Patents Examined by Charles L. Bowers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5763303
    Abstract: A process for fabricating MOSFET devices, for a SRAM cell, using a polycide contact structure, self-aligned to an underlying source and drain region, has been developed. This process features the use of a RTCVD procedure, featuring loading of wafers, as well as evacuation procedures, both performed at room temperature, in a first RTCVD chamber, followed by the deposition of polysilicon and tungsten silicide layers, performed in the same RTCVD chamber. The in situ, room temperature load and evacuation processes, followed by polysilicon and tungsten depositions, results in polycide interfaces with minimal levels of native oxide, thus improving device characteristics, and SRAM performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jhon Jhy Liaw, Kuo Hsien Cheng
  • Patent number: 5759867
    Abstract: A borderless contact method for a semiconductor device is disclosed employing a disposable etch stopping spacer to protect the upper edges of adjacent structure during contact hole etching. An exemplary FET gate structure is formed on a substrate adjacent to a source or drain diffusion region. A layer of dielectric material is deposited over the structure including the gate stack. An etch stopping spacer, of a material selectively etchable relative to the dielectric material is placed upon the sidewalls and the upper edges of the gate stack.The resulting structure is blanketed with a glass layer which is selectively masked and etched to provide a hole for making a borderless contact to the substrate adjacent to the gate stack. The spacer itself can be etched away prior to filling the hole with contact material in order to maximize the contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Armacost, Jeffrey Peter Gambino
  • Patent number: 5759881
    Abstract: The present invention develops a process for forming dual conductive wells in a silicon substrate for an integrated circuit by: forming an oxide layer on the silicon substrate; patterning an oxidation barrier layer on the oxide layer, thereby defining active areas for active devices; introducing first p-type conductive impurities into the silicon substrate thereby forming at least one p-type conductively doped well region; masking over the p-type conductively doped well region; introducing n-type conductive impurities into the silicon substrate thereby forming at least one n-type conductively doped well region; removing the masking; forming oxide regions in areas not covered by the patterned oxidation barrier layer; and forcing the p-type and n-type conductive impurities further into the silicon substrate thereby forming the dual well regions, the well regions having adequate conductive depth to provide for the formation of the active devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Monte Manning
  • Patent number: 5759903
    Abstract: A circuit structure having at least one capacitor and a method for the manufacture thereof. The capacitor is constructed of a doped, single-crystal silicon substrate (1) that is provided with a plurality of hole openings (3) by electrochemical etching in a fluoride-containing, acidic electrolyte wherein the substrate is connected as an anode. The capacitor is further constructed of a dielectric layer (4) and of a conductive layer (5) as a cooperating electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Lehmann, Michael Boy, Wolfgang Hoenlein
  • Patent number: 5759900
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a field effect transistor (FET) includes the steps of: sequentially forming a conductive layer and a semiconductor layer on a first conductivity type substrate; patterning the semiconductor layer to form a gate electrode; implanting second conductivity type impurity ions at a low concentration into a surface of the substrate using the gate electrode as a mask, to thereby form low-concentration impurity regions in the substrate; forming and patterning an insulating layer on an overall surface of the substrate to form insulating side-wall spacers on side-walls of the gate electrode; and implanting second conductivity type FET impurity ions at a high concentration into a surface of the substrate using the gate electrode and insulating side-wall spacers as an etch-mask, to thereby form high-concentration impurity regions in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jai Bum Suh
  • Patent number: 5759912
    Abstract: An Al alloy interconnection layer is deposited on a silicon oxide layer, and a first carbon layer is formed on the Al alloy interconnection layer. Then, the first carbon layer and the Al alloy interconnection layer are patterned, thereby forming a first interconnection layer consisting of the Al alloy interconnection layer and the first carbon layer. Sequentially, a second carbon layer is formed on the first interconnection layer and the silicon oxide layer. The second carbon layer is entirely etched by the RIE method, thereby leaving the second carbon layer only on side surfaces of the first interconnection layer. A high temperature layer made of SiO.sub.2 is deposited on the second carbon layer, the first interconnection layer and the silicon oxide layer. Thereafter, the high temperature layer is etched back until the first carbon layer is exposed, thus being flattened. An interlayer insulating layer is deposited on the high temperature layer and the first interconnection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuya Mori, Kenichi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 5759887
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) includes the steps of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer containing impurities on a semiconductor substrate; forming an oxidation-resistant insulating layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; simultaneously forming resist patterns for forming a capacitor element and a resistor element on the oxidation-resistant insulating layer; and patterning the oxidation-resistant insulating layer and the polycrystalline silicon layer in sequence using resist patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takao Ito, Masayuki Ayabe
  • Patent number: 5759878
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises the steps of preparing a transparent support substrate, forming a first gate electrode comprising semiconductor single crystal silicon by epitaxial growth on the transparent support substrate, forming an insulating film over the first gate electrode, forming a through-hole in the insulating film to expose a portion of the first gate electrode, laterally and epitaxially growing a semiconductor single crystal silicon thin film over the transparent substrate by epitaxial growth in the through-hole of the insulating film, forming a transistor element having a channel region formed in the semiconductor single crystal silicon thin film, and forming a second gate electrode over and electrically insulated from the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignees: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Hayashi, Masaaki Kamiya, Yoshikazu Kojima, Hiroaki Takasu
  • Patent number: 5759872
    Abstract: A passive region is provided adjacent the mirror surface of a laser. A mesa is formed with an end face parallel to the mirror surface to be formed. The passive region is grown against the end face, and the mirror surface is formed therein by cleaving. The passive region is provided exclusively at the area of the active region. The passive region is provided at the area of the active region preferably in the following manner: two depressions are formed in the layer structure of the laser at the area of the mirror surface to be formed, reaching down to the active layer. Then a portion of the active layer situated between the depressions is selectively removed, whereupon the passive region is grown starting from the depressions in the tubular cavity thus formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Inventors: Raymond Van Roijen, Petrus J.A. Thijs, Patrick H. Van Gestel
  • Patent number: 5759876
    Abstract: An antifuse includes a metal cap layer located at the second barrier layer of the antifuse to improve the antifuse yield and long term reliability. An antifuse further includes one or more interfacial oxide film layers surrounding an antifuse dielectric layer to provide narrowing of the antifuse programming voltage distribution and to further improve the antifuse yield and long term reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Scott G. Singlevich, Bradley S. Holway, Kurt D. Humphrey, Brian Scott Poarch, Michael R. Reeder, Neal J. Verzwyvelt
  • Patent number: 5759923
    Abstract: A precursor liquid comprising silicon in a xylenes solvent is prepared, a substrate is placed within a vacuum deposition chamber, the precursor liquid is misted, and the mist is flowed into the deposition chamber while maintaining the chamber at ambient temperature to deposit a layer of the precursor liquid on the substrate. The liquid is dried, baked, and annealed to form a thin film of silicon dioxide or silicon glass on the substrate. Then an integrated circuit is completed to include at least a portion of the silicon dioxide or silicon glass layer as an insulator for an electronic device in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignees: Symetrix Corporation, Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Larry D. McMillan, Michael C. Scott, Carlos A. Paz de Araujo, Tatsuo Otsuki, Shinichiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5756369
    Abstract: Rapid Thermal Processing of a semiconductor wafer is performed by scanning a laser beam across a silicon dioxide film in contact with a surface of the wafer. The silicon dioxide film absorbs the energy from the laser beam and converts the energy to heat. The heat, in turn, is transferred to the wafer. Temperature feedback can be obtained to increase control and uniformity of temperatures across the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Sheldon Aronowitz, Nicholas Eib, Jon S. Owyang
  • Patent number: 5756367
    Abstract: The present antifuse includes a base having a first electrode thereon which defines a top surface and a side surface. Antifuse material is disposed on the first electrode on at least a portion of the top surface and at least a portion of the side surface, with a second electrode on the antifuse material. Due to this configuration, defect problems in etching oxide as part of the antifuse structure are avoided, and meanwhile capacitance of the device is very low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Sunil D. Mehta
  • Patent number: 5756396
    Abstract: The present invention provides a structure and a method of electrically connecting wiring layers by forming a stacked plug interconnect. The first wiring layer is formed over a dielectric layer and a top barrier layer is formed over the top of the first wire layer. Next, first sidewall spacers preferably composed of titanium nitride and tungsten are formed on the first wire layer sidewalls. An inter metal dielectric layer is formed over the surface. A via is then etched exposing the first wiring layer. The first titanium nitride/tungsten spacers act as an etch stop for the via etch and also increase the contact area of the wiring layers. A tungsten plug with an outer TiN barrier layer is formed filling the via contacting the first wiring layer. On top of the tungsten plug, a second wiring layer is formed also having titanium nitride and tungsten sidewall spacers. The spacers also fill in the recesses in the TiN plug barrier layer and fill in dimples in the top of the tungsten plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd
    Inventors: Chung-Kuang Lee, Pin-Nan Tseng
  • Patent number: 5756364
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a technique of separately forming thin-film transistors disposed in a peripheral circuit area and those disposed in a pixel area in accordance with characteristics required therefor in a manufacturing process of semiconductor devices to constitute a liquid crystal display device. In an annealing step by laser light illumination, laser light is selectively applied to a semiconductor thin-film by partially masking it. For example, to illuminate the peripheral circuit area and the pixel area with laser light under different conditions in manufacture of an active matrix liquid crystal display device, laser light is applied at necessary illumination energy densities by using a mask. In this manner, a crystalline silicon film having a necessary degree of crystallinity in a selective manner can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Tanaka, Naoaki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5756404
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a nitride layer of the semiconductor integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber. Source gases are applied to the processing chamber and a first nitride layer is deposited over the semiconductor substrate according to the source gases. The source gases are discontinued and the processing chamber is pumped out. Source gases are again applied to the processing chamber and a second nitride layer is deposited upon the first nitride layer according to the applied source gases. The first and second nitride layers form a combined nitride layer. Four alternate embodiments are set forth. In the first embodiment a predetermined amount of time is waited between the pumpout of the processing chamber and the deposition of the second nitride layer. The amount of time can be approximately ten minutes. In the second embodiment, the processing chamber is purged with nitrogen gas prior to depositing the second nitride layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Micron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Friedenreich, Robert K. Carstensen
  • Patent number: 5756397
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a wiring in a semiconductor device, including the steps of (1) forming an insulation film on a semiconductor substrate, (2) forming a groove lane having an inclined plane at an upper part thereof by etching the insulation film in a wiring region thereof, (3) forming a wiring film on the whole surface, and (4) etching the wiring film in the wiring region to form the wiring. The groove lane can be formed by etching the insulation film to form the lane and sputter etching the upper part of the lane using inert ions. The method can also include, before the forming the film step, forming an inter-insulation layer and an etch stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Kwon Jun
  • Patent number: 5753523
    Abstract: Organic films are applied from solvent solution to a substrate, then are ion implanted to have resistivity in the kilohm/square to gigaohm/square range. The films are then patterned by standard lithographic procedures, with surprisingly little loss of conductivity, in spite of contact with organic solvents or acidic or basic etchant solutions during the patterning process. Both structures which contact the substrate, and freestanding conductive polymer bridges, can be formed. The invention provides a method of producing electrical devices which does not require the use of single crystal semiconductor substrates or deposition of inorganic semiconductors. The resulting devices are highly resistant to damage from abrasion, solvents, acids, bases, and moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Brewer Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan E. Giedd, Mary G. Moss, James Kaufmann, Terry Lowell Brewer
  • Patent number: 5753564
    Abstract: A method for forming a thin film of a silicon oxide on a silicon substrate is disclosed. An Si oxide film is formed by an ECR plasma. CVD with the use of a silicon compound gas containing fluorine, whereby the generation of particles can be suppressed to improve the quality of the device and the yield, the planarity of the Si oxide film functioning as an interlayer dielectric film or a passivation film can be improved, and the higher speed operation in a semiconductor device can be accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Fukada
  • Patent number: 5753541
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a silicon-germanium thin film field effect transistor (TFT) with a high carrier mobility and a high on/off ratio. An amorphous silicon layer, an amorphous germanium layer and a gate insulating film are successively layered on an insulating substrate on which a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed. Next, the amorphous silicon layer and the amorphous germanium layer are converted into polycrystalline layers by thermal annealing at a temperature higher than 600.degree. C. or laser annealing. Then, a gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kousaku Shimizu