and the liquid in the device contacting the surface. The first and second port pressures are such that the liquid is drawn towards at least the second port in response to withdrawal of the flow path from the surface. Such devices may employ microfluidic technology and find application in surface patterning.

Abstract: A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit includes the steps of forming a plurality of features in a layer of dielectric material, and forming spacers on sidewalls of the features. Conductors are then formed in the features, being separated from the sidewalls by the spacers. The spacers are then removed, forming air gaps at the sidewalls so that the conductors are separated from the sidewalls by the air gaps. Dielectric layers above and below the conductors may be low-k dielectrics having a dielectric constant less than that of the dielectric between the conductors. A cross-section of each of the conductors has a bottom in contact with the a low-k dielectric layer, a top in contact with another low-k dielectric, and sides in contact only with the air gaps. The air gaps serve to reduce the intralevel capacitance.