Abstract: A method of fabricating integrated circuits (ICs) includes depositing a dielectric liner layer on a substrate including a semiconductor surface having a plurality of IC die formed therein each including functional circuitry including a plurality of interconnected transistors. A thin film resistor (TFR) layer including chromium (Cr) is deposited on the dielectric liner layer. The substrate is loaded into a hardmask layer deposition tool that includes a plasma source. The TFR layer is in-situ plasma pre-treated including flowing at least one inert gas and at least one oxidizing gas while in the hardmask layer deposition tool. A hardmask layer is deposited after the plasma pre-treating while remaining in the hardmask layer deposition tool. A pattern is formed on the hardmask layer, and the hardmask layer and TFR layer are etched stopping in the dielectric liner layer to form at least one resistor from the defined TFR layer.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of trenches formed therein. Each trench includes a sidewall having a doped region, a sidewall liner, and a filler material. The substrate has a slip density of less than 5 cm?2. The low slip density is achieved by a novel annealing protocol performed after implanting the dopant in the sidewall to repair damage and/or stress caused by the implant process.

Abstract: A method to fabricate a transistor comprises: forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; depositing a barrier layer on the first dielectric layer; depositing an anti-reflective coating on the barrier layer; depositing and exposing a pattern in a photoresist layer to radiation followed by etching to provide an opening; etching a portion of the anti-reflective coating below the opening; etching a portion of the barrier layer below the opening to expose a portion of the first dielectric layer; providing an ambient oxidizing agent to grow an oxide region followed by removing the barrier layer; implanting dopants into the semiconductor substrate after removing the barrier layer; removing the first dielectric layer after implanting dopants into the semiconductor substrate; and forming a second dielectric layer after removing the first dielectric layer, wherein the oxide region is grown to be thicker than the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: A device including a thin film resistor (TFR) structure. The TFR structure is accessible by one or more conductive vias that extend vertically from an upper metal layer to completely penetrate a TFR layer positioned thereunder. The conductive vias are coupled to one or more sidewalls of the TFR layer at or near the sites of penetration. The TFR structure can be manufactured by a method that includes etching a via trench completely through the TFR layer and a dielectric layer above the TFR layer, and filling the via trench with a conductor coupled to a sidewall of the TFR layer.

Abstract: Enhancing the recovery of unconventional and conventional hydrocarbons is possible by utilizing patterns of wells and hydraulic fractures that are carefully designed to avoid interconnection between injection and production well fractures to allow for both primary production and improved secondary production. Adjacent horizontal wells may be drilled and fractured, with selected wells converted to injection wells after primary production to produce alternating production and injection fractures. In addition, infill horizontal injection wells may be drilled and fractured adjacent to an existing and previously produced multiple transverse fracture horizontal hydrocarbon production well to produce alternating production and injection fractures.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) includes depositing an aluminum-containing metal interconnect layer at a first temperature over a semiconductor device having a plurality of transistors. The metal interconnect layer is annealed at a maximum annealing temperature that is less than the first temperature. The metal interconnect layer is patterned after the annealing, thereby interconnecting the transistors.

Abstract: A device including a thin film resistor (TFR) structure. The TFR structure is accessible by one or more conductive vias that extend vertically from an upper metal layer to completely penetrate a TFR layer positioned thereunder. The conductive vias are coupled to one or more sidewalls of the TFR layer at or near the sites of penetration. The TFR structure can be manufactured by a method that includes etching a via trench completely through the TFR layer and a dielectric layer above the TFR layer, and filling the via trench with a conductor coupled to a sidewall of the TFR layer.

Abstract: A device including a thin film resistor (TFR) structure. The TFR structure is accessible by one or more conductive vias that extend vertically from an upper metal layer to completely penetrate a TFR layer positioned thereunder. The conductive vias are coupled to one or more sidewalls of the TFR layer at or near the sites of penetration. The TFR structure can be manufactured by a method that includes etching a via trench completely through the TFR layer and a dielectric layer above the TFR layer, and filling the via trench with a conductor coupled to a sidewall of the TFR layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating integrated circuits (ICs) includes depositing a dielectric liner layer on a substrate including a semiconductor surface having a plurality of IC die formed therein each including functional circuitry including a plurality of interconnected transistors. A thin film resistor (TFR) layer including chromium (Cr) is deposited on the dielectric liner layer. The substrate is loaded into a hardmask layer deposition tool that includes a plasma source. The TFR layer is in-situ plasma pre-treated including flowing at least one inert gas and at least one oxidizing gas while in the hardmask layer deposition tool. A hardmask layer is deposited after the plasma pre-treating while remaining in the hardmask layer deposition tool. A pattern is formed on the hardmask layer, and the hardmask layer and TFR layer are etched stopping in the dielectric liner layer to form at least one resistor from the defined TFR layer.

Abstract: Disclosed examples provide processes for fabricating a semiconductor product and for forming a patterned stack with an aluminum layer and a tungsten layer, including forming a first dielectric layer on a gate structure and on first and second regions of a substrate, forming a diffusion barrier layer on the first dielectric layer, forming a tungsten layer on the diffusion barrier layer, forming an aluminum layer on the tungsten layer, forming a hard mask on the aluminum layer, forming a patterned resist mask which covers the hard mask above the first region and exposes the hard mask layer above the second region, dry etching the hard mask and the aluminum layer above the second region using the patterned resist mask layer, removing the resist mask, and dry etching the tungsten layer using the hard mask layer to expose the first dielectric layer above the second region.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) includes depositing an aluminum-containing metal interconnect layer at a first temperature over a semiconductor device having a plurality of transistors. The metal interconnect layer is annealed at a maximum annealing temperature that is less than the first temperature. The metal interconnect layer is patterned after the annealing, thereby interconnecting the transistors.

Abstract: Disclosed examples provide processes for fabricating a semiconductor product and for forming a patterned stack with an aluminum layer and a tungsten layer, including forming a first dielectric layer on a gate structure and on first and second regions of a substrate, forming a diffusion barrier layer on the first dielectric layer, forming a tungsten layer on the diffusion barrier layer, forming an aluminum layer on the tungsten layer, forming a hard mask on the aluminum layer, forming a patterned resist mask which covers the hard mask above the first region and exposes the hard mask layer above the second region, dry etching the hard mask and the aluminum layer above the second region using the patterned resist mask layer, removing the resist mask, and dry etching the tungsten layer using the hard mask layer to expose the first dielectric layer above the second region.

Abstract: A device and method for fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) chip is disclosed. The method includes depositing a first thin film resistor material on a first inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer; depositing an etch retardant layer overlying the first thin film resistor material; and patterning and etching the etch retardant layer and the first thin film resistor material to form a first resistor. The method continues with depositing a second ILD layer overlying the first resistor; and patterning and etching the second ILD layer using a first etch chemistry to form vias through the second ILD layer and the etch retardant layer to the first resistor. The etch retardant layer is selective to a first etch chemistry and the thickness of the etch retardant layer is such that the via etching process removes substantially all exposed portions of the etch retardant layer and substantially prevents consumption of the underlying first thin film resistor material.

Abstract: A device and method for fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) chip is disclosed. The method includes depositing a first thin film resistor material on a first inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer; depositing an etch retardant layer overlying the first thin film resistor material; and patterning and etching the etch retardant layer and the first thin film resistor material to form a first resistor. The method continues with depositing a second ILD layer overlying the first resistor; and patterning and etching the second ILD layer using a first etch chemistry to form vias through the second ILD layer and the etch retardant layer to the first resistor. The etch retardant layer is selective to a first etch chemistry and the thickness of the etch retardant layer is such that the via etching process removes substantially all exposed portions of the etch retardant layer and substantially prevents consumption of the underlying first thin film resistor material.

Abstract: An integrated circuit with a metal thin film resistor with an overlying etch stop layer. A process for forming a metal thin film resistor in an integrated circuit with the addition of one lithography step.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit includes forming ?1 hard mask layer on a device layer on a BOX layer of a SOI substrate. A patterned masking layer is used for a trench etch to simultaneously form larger and smaller area trenches through the hard mask layer, device layer and the BOX layer. A dielectric liner is formed for lining the larger and smaller area trenches. A dielectric layer is deposited for completely filling the smaller area trenches and only partially filling the larger area trenches. The larger area trenches are bottom etched through the dielectric layer to provide a top side contact to the handle portion. The handle portion at a bottom of the larger area trenches is implanted to form a handle contact, and the larger area trenches are completely filled with an electrically conductive layer to form a top side ohmic contact to the handle contact.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of trenches formed therein. Each trench includes a sidewall having a doped region, a sidewall liner, and a filler material. The substrate has a slip density of less than 5 cm?2. The low slip density is achieved by a novel annealing protocol performed after implanting the dopant in the sidewall to repair damage and/or stress caused by the implant process.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) includes etching trenches into a semiconductor surface of a substrate that has a mask thereon. Trench implanting using an angled implant then forms doped sidewalls of the trenches. Furnace annealing after trench implanting includes a ramp-up portion to a maximum peak temperature range of at least 975° C. and ramp-down portion, wherein the ramp-up portion is performed in a non-oxidizing ambient for at least a 100° C. temperature ramp portion with an O2 flow being less than 0.1 standard liter per minute (SLM). The sidewalls and a bottom of the trench are thermally oxidized to form a liner oxide after furnace annealing to form dielectric lined trenches. The dielectric lined trenches are filled with a fill material, and overburden portions of the fill material are then removed to form filled trenches.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) includes forming a metal interconnect stack on substrate that includes a plurality of product die each having a plurality of transistors connected together to implement a circuit function. The forming the metal interconnect stack includes depositing a metal interconnect layer comprising aluminum on a barrier layer at a first temperature. After depositing the metal interconnect layer, the metal interconnect stack is annealed in a non-oxidizing ambient at a maximum annealing temperature that is<the first temperature. After the annealing, a pattern is formed on the metal interconnect layer, and at least the metal interconnect layer is etched.

Abstract: A method for forming trench capacitors includes forming a silicon nitride layer over a first region of a semiconductor surface doped a first type and over a second region doped a second type. A patterned photoresist layer is directly formed on the silicon nitride layer. An etch forms a plurality of deep trenches (DTs) within the first region. A liner oxide is formed that lines the DTs. The silicon nitride layer is etched forming an opening through the silicon nitride layer that is at least as large in area as the area of an opening in the semiconductor surface of the DT below the silicon nitride layer. The liner oxide is removed, a dielectric layer(s) on a surface of the DTs is formed, a top plate material layer is deposited to fill the DTs, and the top plate material layer is removed beyond the DT to form a top plate.