Abstract: A method for forming a device with both PFET and NFET transistors using a PFET compressive etch stop liner and a NFET tensile etch stop liner and two anneals in a deuterium containing atmosphere. The method comprises: providing a NFET transistor in a NFET region and a PFET transistor in a PFET region. We form a NFET tensile contact etch-stop liner over the NFET region. Then we perform a first deuterium anneal. We form a PFET compressive etch stop liner over the PFET region. We form a (ILD) dielectric layer with contact openings over the substrate. We perform a second deuterium anneal. The temperature of the second deuterium anneal is less than the temperature of the first deuterium anneal.

Abstract: An intra-metal capacitor unit cell comprises a first electrode and a second electrode formed in the same device layer. A dielectric layer separates the electrodes. The first electrode is substantially surrounded by the second electrode. Misalignment between the first and second electrodes does not substantively alter the capacitance of the unit cell.

Abstract: A polishing head is presented. The polishing head includes a housing having top and bottom surfaces. The housing is formed from a single piece of material. The polishing head includes grooves disposed on the bottom surface and an inlet in communication with the grooves for coupling to a pressure medium supply to supply a pressure medium to the grooves. The pressure medium when supplied to the grooves exerts pressure on a template when attached to the bottom surface to provide back side pressure on a back surface of an article when temporally attached to the template.

Abstract: A structure and method of fabrication of a semiconductor device having a stress relief layer under a stress layer in one region of a substrate. In a first example, a stress relief layer is formed over a first region of the substrate (e.g., PFET region) and not over a second region (e.g., NFET region). A stress layer is over the stress relief layer in the first region and over the devices and substrate/silicide in the second region. The NFET transistor performance is enhanced due to the overall tensile stress in the NFET channel while the degradation in the PFET transistor performance is reduced/eliminated due to the inclusion of the stress relief layer. In a second example embodiment, the stress relief layer is formed over the second region, but not the first region and the stress of the stress layer is reversed.

Abstract: A chromeless phase shift mask and Method for making and using. The A chromeless phase shift mask is used to pattern contact holes. The chromeless phase shift mask preferably comprises: a first phase shift region and a second phase shift region; the first region is comprised of a unit cell which is comprised of a rectangular center section and at least three rectangular sections (legs) outwards extending from the rectangular center section. The second region is adjacent to said first region. The interference between the first and second phase shift regions creates a contact hole pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an integrated circuit structure comprising: a substrate; a shield structure comprising a shield member and a ground strap formed on the substrate, wherein the shield member comprises a non-metallic portion, and the ground strap comprises a metallic portion.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The IC comprises a substrate with a cell region defined thereon. The cell region comprises a thin gate doped well tailored for transistors with thin gate dielectric layers. The IC also includes a non-volatile memory cell in the cell region. The non-volatile memory cell has an access transistor and a storage transistor. The access transistor includes an access gate with an access gate dielectric comprising a thick gate dielectric layer on the thin gate doped well. Wells for transistors with thick gate dielectric layers have a lower dopant concentration than the thin gate doped well.

Abstract: An integrated circuit processing system is provided including a substrate having an integrated circuit; an interconnect layer over the integrated circuit; a low-K dielectric layer over the interconnect layer; a hard mask layer over the low-K dielectric layer; a via opening through the hard mask layer and the low-K dielectric layer to the interconnect layer; and an interconnect metal in the via opening.

Abstract: A phase shifting photolithography system includes inserting a phase shift component in a path of an illumination, wherein the phase shift component modifies a portion of the illumination to a different, and controlling an aperture shutter of the phase shift component modifying an interference of the illumination and the illumination with the different phase.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit system that includes: providing a substrate; forming a mask layer over the substrate; implanting a first well through an opening in the mask layer into the substrate; and implanting a second well through the mask layer and the opening via a single implant into the substrate.

Abstract: An embodiment of fabrication of a variable work function gates in a FUSI device is described. The embodiment uses a work function doping implant to dope the polysilicon to achieve a desired work function. Selective epitaxy growth (SEG) is used to form silicon over the source/drain regions. The doped poly-Si gate is fully silicided to form fully silicided gates that have a desired work function. We provide a substrate having a NMOS region and a PMOS region. We form a gate dielectric layer and a gate layer over said substrate. We perform a (gate Vt) gate layer implant process to implant impurities such as P+, As+, B+, BF2+, N+, Sb+, In+, C+, Si+, Ge+ or Ar+ into the gate layer gate in the NMOS gate regions and said PMOS gate regions. We form a cap layer over said gate layer. We pattern said cap layer, said gate layer and said gate dielectric layer to form a NMOS gate and a PMOS gate. Spacers are formed and S/D regions are formed. A metal is deposited over said substrate surface.

Abstract: An integrated circuit system that includes: providing a substrate including front-end-of-line circuitry; forming a first conductive level including a first conductive trace over the substrate; forming a second conductive level spaced apart from the first conductive level and including a second conductive trace; and connecting the first conductive level to a third conductive level with a viabar that passes through the second conductive level without contacting the second conductive trace.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit has a polysilicon bounded SCR connected between a signal input/output interface contact of the integrated circuit and a power supply connection of the integrated circuit and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit is connected to the polysilicon bounded SCR to bias the polysilicon bounded SCR to turn on more rapidly during the ESD event. The biasing circuit is formed by at least one polysilicon bounded diode and a first resistance. Other embodiments of the biasing circuit include a resistor/capacitor biasing circuit and a second diode triggering biasing circuit.

Abstract: A system for determining a list of potential lots for consolidation is presented. The system includes a module having a database and an input for receiving an event occurrence. The database may include a set of consolidation rules. The module, upon receiving the event occurrence, retrieves the consolidation rules and initiates a consolidation analysis to determine the list of potential lots for consolidation based on the consolidation rules.

Abstract: An integrated circuit system that includes: providing a substrate; forming a trench within the substrate; forming a liner on a sidewall of the trench; and forming a dielectric material at a trench bottom with a dielectric width dimension that exceeds that of a width dimension of the trench.

Abstract: A method (and semiconductor device) of fabricating a semiconductor device provides a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure or region by implanting ions in the STI region. After implantation, the region (of substrate material and ions of a different element) is thermally annealed producing a dielectric material operable for isolating two adjacent field-effect transistors (FET). This eliminates the conventional steps of removing substrate material to form the trench and refilling the trench with dielectric material. Implantation of nitrogen ions into an STI region adjacent a p-type FET applies a compressive stress to the transistor channel region to enhance transistor performance. Implantation of oxygen ions into an STI region adjacent an n-type FET applies a tensile stress to the transistor channel region to enhance transistor performance.

Abstract: A method of forming a device is presented. The method includes providing a structure having first and second regions. A diffusion barrier is formed between at least a portion of the first and second regions. The diffusion barrier comprises cavities that reduce diffusion of elements between the first and second regions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided having a substrate and a transistor in an active region of the substrate. The substrate also has an isolation region having a dielectric material. In one embodiment, a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer is disposed over the substrate and the transistor. At least one of the isolation region or the PMD layer includes O3-TEOS having a first stress. A cap layer is disposed over the O3-TEOS in the isolation region or the PMD layer. The cap layer prevents degradation of the first stress of the O3-TEOS.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit system includes: forming reticle data; detecting a sub-geometry, a singularity, or a combination thereof in the reticle data; applying a unit cell, a patch cell, or a combination thereof for removing the sub-geometry, the singularity, or the combination thereof from the reticle data; and fabricating an integrated circuit from the reticle data.

Abstract: A stress liner having first and second stress type is provided over a first type and a second type transistor to improve reliability and performance without incurring area penalties or layout deficiencies.