Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory cell and fabricating method therefore, including a semiconductor substrate having first type impurity, a first gate insulating layer on a first certain part of the semiconductor substrate, a buried insulating layer on a second certain part of the semiconductor substrate, the buried insulating layer being connected to the first gate insulating layer, a floating gate on the first gate insulating layer wherein the floating gate extends on and is overlapped with the buried insulating layer in part, a second gate insulating layer on the floating gate, a third gate insulating layer at a lateral surface of the floating gate, a control gate on the second gate insulating layer wherein one side of the control gate corresponds to that of the floating gate and the other side of the control gate does not correspond to that of the control gate and the one side of said control gate overlaps over the buried insulating layer, a fourth gate-insulating layer on the control gate, a

Abstract: An improved microelectronic structure is disclosed. The improved structure includes an air-gap region formed by removing an insulating material through an aperture residing in a mask.

Abstract: A method for making a gate in an integrated circuit. A gate layer is formed on a substrate, and a blocking layer is formed on the gate layer. The blocking layer is masked with a photoresist layer, and the photoresist layer is developed to define an exposed gate area. The blocking layer is etched in the gate area to expose the gate layer in the gate area, and the photoresist layer is removed. A metal layer is formed on the blocking layer and on the gate layer in the gate area. The metal layer is selectively reacted with the gate layer in the gate area to form a hard mask over the gate layer in the gate area. The metal layer is removed from the blocking layer. The blocking layer is selectively etched without substantially etching the hard mask in the gate area, to expose the gate layer surrounding the gate area. The exposed gate layer is etched to define a gate in the gate area. The hard mask remains on the gate, and functions as an electrical contact to the gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method for filling structural gaps includes depositing a substantially boron free silicon oxide comprising material at a first average deposition rate over an exposed semiconductive material in a gap between wordline constructions and at a second average deposition rate less than the first average deposition rate over the wordline constructions. A reduced gap having a second aspect ratio less than or equal to a first aspect ratio of the original gap may be provided. An integrated circuit includes a pair of wordline constructions separated by a gap therebetween in areas where the wordline constructions do not cover an underlying semiconductive substrate. A layer of substantially boron free silicon oxide material has a first thickness over the substrate within the gap and has a second thickness less than the first thickness over the wordline constructions.

Abstract: A conductive plug is formed in an interlayer insulation film and on an isolating layer which isolates semiconductor elements on a semiconductor substrate. The conductive plug electrically connects a pair of active regions of the semiconductor elements formed on the different sides of the isolating layer. Alternatively, a conductive plug is formed in an interlayer insulation film and on a conducive line formed on an isolating layer which isolates semiconductor elements on a semiconductor substrate. The conductive plug electrically connects the conductive line and an active region of the semiconductor element.

Abstract: A method for forming an isolation layer in a semiconductor device, to avoid the occurrence of an angular formation phenomenon at the edge portions of the upper and lower portions of the trench during formation of a shallow trench isolation layer (STI), so that malfunction of the device and the deterioration of its performance due to a parasitic transistor and leakage current, can be prevented. Advantageously, silicon nitride films are formed at the side wall of the pad oxide film and the surface of trench silicon through a nitrogen (N+) plasma nitrification process, after a trench etching process, for formation of STI, so that the generation of a moat is inhibited and deterioration of the device is prevented.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a capacitor of a semiconductor memory device by a two-step thermal treatment is provided. A lower electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is formed over the lower electrode. An upper electrode formed of a noble metal is formed over the dielectric layer. The resultant having the upper electrode undergoes a first thermal treatment under a first atmosphere including oxygen at a first temperature which is selected to be within a range of 200-600° C., which is lower than the oxidation temperature of the upper electrode. The first thermally treated resultant undergoes a second thermal treatment under a second atmosphere without oxygen at a second temperature which is selected to be within a range of 300-900° C., which is higher than the first temperature.

Abstract: A read-only memory includes a semiconductor substrate; a memory cell matrix which is formed on the semiconductor substrate; and word and bit lines which define the locations of the memory cell matrix. The memory cell matrix includes field effect transistors, each of which turns off when accessed or addressed; and conducting regions, which keep conductive state all the time. Binary data stored in the memory cell matrix are determined by detecting current flowing through the selected bit line.

Abstract: A structure and a method which can reliably electrically connect opposed terminals with each other are disclosed. First and second terminals are opposed to each other, so that an anisotropic conductive film is interposed therebetween. Ultrasonic vibration is supplied between the terminals while applying pressure so that the first and second terminals approach to each other. The first and second terminals are electrically connected with each other through conductive grains contained in the anisotropic conductive film. The conductive grains and the terminals are alloy-bonded with each other.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are provided an SO wafer wherein surface roughness of an SOI layer surface of the SOI wafer is 0.12 nm or less in terms of RMS value and/or interface roughness of an interface between the SOT layer and a buried oxide layer of the SOI wafer is 0.12 nm or less in terms of RMS value, and a method for producing an SOI wafer, which comprises mirror-polishing an SOI wafer, removing a native oxide film on a surface of the wafer or forming a thermal oxide film having a thickness of 300 nm or more on the surface and removing the thermal oxide film, and subjecting the wafer to a heat treatment in an atmosphere of 100% hydrogen or a mixed gas atmosphere of argon and/or nitrogen containing 10% or more of hydrogen by using a rapid heating and rapid cooling apparatus.

Abstract: A method for forming aluminum bumps that has significantly reduced processing steps than the conventional method is disclosed. The method utilizes a chemical vapor deposition technique for the selective deposition of aluminum into an opening for forming the bump and then a wet etch process for removing a polyimide layer that functioned both as a photoresist layer for providing an opening in a passivation layer and as a support for a via hole during the selective aluminum deposition process. The thickness of the passivation layer and the polyimide layer formed on top of the metal I/O pad is important since it determines the height of the aluminum bump formed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor. A substrate having a gate structure is provided. The method of the invention includes forming a liner spacer on each side of the gate structure and a low dopant density region deep inside the substrate. The low dopant density region has a lower dopant density than that of a lightly doped region of the MOS transistor. Then a interchangeable source/drain region with a lightly doped drain (LDD) structure and an anti-punch-through region is formed on each side of the gate structure in the low dopant density region. The depth of the interchangeable source/drain region is not necessary to be shallow.

Abstract: The oxynitride or oxide layer formed on a semiconductor substrate is pre-treated with UV-excited gas (such as chlorine or nitrogen) to improve the layer surface condition and increase the density of nucleation sites for subsequent silicon nitride deposition. The pre-treatment is shown to reduce the root mean square surface roughness of thinner silicon nitride films (with physical thicknesses below 36 Å, or even below 20 Å that are deposited on the oxynitride layer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Abstract: A method for forming an EEPROM cell together with transistors for peripheral circuits is disclosed. The method results in having a predetermined amount of material remaining proximate to the edge of the electrode, thereby forming a structure that extends a short distance beyond the sides of the electrode. An additional method for forming an trilayer EEPROM cell together with transistors for peripheral circuits is also disclosed, which results trilayer layer being restricted to covering the electrode and a small proximate region extending over the substrate surface. Two shoulders may also be etched into the sidewalls of the oxide layer which lie along the edges of said electrode.

Abstract: A system for coating the surface of compound semiconductor wafers includes providing a single-wafer epitaxial production system in a cluster-tool architecture with a loading, storage, and transfer modules, a III-V deposition chamber, and an insulator deposition chamber. The compound semiconductor wafer is placed in the loading and transfer module and the pressure is reduced to less than 5×10−10 Torr, after which the wafer is moved to the III-V growth chamber and layers of compound semiconductor material are epitaxially grown on the surface of the wafer. The single wafer is then moved through the transfer module to the insulator chamber and an insulating cap layer is formed by thermally evaporating molecules, consisting essentially of gallium and oxygen, from an effusion cell using a thermal evaporation source that utilizes a metallic iridium crucible that is manufactured using the electroforming process.

Abstract: Highe quality silicon oxide having a plurality of monolayers is grown at a high temperature on a silicon substrate. A monolayer of silicon oxide is a single layer of silicon atoms and two oxygen atoms per silicon atom bonded thereto. The silicon oxide is etched one monolayer at a time until a desired thickness of the silicon layer is obtained. Each monolayer is removed by introducing a first gas to form a reaction layer on the silicon oxide. The gas is then purged. Then the reaction layer is activated by either another gas or heat. The reaction layer then acts to remove a single monolayer. This process is repeated until a desired amount of silicon oxide layer remains. Because this removal process is limited to removing one monolayer at a time, the removal of silicon oxide is well controlled. This allows for a precise amount of silicon oxide to remain.

Abstract: A method for making the Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) of a semiconductor device. An active mask layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Then the active mask layer and semiconductor substrate are etched to form a plurality of trenches. Next, an oxide layer is deposited by High Density Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (HDP-CVD) over the active mask layer so as to fill the trenches to a thickness greater than the depth of the trenches and less than the sum of the depth and the thickness of the active mask layer. A capping oxide layer is formed over the HDP-CVD oxide layer by means of plasma source of Tetra-Ethyl-Ortho-Silicate (TEOS). Subsequently, the capping oxide layer and HDP-CVD oxide layer are polished so as to expose the active mask layer. Thus, the Idoff characteristics of the transistor and thus the refresh characteristics of DRAM can be improved.

Abstract: Titanium-containing films exhibiting excellent uniformity and step coverage are deposited on semiconductor wafers in a cold wall reactor which has been modified to discharge plasma into the reaction chamber. Titanium tetrabromide, titanium tetraiodide, or titanium tetrachloride, along with hydrogen, enter the reaction chamber and come in contact with a heated semiconductor wafer, thereby depositing a thin titanium-containing film on the wafer's surface. Step coverage and deposition rate are enhanced by the presence of the plasma. The use of titanium tetrabromide or titanium tetraiodide instead of titanium tetrachloride also increases the deposition rate and allows for a lower reaction temperature. Titanium silicide and titanium nitride can also be deposited by this method by varying the gas incorporated with the titanium precursors.

Abstract: A method of forming a dual damascene structure. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. A first photoresist layer is formed over the second dielectric layer. Photolithographic and etching operations are conducted to remove a portion of the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer so that a via opening is formed. A conformal third dielectric layer is coated over the surface of the second dielectric layer and the interior surface of the via opening. The conformal third dielectric layer forms a liner dielectric layer. A second photoresist layer is formed over the second dielectric layer and then the second photoresist layer is patterned. Using the patterned second photoresist layer as a mask, a portion of the second dielectric layer is removed to form a trench. The patterned second photoresist layer is removed. Conductive material is deposited over the substrate to fill the via opening and the trench.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package. The package includes a substrate that has a first internal conductive bus and a second internal conductive bus that are located on a common layer of the substrate and dedicated to different power voltage levels. The busses are coupled to external lands located on a first surface of the package by vias that extend through the substrate. The first and second busses are located on a common layer of the substrate. The package contains an integrated circuit which is mounted to a heat slug that is attached to a second surface of the package. The integrated circuit is coupled to bond fingers located on a shelf of the substrate. Some of the bond fingers are connected to the internal busses by conductive strips that wrap around the edges of the shelf. Some of the vias are connected to a whole group of external lands. Grouping the lands to a single via reduces the number of vias on the second surface of the package.