Abstract: A process for making a local interconnect and the structures formed thereby. The process is practiced by forming a Ti layer having a nitrogen-rich upper portion over a portion of a substrate, forming a refractory metal layer on the Ti layer, forming a Si layer on the refractory metal layer, removing a portion of the Si layer, and heating to form a local interconnect structure. During this process, a source structure for the local interconnect is formed. This source structure comprises a Ti layer having a nitrogen-rich upper portion overlying a portion of a substrate, a refractory metal layer overlying the Ti layer, and a silicon layer overlying the refractory metal layer. The resulting local interconnect comprises a titanium silicide layer disposed on a portion of a substrate, a nitrogen-rich Ti layer disposed on the titanium silicide layer, and a refractory metal silicide layer disposed on the nitrogen-rich Ti layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dissipating static electrical charge following a manufacturing operation is disclosed. A semiconductor package is provided with ground pads that are located to assure electrical contact with ejection pins used to translate the package from one position to another. Static electricity builds up on the semiconductor package. The ejection pins provide the pathway for dissipating static electrical charge out of the semiconductor package.

Abstract: There is provided a barrier film preventing diffusion of copper from a copper wiring layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. The barrier film has a multi-layered structure of first and second films wherein the first film is composed of crystalline metal containing nitrogen therein, and the second film is composed of amorphous metal nitride. The barrier film is constituted of common metal atomic species. The barrier film prevents copper diffusion from a copper wiring layer into a semiconductor device, and has sufficient adhesion characteristic to both a copper film and an interlayer insulating film.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided wherein conductive paths 40, formed of crystal that grows better along the X-Y axis than along the Z axis, are embedded in an insulating resin 44, and the back surface of the conductive path 40 is exposed through the insulating resin 44 and sealed. With this arrangement, fractures of the conductive paths 40 embedded in the insulating resin 44 are suppressed.

Abstract: An amorphous fluorocarbon material useful as a thin film low-k dielectric layer is disclosed. This film is deposited in a high density plasma reactor, preferably an electron cyclotron resonance reactor, using helium as the plasma gas. Substituting helium for argon as the plasma gas results in the thin film layer having a number of desirable qualities, including a high hardness, a high modulus, and high thermal stability. These qualities make the film especially useful as an interlayer dielectric material in integrated circuit manufacturing.

Abstract: A method for producing an isolation region on a surface of a semiconductor substrate includes: forming and patterning a masking layer; forming an isolating layer so that a notch exists between an edge of the masking layer and the upper surface of the isolating layer; forming a filling layer over the masking layer and the isolating layer, so that it completely fills the notch; forming field protection spacers adjacent to the masking layer; partially removing the filling layer to expose the upper surface of the isolation layer, the notch remaining filled with a part of the filling layer; and selectively etching the isolating layer from its upper limit until this upper limit is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. A transistor may be produced in a semiconductor substrate, having a minimum gate length, a minimum width isolation region and wide field isolation region.

Abstract: A method of producing a protective inhibitor layer of moisture-generated corrosion for aluminum (Al) alloy metallization layers, particularly in semiconductor electronic devices, includes chemically treating the metallization layer in at least two steps using a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and trace phosphoric acid to produce a thin protective phosphate layer. Alternatively, the method may include dipping the electronic device at least once in a mixture of a polar organic solvent and phosphoric acid (H3PO4) or phosphate derivatives thereof in a low percentage amount (e.g., with a phosphate reactant such as orthophosphoric acid or even R—HxPOy, where R is an alkaline type of ion group or an alkyl radical). The thin film may be formed on top of a thin layer of native aluminum oxide hydrate Al2O3.xH2O.

Abstract: A method for designing a multi-rail asynchronous circuit is provided. The method includes providing a circuit having n circuit paths, defining a plurality of nodes, each node having an n-rail signal output and at least one n-rail signal input, each rail of the n-rail signal input being connected to a different one of the plurality of circuit paths, and adding completeness detection to each of the plurality of nodes, completion detection for a downstream one of the plurality of nodes being at least partially based on completion detection from an upstream one of the plurality of nodes. Signals propagate along the plurality of data paths independent of the completeness detection.

Abstract: A method and device for improved salicide resistance in polysilicon gates under 0.20 &mgr;m. The several embodiments of the invention provide for formation of gate electrode structures with recessed and partially recessed spacers. One embodiment, provides a gate electrode structure with recessed thick inner spacers and thick outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with thin inner spacers and partially recessed outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with two spacer stacks. The outermost spacer stack with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers. The inner spacer stack with thin inner spacers and thin outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with two spacer stacks. The outermost spacer stack with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers.

Abstract: Punch-through vias are filled by initially depositing a thin, conformal layer of titanium nitride by chemical vapor deposition to cover an exposed upper surface of a lower metal feature, e.g. portions exposed by penetrating and undercutting an anti-reflective coating. A metal such as tungsten is subsequently deposited to fill the punch-through via. Embodiments include thermal decomposition of an organic-titanium compound, such as tetrakis-dimethylamino titanium, and treating the deposited titanium nitride in an H2/N2 plasma to lower its resistivity. Moreover, the thickness of the anti-reflective coating can be reduced and the process window for etching the via widened.

Abstract: Strong adhesion to doped low-k inter-layer dielectrics is provided by varying the composition of dopant near the surface layers of the inter-layer dielectric. The concentration of dopant is gradually increased from about zero atomic % at the interface between the inter-layer dielectric and semiconductor substrate to improve adhesion of the inter-layer dielectric to the semiconductor substrate. The concentration of dopant at the upper surface of the inter-layer dielectric is gradually decreased to about zero atomic % at the upper surface of the inter-layer dielectric film in order to improve adhesion of additional layers to the inter-layer dielectric.

Abstract: A method of de-oxidizing a surface onto which a refractory metal or molecule which contains a refractory metal atom will be adhered. The method utilizes a plasma which includes a gas such as argon, nitrogen, helium or hydrogen, or a mixture of any of the foregoing, to remove oxygen molecules from the surface to which adherence of the refractory metal is desired. Radicals in the plasma coat the surface to prevent further oxidation thereof. The method also includes techniques for depositing refractory metals onto a surface such as a substrate or layer of semiconductor material on which integrated circuitry has been fabricated.

Abstract: A metal-oxide semiconductor sensor. A metal-oxide semiconductor is formed in an active region defined by an isolation. A sensor implantation region is formed adjacent to a side of only one source/drain region of the metal-oxide semiconductor. A depletion region is thus induced around the sensor implantation region with a distance away from the isolation. Therefore, the white spots on the screen can be eliminated.

Abstract: A method and device for improved salicide resistance in polysilicon gates under 0.20 &mgr;m. The several embodiments of the invention provide for formation of gate electrode structures with recessed and partially recessed spacers. One embodiment, provides a gate electrode structure with recessed thick inner spacers and thick outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with thin inner spacers and partially recessed outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with two spacer stacks. The outermost spacer stack with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers. The inner spacer stack with thin inner spacers and thin outer spacers. Another embodiment provides a gate electrode structure with two spacer stacks. The outermost spacer stack with recessed thin inner spacers and recessed thick outer spacers.

Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect connection mechanism for attaching individual surface mounted semiconductor objects to multichip products whereby at least a portion of the electrical pathway between different objects on the top surface of surface mounted devices is not located on the top surface.

Abstract: Method and structures for making a highly reliable metal interlock structure with continuous via and line structures. The absence of barrier layers between vias and lines or absence of interlevel dielectric layer is used to enhance chip performance.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of this invention is a single-layer gate nonvolatile semiconductor memory in which a floating gate having a predetermined shape is formed on a semiconductor substrate. This floating gate opposes a diffusion layer serving as a control gate via a gate oxide film and is capacitively coupled with the diffusion layer by using the gate oxide film as a dielectric film. The diffusion layer immediately below the dielectric film is insulated from the semiconductor substrate by an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film. A pair of diffusion layers are formed in surface regions of the semiconductor substrate on the two sides of the floating gate extending on a tunnel oxide film.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a copper wiring structure in which finely processed copper wiring in a wiring structure in grooves is steadily formed with a high reliability and a method for fabricating the same, wherein an electroconductive carbon layer is formed between the copper material—a copper wiring of a wiring structure in grooves in which the copper material is buried into a wiring groove or holes formed in the organic interlayer film mainly composed of carbon—and the organic interlayer film. This electroconductive carbon layer is formed after forming wiring grooves or holes in the desired region of the organic interlayer film, by a modification of the inner wall of the wiring grooves or holes by plasma irradiation. The copper wiring of the wiring structure in grooves as described above is formed by depositing copper on the electroconductive carbon layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises the following steps (a) to (f): (a) a step of forming a the contact hole in an interlayer dielectric formed on a semiconductor substrate including an electronic element; (b) a degassing step for removing gaseous components included within the interlayer dielectric, by thermal processing under a reduced pressure at a substrate temperature of 300° C. to 550° C.; (c) a step of forming a barrier layer on the interlayer dielectric and the contact hole; (d) a step of cooling the substrate to a temperature of no more than 100° C.; (e) a step of forming a first aluminum layer on the barrier layer, at a temperature of no more than 200° C., including aluminum or an alloy in which aluminum is the main component; and (f) a step is of forming a second aluminum layer on the first aluminum layer, at a temperature of at least 300° C., including aluminum or an alloy in which aluminum is the main component.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof which can, for example, prevent a punch-through from occurring by forming oxide spacers around source/drain regions in a semiconductor substrate instead of forming a conventional halo ion implanting layer. Such structure improves, for example, an operational speed by reducing junction capacitance, prevents a hot carrier effect from occurring by weakening an electric field around the drain region, and improves reliability by preventing a latch up from occurring. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate, sidewall spacers formed at the sidewalls of the gate electrode, an impurity layer formed in the semiconductor substrate below each sidewall spacer, a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the gate electrode, oxide spacers formed at the bottom inside corner of each trench, and a conductive material filling up each trench.