Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, relates to a process for fabricating a semiconductor device that is resistant to hot carrier induced stress. The method includes the steps of forming an oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate, the oxide layer and the semiconductor substrate forming a substrate-oxide interface, in which the interface includes at least one of silicon-hydrogen bonds or dangling silicon bonds; and exposing the interface to ultraviolet radiation and an atmosphere comprising at least one gas having at least atom capable of forming a silicon-atom bond under conditions sufficient to convert at least a portion of the at least one of silicon-hydrogen bonds or dangling silicon bonds to silicon-atom bonds.

Abstract: Oxide voiding is eliminated was substantially reduced by laser thermal annealing. Embodiments include fabricating flash memory devices by depositing a BPSG over spaced apart transistors as the first interlayer dielectric with voids formed in gaps between the transistors and laser thermal annealing the BPSG layer in flowing nitrogen to eliminate or substantially reduce the voids by reflowing the BPSG layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a MirrorBit® Flash memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and successively depositing a first insulating layer, a charge-trapping layer, and a second insulating layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and wordlines are formed before completing the memory. Spacers are formed between the wordlines and an inter-layer dielectric layer is formed over the wordlines. One or more of the second insulating layer, wordlines, spacers, and inter-layer dielectric layers are deuterated, replacing hydrogen bonds with deuterium, thus improving data retention and substantially reducing charge loss.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a layer over a substrate, and doping the layer with a dopant, after which the layer is laser thermal annealed. The layer can be a nitride, an oxide, or a polysilicon layer. The dopants can be arsenic, phosphorous, boron, or nitrogen. During the laser thermal annealing, certain portions of a surface of the semiconductor device are laser thermal annealed and other portions of a surface of the semiconductor device are not exposed. Also, the surface of the layer is smoother after the laser thermal annealing.

Abstract: A method of forming a dielectric structure for a flash memory cell includes forming a first layer of silicon dioxide, forming a layer of silicon nitride on the first layer of silicon dioxide, and pretreating the silicon nitride layer. Pretreatment of the silicon nitride layer includes oxidation. The method further includes depositing a second layer of silicon dioxide on the pretreated silicon nitride layer. Oxidation of the silicon nitride can occur in a batch process or in a single wafer tool, such as a single wafer rapid thermal anneal (RTA) tool. The oxidizing pretreatment of the nitride layer improves the integrity of the ONO structure and enables the second layer of silicon dioxide to be deposited rather than thermally grown. Because the nitride layer undergoes less change after deposition of the second layer of silicon dioxide, the present method improves the overall reliability of the ONO structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a composite dielectric layer, including a semiconductor substrate, alternating sub-layers including a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material on the semiconductor substrate, the sub-layers forming a composite dielectric layer having at least two sub-layers of at least one of the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material, in which one of the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material is a high-K dielectric material and an other of the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material is a standard-K dielectric material comprising aluminum oxide; and the composite dielectric layer includes a reaction product of the high-K dielectric material and the standard-K dielectric material. In one embodiment, the composite dielectric layer includes a substantially uniform layer of the reaction product of the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material.

Abstract: A MONOS device and method for making the device has a charge trapping dielectric layer, such as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer, formed on a substrate. A recess is created through the ONO layer and in the substrate. A metal silicide bit line is formed in the recess and bit line oxide is formed on top of the metal silicide. A word line is formed over the ONO layer and the bit line oxide, and a low resistance silicide is provided on top of the word line. The silicide is formed by laser thermal annealing, for example.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling a boron phosphorous doped silicon oxide (BPSG) deposition and reflow process is provided. The system includes one or more light sources, each light source directing light to one or more portions of a wafer upon which BPSG is deposited. Light reflected from the BPSG is collected by a measuring system, which processes the collected light. Light passing through the BPSG may similarly be collected by the measuring system, which processes the collected light. The collected light is indicative of the conformality of the BPSG deposition of the respective portions of the wafer. The measuring system provides BPSG deposition related data to a processor that determines the BPSG deposition of the respective portions of the wafer. The system also includes a plurality of reflow controlling devices, each such device corresponding to a respective portion of the wafer and providing for the heating and/or cooling thereof.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing sheet resistivity of a layer on a wafer employing electrical methods and for controlling rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of the layer is provided. The system includes components for performing RTA on the layer and components for analyzing the sheet resistivity of one or more portions of the layer upon which RTA was performed. The system further includes a feedback generator adapted to accept sheet resistivity data and to produce feedback information that can be used to control the RTA components. The system further includes a data store that can be employed in machine learning and/or to facilitate generating feedback information that can be employed to control RTA and a monitoring application that can be employed to schedule maintenance on the various components in the system.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an integrated circuit memory includes providing a semiconductor substrate and depositing a charge-trapping dielectric layer. First and second bitlines are implanted and a wordline layer is deposited. A hard mask layer is deposited over the wordline layer. A photoresist is deposited over the wordline layer and used to form a hard mask. The photoresist is removed. The wordline layer is processed using the hard mask to form a wordline and the hard mask is removed. A reduced hydrogen, ultra-violet block data retention liner covers the wordline and the charge-trapping dielectric layer. The reduced hydrogen levels reduce the charge loss compared to prior art. The surface of the liner is processed to block UV light before completing the integrated circuit.

Abstract: Process for fabricating a SONOS flash memory device, including in one embodiment, forming a bottom oxide layer of an ONO structure on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the bottom oxide layer has a first oxygen vacancy content; treating the bottom oxide layer to decrease the first oxygen vacancy content to a second oxygen vacancy content; and depositing a dielectric charge-storage layer on the bottom oxide layer. In another embodiment, a process for fabricating a SONOS flash memory device includes forming a bottom oxide layer of an ONO structure on the semiconductor substrate under strongly oxidizing conditions, wherein the bottom oxide layer has a super-stoichiometric oxygen content and an oxygen vacancy content reduced relative to a bottom oxide layer formed by a conventional process; and depositing a dielectric charge-storage layer on the bottom oxide layer.

Abstract: A process for fabrication of a semiconductor device including a modified ONO structure, comprising forming the modified ONO structure by providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a first oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate; depositing a layer comprising a high-K dielectric material on the first oxide layer; and forming a top oxide layer on the layer comprising a high-K dielectric material. The semiconductor device may be, e.g., a MIRRORBIT™ two-bit EEPROM device or a floating gate flash device including a modified ONO structure.

Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque sub-layer of a contact cap layer or a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including depositing a gate oxide film over a substrate and conditioning the deposited gate oxide film using laser thermal annealing in a single process chamber, and depositing a gate electrode film over the conditioned gate oxide film.

Abstract: A system for detecting voids in an ILD layer is provided. The system includes one or more light sources, each light source directing light to respective portions of the ILD layer. Light reflected from the respective portions is collected by a measuring system that processes the collected light. The collected light is indicative of the presence of voids in the respective portions of the ILD layer. The measuring system provides ILD layer void related data to a processor that determines whether voids exist in the respective portions of the ILD layer. The processor selectively marks the ILD layer portions to facilitate further processing and/or destruction of the IC with the ILD layer voids.

Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A method of protecting a SONOS flash memory cell from UV-induced charging, including fabricating a SONOS flash memory cell in a semiconductor device; and depositing over the SONOS flash memory cell at least one UV-protective layer, the UV-protective layer including a substantially UV-opaque material. A SONOS flash memory device, including a SONOS flash memory cell; and at least one UV-protective layer, in which the UV-protective layer comprises a substantially UV-opaque material, is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a substantially UV-opaque contact cap layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit is provided having a semiconductor wafer. A chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer is deposited on the semiconductor wafer and a first photoresist layer is processed over the chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer. The chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer and the semiconductor wafer are patterned to form a shallow trench and a shallow trench isolation material is deposited on the chemical-mechanical polishing stop layer and in the shallow trench. A second photoresist layer is processed over the shallow trench isolation material leaving the shallow trench uncovered. The uncovered shallow trench is then treated to become a chemical-mechanical polishing stop area. The shallow trench isolation material is then chemical-mechanical polished to be co-planar with the chemical-mechanical stop layer and the chemical-mechanical polishing stop treated area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate having an active region and a method of making the same is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric layer interposed between a gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate. Further, the semiconductor device includes graded dielectric constant spacers formed on sidewalls of the dielectric layer, sidewalls of the gate electrode and portions of an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric constant of the graded dielectric constant spacers decreases in a direction away from the sidewalls of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate having an active region and a method of making the same is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a stacked polysilicon layer formed on a dielectric layer. The stacked polysilicon layer inhibits the diffusion of boron in the dielectric layer and the penetration of boron into the dielectric layer and the semiconductor substrate.