Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to various methods of making a semiconductor device by implanting hydrogen or hydrogen-containing clusters to improve the interface between a gate insulation layer and the substrate. One illustrative method disclosed herein involves forming a gate insulation layer on a substrate, forming a layer of gate electrode material above the gate insulation material and performing an ion implantation process with a material comprising hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing compound to introduce the hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compound proximate an interface between the gate insulation layer and said substrate with a concentration of the implanted hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compound being at least 1e10 ions/cm2.

Abstract: By appropriately designing the geometric configuration of a contact level of a sophisticated semiconductor device, the tensile stress level of contact elements in N-channel transistors may be increased, while the tensile strain component of contact elements caused in the P-channel transistor may be reduced.

Abstract: In sophisticated semiconductor devices, the metal-containing layer stack at the back side of the substrate may be provided so as to obtain superior adhesion to the semiconductor material in order to reduce the probability of creating leakage paths in a bump structure upon separating the substrate into individual semiconductor chips. For this purpose, in some illustrative embodiments, an adhesion layer including a metal and at least one non-metal species may be used, such as titanium oxide, in combination with further metal-containing materials, such as titanium, vanadium and gold.

Abstract: By forming an aluminum nitride layer by a self-limiting process sequence, the interface characteristics of a copper-based metallization layer may be significantly enhanced while nevertheless maintaining the overall permittivity of the layer stack at a lower level.

Abstract: Methods for forming semiconductor structures using selectively-formed sidewall spacers are provided. One method comprises forming a first structure and a second structure. The second structure has a height that is greater than the first structure's height. A first sidewall spacer-forming material is deposited overlying the first structure and the second structure. A second sidewall spacer-forming material is deposited overlying the first sidewall spacer-forming material. A composite spacer is formed about the second structure, the composite spacer comprising the first sidewall spacer-forming material and the second sidewall spacer-forming material. The second sidewall spacer-forming material is removed from the first structure and the first sidewall spacer-forming material is removed from the first structure.

Abstract: In a replacement gate approach, one work function metal may be provided in an early manufacturing stage, i.e., upon depositing the gate layer stack, thereby reducing the number of deposition steps required in a later manufacturing stage. Consequently, the further work function metal and the electrode metal may be filled into the gate trenches on the basis of superior process conditions compared to conventional replacement gate approaches.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming replacement gate structures for semiconductor devices. In one example, the method includes forming a sacrificial gate structure above a semiconducting substrate, removing the sacrificial gate structure to thereby define a gate cavity for a replacement gate structure, forming a gate insulation layer in the gate cavity and forming a layer of metal above the gate insulation layer. In this example, the method also includes forming a patterned etch mask layer above the metal layer that exposes substantially vertically oriented portions of the metal layer within the cavity and covers a substantially horizontally oriented portion of the metal layer within the cavity, performing an etching process through the patterned etch mask layer to reduce a thickness of the exposed substantially vertically oriented portions of the metal layer and removing the patterned etch mask layer.

Abstract: Upon forming a complex metallization system, the parasitic capacitance between metal lines of adjacent metallization layers may be reduced by providing a patterned etch stop material. In this manner, the patterning process for forming the via openings may be controlled in a highly reliable manner, while, on the other hand, the resulting overall dielectric constant of the metallization system may be reduced, thereby also significantly reducing the parasitic capacitance between stacked metal lines.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating integrated circuit systems that include forming integrated circuits in and on a semiconductor substrate. Via holes are etched into a front surface of the semiconductor substrate and are filled with a conductive material. A carrier wafer having a layer of adhesive thereon is provided and an imprinted pattern is formed in the layer of adhesive. The front surface of the semiconductor substrate is bonded to the carrier wafer with the patterned layer of adhesive. A portion of a back surface of the semiconductor substrate is removed to expose a portion of the conductive material and the thinned back surface is attached to a second substrate. The semiconductor substrate is then de-bonded from the carrier wafer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming a replacement gate comprised of silicon and various semiconductor devices incorporation such a replacement gate structure. In one example, the method includes removing a sacrificial gate electrode structure to define a gate opening, forming a replacement gate structure in the gate opening, the replacement gate structure including at least one metal layer and a silicon-containing gate structure that is at least partially made of a metal silicide and forming a protective layer above at least a portion of the replacement gate structure.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating FinFETs that avoid thickness uniformity problems across a die or a substrate. One method includes providing a semiconductor substrate divided into a plurality of chips, each chip bounded by scribe lines. The substrate is etched to form a plurality of fins, each of the fins extending uniformly across the width of the chips. An oxide is deposited to fill between the fins and is etched to recess the top of the oxide below the top of the fins. An isolation hard mask is deposited and patterned overlying the plurality of fins and is used as an etch mask to etch trenches in the substrate defining a plurality of active areas, each of the plurality of active areas including at least a portion of at least one of the fins. The trenches are filled with an insulating material to isolate between adjacent active areas.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming methods of forming a non-planar cap layer above a conductive line on a semiconductor device, and to devices incorporating such a non-planar cap layer. In one illustrative example, the method includes forming a conductive structure in a layer of insulating material, recessing an upper surface of the conductive structure relative to an upper surface of the layer of insulating material such that the recessed upper surface of the conductive structure and the upper surface of the layer of insulating material are positioned in different planes and, after recessing the upper surface of the conductive structure, forming a first cap layer on the conductive structure and the layer of insulating material.

Abstract: An efficient method of detecting defects in metal patterns on the surface of wafers. Embodiments include forming a metal pattern on each of a plurality of wafers, polishing each wafer, and analyzing the surface of the metal pattern on each polished wafer for the presence of defects in the metal pattern by analyzing an optical across-wafer endpoint signal, generated at the endpoint of polishing. Embodiments include determining the location of defects in the metal pattern by determining the position of non-uniformities in the optical-across-wafer endpoint signal.

Abstract: In a “via first/trench last” approach for forming metal lines and vias in a metallization system of a semiconductor device, a combination of two hard masks may be used, wherein the desired lateral size of the via openings may be defined on the basis of spacer elements, thereby resulting in significantly less demanding lithography conditions compared to conventional approaches.

Abstract: In sophisticated transistor elements including a high-k gate metal stack, the integrity of the sensitive gate materials may be ensured by a spacer element that may be concurrently used as an offset spacer for defining a lateral offset of a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy. The cap material of the sophisticated gate stack may be removed without compromising integrity of the offset spacer by providing a sacrificial spacer element. Consequently, an efficient strain-inducing mechanism may be obtained in combination with the provision of a sophisticated gate stack with the required material integrity, while reducing overall process complexity compared to conventional strategies.

Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to methods for adjusting transistor characteristics by forming a semiconductor alloy in the channel region of the transistor during early device processing. One disclosed method includes forming an isolation structure in a semiconductor layer of a semiconductor device and in a threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor alloy formed on the semiconductor layer, the isolation structure laterally separating a first active region and a second active region.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for fabricating the semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a layer of spacer material over a semiconductor region that includes a first gate electrode structure and a second gate electrode structure. Carbon is introduced into a portion of the layer covering the semiconductor region about the first gate electrode structure or the second gate electrode structure. The layer is etched to form a first sidewall spacer about the first gate electrode structure and a second sidewall spacer about the second gate electrode structure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transistor with an asymmetric silicon germanium source region, and various methods of making same. In one illustrative embodiment, the transistor includes a gate electrode formed above a semiconducting substrate comprised of silicon, a doped source region comprising a region of epitaxially grown silicon that is doped with germanium formed in the semiconducting substrate and a doped drain region formed in the semiconducting substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides manufacturing techniques in which sophisticated high-k metal gate electrode structures may be formed in an early manufacturing stage on the basis of a selectively applied threshold voltage adjusting semiconductor alloy. In order to reduce the surface topography upon patterning the deposition mask while still allowing the usage of well-established epitaxial growth recipes developed for silicon dioxide-based hard mask materials, a silicon nitride base material may be used in combination with a surface treatment. In this manner, the surface of the silicon nitride material may exhibit a silicon dioxide-like behavior, while the patterning of the hard mask may be accomplished on the basis of highly selective etch techniques.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate and depositing a gate stack having a side periphery on the substrate. A first liner dielectric layer is deposited on the substrate and the gate stack. A first spacer dielectric layer is deposited on the first liner dielectric layer. The first spacer dielectric layer is selectively etched such that the first spacer dielectric layer remains adjacent at least a portion of the side periphery of the gate stack. A first resist mask is disposed on a first portion of the first spacer dielectric layer such that the first portion of the first spacer dielectric layer is protected by the resist mask and a second portion of the first spacer dielectric layer is not protected by the resist mask. The first spacer dielectric layer is etched such that the second portion is removed and the first portion remains.