Abstract: An integrated circuit device is disclosed as comprising a feature that is susceptible to oxidation. A poly-oxide coating is used over the feature susceptible to oxidation to protect the feature susceptible to oxidation from oxidizing. Various method can be used to form the poly-oxide coating include conversion of a ploy-silicon coating using UV O3 low temperature oxidation and plasma nitridation using either decoupled plasma nitridation or NH3 annealing.

Abstract: Sidewall spacers that are primarily oxide, instead of nitride, are formed adjacent to a gate stack of a CMOS transistor. Individual sidewall spacers are situated between a conductive gate electrode of the gate stack and a conductive contact of the transistor. As such, a capacitance can develop between the gate electrode and the contact, depending on the dielectric constant of the interposed sidewall spacer. Accordingly, forming sidewall spacers out of oxide, which has a lower dielectric constant than nitride, mitigates capacitance that can otherwise develop between these features. Such capacitance is undesirable, at least, because it can inhibit transistor switching speeds. Accordingly, fashioning sidewall spacers as described herein can mitigate yield loss by reducing the number of devices that have unsatisfactory switching speeds and/or other undesirable performance characteristics.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an isolation structure is disclosed that protects the isolation structure during etching of a dichlorosilane (DCS) nitride layer. The method involves the formation of a bis-(t-butylamino)silane-based nitride liner layer within the isolation trench, which exhibits a five-fold greater resistance to nitride etching solutions as compared with DCS nitride, thereby allowing protection against damage from unintended over-etching. The bis-(t-butylamino)silane-based nitride layer also exerts a greater tensile strain on moat regions that results in heightened carrier mobility of active regions, thereby increasing the performance of NMOS transistors embedded therein.

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising isolation structures that selectively induce strain into active regions of NMOS and PMOS devices. Form a hard mask layer over a semiconductor body. A resist layer is formed on the hard mask layer that exposes and defines isolation regions. The hard mask layer is patterned and trench regions are formed using the hard mask layer as a mask. An oxide trench liner that induces compressive strain into active regions of the PMOS region is formed within trench regions of the PMOS region. A nitride trench liner that induces tensile strain into active regions of the NMOS region is formed within the NMOS trench regions.

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising a modifiable strain inducing layer. A semiconductor body is provided. First and second regions of the semiconductor body are identified. A modifiable tensile strain inducing layer is formed over the device within the first and second regions. A mask is then formed that exposes the second region and covers the first region. A material is selected for a modification implant and the selected material is implanted into the second region thereby converting a portion of the modifiable tensile strain inducing layer into a compressive strain inducing layer within the PMOS region.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit that comprises forming a circuit layer over a substrate, forming a resist layer on the circuit layer, and subjecting the resist layer to a rework process that includes exposing the resist layer to an organic wash. In another embodiment, the method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprises forming a circuit layer over a substrate, forming a priming layer on the circuit layer, and subjecting the resist layer to the rework process. The reworking process includes exposing the substrate to a mild plasma ash to substantially remove portions of the resist layer but leave the priming layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including calibrating an ion implant process. The calibration includes forming a dielectric layer over a calibration substrate. A dopant is implanted into the dielectric layer. Charge is deposited on a surface of the dielectric layer, and voltage on the surface is measured. An electrical characteristic of the dielectric layer is determined, and a doping level of the dielectric layer is determined from the electrical characteristic. The electrical characteristic is associated with an operating set-point of the ion implant process. The calibrated ion implant process is used to implant the dopant into a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, a method of manufacture therefor, and an integrated circuit including the same. The CMOS device (100), in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device (120) having a first gate dielectric layer (133) and a first gate electrode layer (138) located over a substrate (110), wherein the first gate dielectric layer (133) has an amount of nitrogen located therein. In addition to the PMOS device (120), the CMOS device further includes an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device (160) having a second gate dielectric layer (173) and a second gate electrode layer (178) located over the substrate (110), wherein the second gate dielectric layer (173) has a different amount of nitrogen located therein. Accordingly, the present invention allows for the individual tuning of the threshold voltages for the PMOS device (120) and the NMOS device (160).

Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, a method of manufacture therefor, and an integrated circuit including the same. The CMOS device (100), in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device (120) having a first gate dielectric layer (133) and a first gate electrode layer (138) located over a substrate (110), wherein the first gate dielectric layer (133) has an amount of nitrogen located therein. In addition to the PMOS device (120), the CMOS device further includes an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device (160) having a second gate dielectric layer (173) and a second gate electrode layer (178) located over the substrate (110), wherein the second gate dielectric layer (173) has a different amount of nitrogen located therein. Accordingly, the present invention allows for the individual tuning of the threshold voltages for the PMOS device (120) and the NMOS device (160).

Abstract: The present invention provides, in one aspect, provides a method of manufacturing a microelectronics device 100 that includes depositing a first gate dielectric layer 160 over a substrate 115, subjecting the first gate dielectric layer 160 to a first nitridation process, forming a second gate dielectric layer 165 over the substrate 115 and having a thickness less than a thickness of the first gate dielectric layer 160, and subjecting the first and second gate dielectric layers 160, 165 to a second nitridation process, wherein the first and second nitridation processes are different. The present invention also provides a microelectronics device 100 fabricated in accordance with the method.

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising a modifiable strain inducing layer. A semiconductor body is provided. First and second regions of the semiconductor body are identified. A modifiable tensile strain inducing layer is formed over the device within the first and second regions. A mask is then formed that exposes the second region and covers the first region. A material is selected for a modification implant and the selected material is implanted into the second region thereby converting a portion of the modifiable tensile strain inducing layer into a compressive strain inducing layer within the PMOS region.

Abstract: A method forms a semiconductor device comprising isolation structures that selectively induce strain into active regions of NMOS and PMOS devices. Form a hard mask layer over a semiconductor body. A resist layer is formed on the hard mask layer that exposes and defines isolation regions. The hard mask layer is patterned and trench regions are formed using the hard mask layer as a mask. An oxide trench liner that induces compressive strain into active regions of the PMOS region is formed within trench regions of the PMOS region. A nitride trench liner that induces tensile strain into active regions of the NMOS region is formed within the NMOS trench regions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, a method of manufacture therefor, and an integrated circuit including the same. The CMOS device (100), in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device (120) having a first gate dielectric layer (133) and a first gate electrode layer (138) located over a substrate (110), wherein the first gate dielectric layer (133) has an amount of nitrogen located therein. In addition to the PMOS device (120), the CMOS device further includes an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device (160) having a second gate dielectric layer (173) and a second gate electrode layer (178) located over the substrate (110), wherein the second gate dielectric layer (173) has a different amount of nitrogen located therein. Accordingly, the present invention allows for the individual tuning of the threshold voltages for the PMOS device (120) and the NMOS device (160).

Abstract: A method of reducing threshold voltage shift of a MOSFET transistor resulting after temperature and voltage stress, and an integrated circuit device fabricated according to the method. The method includes the steps of forming a nitrided dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, and subjecting the nitrided dielectric layer to an anneal at low pressure.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed towards a method for removing hydrocarbon contamination from a substrate prior to a nitridation step, therein providing for a generally uniform nitridation of the substrate. The method comprises placing the substrate in a process chamber and flowing an oxygen-source gas into the process chamber. A first plasma is formed in the process chamber for a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the hydrocarbons combine with one or more species of the oxygen-source gas in radical form to form product gases. The gases are removed from the process chamber and a nitrogen-source gas is flowed into the process chamber. A second plasma is then formed in the process chamber for a second predetermined amount of time, therein nitriding the substrate in a significantly uniform manner.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed towards a method for removing hydrocarbon contamination from a substrate prior to a nitridation step, therein providing for a generally uniform nitridation of the substrate. The method comprises placing the substrate in a process chamber and flowing an oxygen-source gas into the process chamber. A first plasma is formed in the process chamber for a first predetermined amount of time, wherein the hydrocarbons combine with one or more species of the oxygen-source gas in radical form to form product gases. The gases are removed from the process chamber and a nitrogen-source gas is flowed into the process chamber. A second plasma is then formed in the process chamber for a second predetermined amount of time, therein nitriding the substrate in a significantly uniform manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling the gate leakage in a semiconductor device. In one aspect, the method includes placing a semiconductor substrate in a plasma chamber and subjecting a gate dielectric layer located over the semiconductor substrate to a gas mixture including argon and nitrogen under plasma conditions, wherein a gas flow rate of the argon ranges from about 1700 sccm to about 2200 sccm and a flow rate of the nitrogen ranges from about 40 sccm to about 200 sccm.