Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing system, comprising: a fluid storage and dispensing vessel constructed and arranged for selective dispensing of fluid therefrom; a solid-phase support in the vessel; and an affinity medium on the solid-phase support, wherein the affinity medium reversibly takes up the fluid when contacted therewith, and from which the fluid is disengagable under dispensing conditions. The affinity medium may be a liquid, oil, gel, or solid (porous solid, thin film solid, or bulk solid). The system of the invention may be employed for the storage and dispensing of fluids such as hydride, halide and dopant gases for manufacturing of semiconductor products.

Abstract: Solid-phase physical sorbent medium holding adsorbed fluid is provided in a cartridge, for use in a sorbent-based fluid storage and dispensing system. One or more of such cartridges may be disposed in a fluid storage and dispensing vessel and opened prior or subsequent to sealing of the vessel, to provide desorbable fluid for dispensing from the vessel, e.g., by pressure differential, concentration differential and/or thermal desorption. Use of such cartridges thereby obviates the sorbent bake-out and sorbate gas loading steps necessary in prior practice, thereby simplifying the manufacture of the fluid storage and dispensing system.

Abstract: A method of forming an iridium-containing film on a substrate, from an iridium-contaiing precursor thereof which is decomposable to deposit iridium on the substrate, by decomposing the precursor and depositing iridium on the substrate in an oxidizing ambient environment which may for example contain an oxidizing gas such as oxygen, ozone, air, and nitrogen oxide. Useful precursors include Lewis base stabilized Ir(I) .beta.-diketonates and Lewis base stabilized Ir(I) .beta.-ketoiminates. The iridium deposited on the substrate may then be etched for patterning an electrode, followed by depositing on the electrode a dielectric or ferroelectric material, for fabrication of thin film capacitor semiconductor devices such as DRAMs, FRAMs, hybrid systems, smart cards and communication systems.

Abstract: Tantalum and titanium source reagents are described, including tantalum amide and tantalum silicon nitride precursors for the deposition of tantalum nitride material on a substrate by processes such as chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition, ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy and rapid thermal processing. The precursors may be employed to form diffusion barrier layers on microlectronic device structures enabling the use of copper metallization and ferroelectric thin films in device construction.

Abstract: A method is described for the nucleation controlled deposition of ferroelectric thin films by chemical vapor deposition in a novel processing sequence wherein a higher density of bismuth nucleation sites is achieved either by the use of a substrate member which has been treated in a manner to yield a controllably and reproducible rough surface on which SBT films with excellent properties may be produced or by using a chemically modified substrate surface upon which surface chemical properties are modified. Typical techniques for achieving surface roughening include reactive ion etching, inert ion milling and chemical mechanical polishing, each of which may be used to delineate patterned bottom electrodes. The chemical properties of the substrate may be modified by alloy deposition, deposition of seed layers which are then partially or completely in-diffused ion implantation with or without heat treatment and changing the chemistry of the surface by a pre-exposure to chemical agents prior to deposition.

Abstract: A showerhead disperser device for mixing plural vapor streams, comprising: a housing including front and rear walls in spaced apart relation to one another, and a side wall therebetween, defining within the housing an interior volume; the front wall having a multiplicity of vapor mixture discharge openings therein, for discharging mixed vapor from the interior volume of the housing exteriorly thereof, flow passages joined to the housing for introducing into the interior volume of the housing respective fluids to be mixed therein; and at least one baffle plate mounted in the interior volume of the housing, intermediate the front and rear walls of the housing, the baffle plate having an edge in spaced relation to the side wall to form an annular flow passage therebetween and the baffle plate having at least one of the respective fluids directed thereagainst upon introduction to the interior volume of the housing, for distribution thereof in the interior volume of the housing.

Abstract: A hydrogen sensor for the detection of hydrogen, e.g., in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen. The sensor includes a rare earth metal thin film arranged for exposure to the environment and exhibiting a detectable change of physical property, e.g., optical transmissivity, electrical resistivity, magneto-resistance, and/or photoconductivity, when the rare earth metal thin film is contacted with hydrogen gas. The sensor may include an output assembly for converting the physical property change to a perceivable output. The rare earth metal thin film may correspondingly be used for signal processing applications, in which the rare earth metal thin film is contacted with hydrogen gas, and a predetermined voltage signal is selectively imposed across the rare earth metal thin film, to selectively electrically switch the film between mirror and window states, with a response being generated according to which of the mirror and window states is present.

Abstract: An antimony/Lewis base adduct of the formula SbR.sub.3.L, wherein each R is independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 perfluoroalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 haloalkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 perfluoroaryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 haloaryl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, substituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 aryl and halo; and L is a Lewis base ligand coordinating with SbR.sub.3. The adducts of the invention are useful as metal source compositions for chemical vapor deposition, assisted chemical vapor deposition (e.g., laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition, light-assisted chemical vapor deposition, plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition and ion-assisted chemical vapor deposition), ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy, and rapid thermal processing, to form antimony or antimony-containing films.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a dopant gas species which is a reaction product of a metal and a gas reactive therewith to form the dopant gas species. A source mass of metal is provided and contacted with the reactive gas to yield a dopant gas species. The dopant gas species may be passed to a chemical vapor deposition reactor, or flowed to an ionization chamber to generate ionic species for ion implantation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a structure of and a method for fabricating a ferroelectric film on a non-conductive substrate. An adhesion layer, e.g., a layer of silicon dioxide and a layer of zirconium oxide, is deposited over a substrate. A conductive layer, e.g., a noble metal, a non-noble metal, or a conductive oxide, is deposited over the adhesion layer. A seed layer, e.g., a compound containing lead, lanthanum, titanium, and oxygen, with a controlled crystal lattice orientation, is deposited on the conductive layer. This seed layer has ferroelectric properties. Over the seed layer, another ferroelectric material, e.g., lead zirconium titanate, can be deposited with a tetragonal or rhombohedral crystalline lattice structure with predetermined and controlled crystal orientation.

Abstract: A planarization composition is set forth in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The composition comprises spherical silica particles having a weight average particle diameter which falls within the range from about 0.03.mu. to about 2.mu. and is mono-disperse in that at least about 90 weight percent of the particles have a variation in particle diameter from the average particle diameter of no more than about .+-.20%. A liquid carrier comprising up to 20 weight percent ROH, and an amine hydroxide which is NR.sub.4 OH or NR.sub.2 NR.sub.3 OH, where each R is HCH.sub.3, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, C.sub.3 H.sub.7 or C.sub.4 H.sub.9, in the amount of 0.1 to 10 weight percent; an oxidizer which is in the amount from about 0.5% to 15% weight percent; an acid stabilizer for adjusting the pH to fall within a range from about 7.0 to about 0.5; and the remainder is water.

Abstract: A system for the storage and delivery of a sorbable fluid, comprising a storage and dispensing vessel containing a sorbent material having sorptive affinity for the sorbable fluid, and from which the fluid is desorbable by pressure-mediated and/or thermally-mediated desorption, wherein the sorbent material is functionally enhanced by a reagent which alters the binding energy of the fluid to the sorbent. In a preferred aspect, the system is arranged for storage and delivery of B.sub.2 H.sub.6, in which the sorbent material has sorptive affinity for B.sub.2 H.sub.6 and is effective when B.sub.2 H.sub.6 is contacted with the sorbent to convert B.sub.2 H.sub.6 to a sorbed .BH.sub.3 form, which is desorbable by pressure-mediated desorption and/or thermally-mediated desorption to release B.sub.2 H.sub.6 from the sorbent, and means for selectively discharging desorbed B.sub.2 H.sub.

Abstract: A solid-phase physical sorbent-based fluid storage and dispensing system, in which the sorbent is a particulate activated carbon of specific pore character. The sorbent may be washed, e.g., with hydrofluoric acid, to remove adverse trace metals and oxidic transition metal species therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for storage and dispensing of a gas, comprising a gas storage and dispensing vessel holding a physical sorbent medium and gas adsorbed on the physical sorbent medium, wherein a carrier gas, e.g., helium, hydrogen, argon, etc., is flowed through the vessel to effect desorption of the sorbate gas and entrainment of the desorbed gas in the carrier gas stream. The storage and dispensing system of the invention may be employed to provide the dispensed sorbate gas to a downstream locus of use in applications such as epitaxial film formation and ion implantation, in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Stable, high temperature electrical contacts to silicon carbide formed using a unique silicide formation process that employs a sacrificial silicon layer between the silicon carbide and the contacting metal, which forms a metal silicide interlayer providing the resulting contact with low specific contact resistance and high electrical and structural stability. The contact interface is formed by reaction below the semiconductor surface, and thus the in-situ silicide formation process is insensitive to surface impurities and oxides and permits the controlled formation of silicides without the formation of excess carbon and carbides at the contact interface. The silicon layer may optionally be doped in situ during growth or implanted with dopants after growth, to lower the contact resistance and enhance its operational stability.

Abstract: A sensor for detection of a trace fluid component in a fluid environment, comprising: a piezoelectric crystal having a fundamental resonant frequency in response to an applied oscillating electric field; a coating on the piezoelectric crystal of a sensor material which is reactive with the trace fluid component to yield a solid interaction product of changed mass in relation to initial mass of the sensor material interacting with the trace fluid component to yield the solid interaction product; means for applying an oscillating electric field to the piezoelectric crystal which generates an output resonant frequency therefrom; means for (i) sampling the output resonant frequency of the piezoelectric crystal while the oscillating electric field is applied thereto, (ii) determining the change in resonant frequency from the fundamental resonant frequency that occurs on formation of the solid interaction product when the sensor material interacts with the trace fluid component in the fluid environment, and (iii) g

Abstract: A method of fabricating a ferroelectric capacitor structure by sequentially depositing a bottom electrode layer, a ferroelectric layer and a top electrode layer on a base structure, optionally with deposition of a layer of a conductive barrier material beneath the bottom electrode layer, to form a capacitor precursor structure, and planarizing the capacitor precursor structure by chemical mechanical polishing to yield the ferroelectric capacitor structure, e.g., a stack capacitor or trench capacitor. The process is carried out without dry etching of the electrode layers or dry etching of the ferroelectric layer, to yield ferroelectric capacitors having a very small feature size, as for example between 0.10 and 0.20 .mu.m.

Abstract: Electron field emission devices (cold cathodes), vacuum microelectronic devices and field emission displays which incorporate cold cathodes and methods of making and using same. More specifically, cold cathode devices comprising electron emitting structures grown directly onto a substrate material. The invention also relates to patterned precursor substrates for use in fabricating field emission devices and methods of making same and also to catalytically growing other electronic structures, such as films, cones, cylinders, pyramids or the like, directly onto substrates.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for forming a multi-component oxide layer. There is first provided a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor chamber. There is then positioned within the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor chamber a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a multi-component oxide precursor layer. The multi-component oxide precursor layer is formed from at minimum a first precursor reactant source material and a second precursor reactant source material introduced simultaneously into the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor chamber in absence of an oxidant reactant source material. There is then oxidized with the oxidant reactant source material within the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor chamber the multi-component oxide precursor layer formed over the substrate to form a multi-component oxide layer formed over the substrate.

Abstract: A method for n-doping a material layer with antimony, comprising ion implanting antimony from an antimony precursor composition including a compound of the formula SbX.sub.n ((CH.sub.2).sub.y SiR.sub.3).sub.n-3, wherein: n is an integer having a value of 1 or 2; y is an integer having a value of from 1 to 3 inclusive; each R is independently selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; and each X is independently selected from halo substituents. The antimony precursor composition may further include a fluorine-containing auxiliary gas, to effect in situ cleaning of the ionization chamber during ion implantation.