Abstract: Methods of fabricating a passive element and a semiconductor device including the passive element are disclosed including the use of a dummy passive element. A dummy passive element is a passive element or wire which is added to the chip layout to aid in planarization but is not used in the active circuit. One embodiment of the method includes forming the passive element and a dummy passive element adjacent to the passive element; forming a dielectric layer over the passive element and the dummy passive element, wherein the dielectric layer is substantially planar between the passive element and the dummy passive element; and forming in the dielectric layer an interconnect to the passive element through the dielectric layer and a dummy interconnect portion overlapping at least a portion of the dummy passive element. The methods eliminate the need for planarizing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure including a buried resistor with improved control, in which the resistor is fabricated in a region of a semiconductor substrate beneath a well region that is also present in the substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the inventive structure includes a semiconductor substrate containing at least a well region; and a buried resistor located in a region of the semiconductor substrate that is beneath said well region. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating such a structure in which a deep ion implantation process is used to form the buried resistor and a shallower ion implantation process is used in forming the well region.

Abstract: A contact via scheme with staggered contact vias to, interalia, increase current density of a resistor by mitigating electromigration and reducing the resistive heating of each contact via is disclosed. The contact via scheme increases the current density of a thin film resistor by increasing the number of current carrying contact vias and by arranging the contact vias in staggered arrangement, which redistributes the current at the ends of the resistor. Hence, the contact via scheme decreases the current density per contact via and enables a higher maximum current density for the resistor. A method and a semiconductor device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to integrated circuits that comprise via-level wirings and/or devices. Specifically, an integrate circuit of the present invention comprises a first line level and a second line level spaced apart from each other, with a via level therebetween. The first and second line levels both comprise metal wirings and/or electronic devices. The via level comprises at least one metal via that extends therethrough to electrically connect the first line level with the second line level. Further, the via level comprises at least one via-level metal wiring and/or electronic device.

Abstract: Passive components are formed in the back end by using the same deposition process and materials as in the rest of the back end. Resistors are formed by connecting in series individual structures on the nth, (n+1)th, etc levels of the back end. Capacitors are formed by constructing a set of vertical capacitor plates from a plurality of levels in the back end, the plates being formed by connecting electrodes on two or more levels of the back end by vertical connection members.

Abstract: Method of fabricating a MIM capacitor and MIM capacitor. The method includes providing a substrate including a dielectric layer formed on a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer formed over the dielectric layer, and patterning a mask on the second conductive layer. Exposed portions of the second conductive layer are removed to form an upper plate of a MIM capacitor having edges substantially aligned with respective edges of the mask. The upper plate is undercut so that edges of the upper plate are located under the mask. Exposed portions of the dielectric layer and the first conductive layer are removed using the mask to form a capacitor dielectric layer and a lower plate of the MIM capacitor having edges substantially aligned with respective edges of the mask.

Abstract: A Metal Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor is formed on a semiconductor substrate with a base comprising a semiconductor substrate having a top surface and including regions formed in the surface selected from a Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) region and a doped well having exterior surfaces coplanar with the semiconductor substrate. An ancillary MIM capacitor plate is selected either a lower electrode formed on the STI region in the semiconductor substrate or a doped well formed in the top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A capacitor HiK dielectric layer is formed on or above the MIM capacitor lower plate. A second MIM capacitor plate is formed on the HiK dielectric layer above the MIM capacitor lower plate.

Abstract: In the course of forming a resistor in the back end of an integrated circuit, an intermediate dielectric layer is deposited and a trench etched through it and into a lower dielectric layer by a controllable amount, so that the top of a resistor layer deposited in the trench is close in height to the top of the lower dielectric layer; the trench is filled and the resistor layer outside the trench is removed, after which a second dielectric layer is deposited. Vias passing through the second dielectric layer to contact the resistor then have the same depth as vias contacting metal interconnects in the lower dielectric layer. A tri-layer resistor structure is employed in which the resistive film is sandwiched between two protective layers that block diffusion between the resistor and BEOL ILD layers.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure, and the semiconductor structure so formed, wherein a transmission line, such as an inductor, is formed on a planar level above the surface of a last metal wiring level.

Abstract: A field effect transistor is provided which includes a contiguous single-crystal semiconductor region in which a source region, a channel region and a drain region are disposed. The channel region has an edge in common with the source region as a source edge, and the channel region further has an edge in common with the drain region as a drain edge. A gate conductor overlies the channel region. The field effect transistor further includes a structure which applies a stress at a first magnitude to only one of the source edge and the drain edge while applying the stress at no greater than a second magnitude to another one of the source edge and the drain edge, wherein the second magnitude has a value ranging from zero to about half the first magnitude. In a particular embodiment, the stress is applied at the first magnitude to the source edge while the zero or lower magnitude stress is applied to the drain edge.

Abstract: A structure and method are disclosed for heat dissipation relative to a heat generating element in a semiconductor device. The structure includes a plurality of heat transmitting lines partially vertically coincidental with the heat generating element, and at least one interconnecting path from each heat transmitting line to a substrate of the semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the heat generating element includes a resistor in a non-first metal level. The invention is compatible with conventional BEOL interconnect schemes, minimizes the amount of heat transfer from the resistor to the surrounding interconnect wiring, thus eliminating the loss of current carrying capability in the wiring.

Abstract: A method for forming a transmission line structure for a semiconductor device includes forming an interlevel dielectric layer over a first metallization level, removing a portion of the interlevel dielectric layer and forming a sacrificial material within one or more voids created by the removal of the portion of the interlevel dielectric layer. A signal transmission line is formed in a second metallization level formed over the interlevel dielectric layer, the signal transmission line being disposed over the sacrificial material. A portion of dielectric material included within the second metallization level is removed so as to expose the sacrificial material, wherein a portion of the sacrificial material is exposed through a plurality of access holes formed through the signal transmission line. The sacrificial material is removed so as to create an air gap beneath the signal transmission line.

Abstract: A thin film resistor device and method of manufacture includes a layer of a thin film conductor material and a current density enhancing layer (CDEL). The CDEL is an insulator material adapted to adhere to the thin film conductor material and enables the said thin film resistor to carry higher current densities with reduced shift in resistance. In one embodiment, the thin film resistor device includes a single CDEL layer formed on one side (atop or underneath) the thin film conductor material. In a second embodiment, two CDEL layers are formed on both sides (atop and underneath) of the thin film conductor material. The resistor device may be manufactured as part of both BEOL and FEOL processes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a bilayer thin film resistor in which the lower layer is a seed layer that controls the crystal structure of the upper layer. The thickness of the lower layer and the thickness of the upper layer may be chosen to form a resistor with a TCR having a design value.

Abstract: A FEOL/MEOL metal resistor that has tight sheet resistance tolerance (on the order of about 5% or less), high current density (on the order of about 0.5 mA/micron or greater), lower parasitics than diffused resistors and lower TCR than standard BEOL metal resistors as well as various methods of integrating such a metal resistor structure into a CMOS technology are provided.

Abstract: A micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) variable capacitor is described, wherein movable comb electrodes of opposing polarity are fabricated simultaneously on the same substrate and are independently actuated. The electrodes are formed in an interdigitated fashion to maximize capacitance. The MEMS variable capacitor includes CMOS manufacturing steps in combination with elastomeric material selectively used in areas under greatest stress to ensure that the varactor will not fail as a result of stresses that may result in the separation of dielectric material from the conductive elements. The combination of a CMOS process with the conducting elastomeric material between vias increases the overall sidewall area, which provides increased capacitance density.

Abstract: A method for forming a transmission line structure for a semiconductor device includes forming an interlevel dielectric layer over a first metallization level, removing a portion of the interlevel dielectric layer and forming a sacrificial material within one or more voids created by the removal of the portion of the interlevel dielectric layer. A signal transmission line is formed in a second metallization level formed over the interlevel dielectric layer, the signal transmission line being disposed over the sacrificial material. A portion of dielectric material included within the second metallization level is removed so as to expose the sacrificial material, wherein a portion of the sacrificial material is exposed through a plurality of access holes formed through the signal transmission line. The sacrificial material is removed so as to create an air gap beneath the signal transmission line.