Abstract: A decapsulation apparatus 100 has a laser 8 that removes plastic encapsulant from a device 24. Chamber 20 is sealed. Exhaust port 9 removes debris and fumes. The device 24 is positioned and scanned using an X,Y table 2. A hinged end 4 rotates the device to an acute angle of incidence with respect to a laser 8. Endpoint detector 10 senses the exposed integrated circuit and moves or shuts down the laser 8.

Abstract: Water for use in wet oxidation of semiconductor surfaces may be generated by reacting ultra pure hydrogen and ultra pure gaseous oxygen without a flame. Because no flame is used, contamination due to a flame impinging on components of a “torch” is not a problem. Flame-free generation of water is accomplished by reacting hydrogen and oxygen under conditions that do not result in ignition. This may be accomplished by provided a diluted hydrogen stream in which molecular hydrogen is mixed with a diluent such as a noble gas or nitrogen. This use of diluted hydrogen also reduces or eliminates the danger of explosion. This can simplify the apparatus design by eliminating the need for complicated interlocks, flame detectors, etc.

Abstract: A buried butted contact and method for its fabrication are provided which includes a substrate having dopants of a first conductivity type and having shallow trench isolation. Dopants of a second conductivity type are located in the bottom of an opening in said substrate. Ohmic contact is provided between the dopants in the substrate and the low diffusivity dopants that is located on a side wall of the opening. The contact is a metal silicide, metal and/or metal alloy.

Abstract: A polycrystalline semiconductor material containing Si, Ge or SiGe, wherein the material contains H atoms and the number of monohydride structures of couplings between Si or Ge, and H is larger than the number of higher-order hydride structures, or in other words, a peak intensity of a monohydride structure in a local vibration mode measured by a Raman spectral analysis is higher than a peak intensity of a higher-order hydride structure. By configuring the compositions of a polycrystalline semiconductor material in the above manner, the carrier mobility can be made high.

Abstract: A method is described for filling a high-aspect-ratio feature, in which compatible deposition and etching steps are performed in a sequence. The feature is formed as an opening in a substrate having a surface; a fill material is deposited at the bottom of the feature and on the surface of the substrate; deposition on the surface adjacent the feature causes formation of an overhang structure partially blocking the opening. The fill material is then reacted with a reactant to form a solid reaction product having a greater specific volume than the fill material. The overhang structure is thus converted into a reaction product structure blocking the opening. The reaction product (including the reaction product structure) is then desorbed, thereby exposing unreacted fill material at the bottom of the feature. The depositing and reacting steps may be repeated, with a final depositing step to fill the feature. Each sequence of depositing, reacting and desorbing reduces the aspect ratio of the feature.

Abstract: A second polysilicon layer (218) and an ONO insulator film (216) are etched using mask insulator films (220a and 220b) as masks to form a control gate (218a), a second gate electrode (218b) and intergate insulator films (216a and 216b). Then, a resist mask (224) for a first gate electrode (214b) is formed in a peripheral transistor forming region or a selecting transistor forming region. Subsequently, a first polysilicon layer (214) is etched using the resist mask and the mask insulating films (220a and 220b) as masks to form a floating gate (214a) and a first gate electrode (214b). Thus, the mask insulator film (220b) has no difference in level, so that the surface of an interlayer insulator film (228) can be flattened.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor substrate comprising a non-porous monocrystalline layer with decreased crystal defects which is formed on a porous silicon layer, and a method of producing the substrate. The method of producing the substrate comprises a heat treatment step of heat-treating a porous layer in an atmosphere not containing a silicon type gas, and a step of growing a non-porous monocrystalline silicon layer on the porous silicon layer, wherein the heat treatment step is executed such that the etched thickness of silicon is 2 nm or less and that the rate of change r for the Haze value of the porous silicon layer defined by (the Haze value after the heat treatment)/(the Haze value before the heat treatment) satisfies the relationship between 1≦r≦3.5.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming titanium comprising layers, and methods of forming conductive silicide contacts. In one implementation, a method of forming a titanium comprising layer includes chemical vapor depositing a layer a majority of which comprises elemental titanium, titanium silicide or a mixture thereof over a substrate using a precursor gas chemistry comprising titanium and chlorine. The layer comprises chlorine from the precursor gas chemistry. The layer is exposed to a hydrogen containing plasma effective to drive chlorine from the layer. In one implementation, a method of forming a conductive silicide contact includes forming an insulating material over a silicon comprising substrate. An opening is formed into the insulating material over a node location on the silicon comprising substrate to which electrical connection is desired. A layer is chemical vapor deposited over the substrate using a precursor gas chemistry comprising titanium and chlorine.

Abstract: An interlayer insulating film of a semiconductor device is made of a material in which silicon atoms are main elements, and each of the silicon atoms has an oxygen bond and a carbon bond, and further at least some of the silicon atoms have a hydrogen bond. The interlayer insulating film is formed by chemical vapor deposition employing a mixed gas of hydrogen peroxide and a reactive gas having a gas molecular structure in which silicon atoms have a hydrogen bond and a carbon bond.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a substrate, an aluminum layer on the substrate, an anti-reflection coating on the aluminum layer, a dielectric layer on the anti-reflection coating, and a via hole that passes through the dielectric layer and the anti-reflection coating down to a predetermined depth within the aluminum layer. A titanium layer is formed on the bottom and on the walls of the via hole. A physical vapor deposition process is then performed to form a first titanium nitride layer on the titanium layer. A chemical vapor deposition process is then performed to form a second titanium nitride layer on the first titanium nitride layer.

Abstract: A method of maintaining z-height of an integrated circuit component, such as a multi-chip module, a chip or a die, and of visualizing alignment of an integrated circuit package during positioning of an integrated circuit component, is disclosed. The method maintains the z-height of an integrated circuit component during a solder reflow step by applying high-melting solder balls to interconnect pads on the package substrate surface. Such high-melting solder balls, for instance 90 Pb/10 Sn, do not collapse at temperatures sufficient to accomplish reflowing. The high-melting solder balls also make convenient visualization marks for alignment of the package substrate on an integrated circuit component placement tool, such as a die placement tool. A package substrate bearing high-melting solder balls in a pre-determined pattern is easily aligned by an integrated circuit placement tool using machine vision.

Abstract: In centering a transfer device so that tweezers of the transfer device transfer a substrate to a predetermined delivery position on a spin chuck when the substrate is delivered to a coating unit by means of the transfer device, the substrate is transferred onto the spin chuck in the coating unit by means of the tweezers, a positional deviation amount of the substrate with respect to the delivery position on the chuck is detected by a detecting device, a positional deviation amount of the tweezers is computed based on this detection value, and a position at which the tweezers deliver the substrate is corrected based on the positional deviation amount of the tweezers. Thus, centering of the substrate transfer device can be performed automatically in a short time.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor MOSFET device gate includes patterning and etching the mesa of a gate material. A dielectric layer is formed on the mesa and is planarized using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The active gate dimension is patterned and etched to form source and drain wells that extend down to an active area on either side of the MOSFET gate. In one further embodiment, the wells are filled with metal and the metal is planarized. The MOSFET device, in one embodiment, includes source and drain wells equally spaced from the active gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having improved metal line structure has a first dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a metal film pattern formed on the first dielectric layer, an interface protection layer on the metal film pattern, and a second dielectric layer on the interface protection layer, wherein the second dielectric layer contains a reactive material, e.g., fluorine, which is prevented by the interface protection layer from diffusing to the metal film pattern and reacting with the metal in the metal film pattern to form a damage film, e.g., metal fluoride, which is a highly resistive material that, if formed on the semiconductor device, would reduce the reliability of the metal film pattern and thus reduce the reliability of the semiconductor device as a whole.

Abstract: A first III-V semiconductor wafer is bonded to a second III-V semiconductor wafer, e.g. by thermal fusion. The {110} crystal plane of the III-V semiconductor wafer is displaced angularly relative to the {110} crystal plane of the second III-V semiconductor wafer. Because of this, the tendency of the bonded wafer to break is reduced and many backside processes can be moved to front side and results in a robust device manufacturing process.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a chamfered metal silicide layer is formed by a 2-stage continuous wet etching process using different etchants, thereby resulting in a sufficient insulation margin between a lower conductive layer including the metal silicide layer and the contact plug self-aligned with the lower conductive layer are disclosed. In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a mask pattern is formed on a metal silicide layer to expose a portion of the metal silicide layer. The exposed portion of the metal silicide layer is isotropically etched in a first etchant to form a metal silicide layer with a shallow groove, and defects due to the silicon remaining on the surface of the metal silicide layer with the shallow groove are removed using a second etchant, to form a metal silicide layer with a smooth surface. Microelectronic structures produced by methods of the present invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a flash memory provides a substrate having a tunnel oxide layer, a first conductive layer and a first material layer thereon. A conductive spacer is formed on the sidewalls of the first conductive layer and the first material layer. A second material layer is formed on the substrate. A portion of the second material layer is removed, until a part of the conductive spacer has been exposed. The remaining portion of the second and first material layers are removed, to expose the first conductive layer and the conductive spacer. The first conductive layer and the conductive spacer, together then form a floating gate. A dielectric film layer is then formed on the substrate, and a second conductive layer is subsequently formed above the dielectric film layer.

Abstract: An insulated lattice is prepared with a plurality of lattice oriented atoms to create a substantially planar surface having a lattice arrangement. Any unsatisfied chemical bonds are terminated along the substantially planar surface by placing atoms at the site of the unsatisfied chemical bonds to terminate the unsatisfied chemical bonds and insulate the surface to form a platform. In one aspect of the invention, the insulator atoms are removed at predetermined locations. Atoms to form the atomic chain are placed at predetermined locations on the insulated lattice platform to form a first atomic chain which behaves as one of a conductor, a semiconductor and an insulator. A second atomic chain is also placed at predetermined locations on the insulated lattice platform so that the second chain behaves as another of a conductor, a semiconductor and an insulator.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow trench isolation is disclosed. A pad oxide layer is formed on a substrate, and a mask layer is deposited on the pad oxide layer. The mask layer and the pad oxide layer are patterned to expose the substrate. Thereafter, the exposed substrate is subsequently etched to form a shallow trench. A lining oxide layer is formed by thermal oxidation on the shallow trench sidewalls. Afterwards, a silicon-rich oxide layer is deposited by high-density chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process on the substrate and the shallow trench. Next, a silicon oxide layer is formed using the same HDPCVD process on the silicon-rich layer. Subsequently, an excess portion of silicon oxide and the silicon-rich oxide over the silicon nitride layer are effectively removed using some standard semiconductor processes. Eventually, the mask layer is removed and the pad oxide layer is stripped to form silicon oxide plug served as shallow trench isolation.

Abstract: A titanium-tantalum barrier layer film for use in conjunction with an interconnect film such as copper and a method for forming the same provides a relatively titanium rich/tantalum deficient portion adjacent the interface it forms with a dielectric film and a relatively tantalum rich/titanium deficient portion adjacent the interface it forms with a conductive interconnect film formed over the barrier layer film. The titanium rich/tantalum deficient portion provides good adhesion to the dielectric film and the tantalum rich/titanium deficient portion forms a hetero-epitaxial interface with the interconnect film and suppresses the formation of inter-metallic compounds. A single titanium-tantalum film having a composition gradient from top-to-bottom may be formed using various techniques including PVD, CVD, sputter deposition using a sputtering target of homogeneous composition, and sputter deposition using multiple sputtering targets. A composite titanium-tantalum film consists of two separately formed films.