Abstract: Methods of forming contacts (and optionally, local interconnects) using an ink comprising a silicide-forming metal, electrical devices such as diodes and/or transistors including such contacts and (optional) local interconnects, and methods for forming such devices are disclosed. The method of forming contacts includes depositing an ink of a silicide-forming metal onto an exposed silicon surface, drying the ink to form a silicide-forming metal precursor, and heating the silicide-forming metal precursor and the silicon surface to form a metal silicide contact. Optionally, the metal precursor ink may be selectively deposited onto a dielectric layer adjacent to the exposed silicon surface to form a metal-containing interconnect. Furthermore, one or more bulk conductive metal(s) may be deposited on remaining metal precursor ink and/or the dielectric layer. Electrical devices, such as diodes and transistors may be made using such printed contact and/or local interconnects.

Abstract: A method of forming a high k gate insulation layer in an integrated circuit on a substrate. A high k layer is deposited onto the substrate, and patterned with a mask to define the high k gate insulation layer and exposed portions of the high k layer. The exposed portions of the high k layer are subjected to an ion implanted species that causes lattice damage to the exposed portions of the high k layer. The lattice damaged exposed portions of the high k layer are etched to leave the high k gate insulation layer.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory cell is disclosed, having first and second semiconductor islands at the same horizontal level and spaced a predetermined distance apart, the first semiconductor island providing a control gate and the second semiconductor island providing source and drain terminals; a gate dielectric layer on at least part of the first semiconductor island; a tunneling dielectric layer on at least part of the second semiconductor island; a floating gate on at least part of the gate dielectric layer and the tunneling dielectric layer; and a metal layer in electrical contact with the control gate and the source and drain terminals. In one advantageous embodiment, the nonvolatile memory cell may be manufactured using an “all-printed” process technology.

Abstract: An electronic device, including a substrate, a plurality of first semiconductor islands on the substrate, a plurality of second semiconductor islands on the substrate, a first dielectric film on the first subset of the semiconductor islands, second dielectric film on the second semiconductor islands, and a metal layer in electrical contact with the first and second semiconductor islands. The first semiconductor islands and the first dielectric film contain a first diffusible dopant, and the second semiconductor islands and the second dielectric layer film contain a second diffusible dopant different from the first diffusible dopant. The present electronic device can be manufactured using printing technologies, thereby enabling high-throughput, low-cost manufacturing of electrical circuits on a wide variety of substrates.

Abstract: A method for making an electronic device, such as a MOS transistor, including the steps of forming a plurality of semiconductor islands on an electrically functional substrate, printing a first dielectric layer on or over a first subset of the semiconductor islands and optionally a second dielectric layer on or over a second subset of the semiconductor islands, and annealing. The first dielectric layer contains a first dopant, and the (optional) second dielectric layer contains a second dopant different from the first dopant. The dielectric layer(s), semiconductor islands and substrate are annealed sufficiently to diffuse the first dopant into the first subset of semiconductor islands and, when present, the second dopant into the second subset of semiconductor islands.

Abstract: A self-aligned top-gate thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of forming such a thin film transistor, by forming a semiconductor thin film layer; printing a doped glass pattern thereon, a gap in the doped glass pattern defining a channel region of the TFT; forming a gate electrode on or over the channel region, the gate electrode comprising a gate dielectric film and a gate conductor thereon; and diffusing a dopant from the doped glass pattern into the semiconductor thin film layer.

Abstract: Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and processes for manufacturing the same. The RFID device generally includes (1) a metal antenna and/or inductor; (2) a dielectric layer thereon, to support and insulate integrated circuitry from the metal antenna and/or inductor; (3) a plurality of diodes and a plurality of transistors on the dielectric layer, the diodes having at least one layer in common with the transistors; and (4) a plurality of capacitors in electrical communication with the metal antenna and/or inductor and at least some of the diodes, the plurality of capacitors having at least one layer in common with the plurality of diodes and/or with contacts to the diodes and transistors. The method preferably integrates liquid silicon-containing ink deposition into a cost effective, integrated manufacturing process for the manufacture of RFID circuits. Furthermore, the present RFID tags generally provide higher performance (e.g.

Abstract: A method of producing an antifuse includes introducing nitrogen by ion implantation means into the substrate. An oxide dielectric layer is then formed on the nitrided substrate in a wet oxidation ambient. The conditions of the ion implantation and the oxidation are controlled to generate a dielectric with uniform thickness and a low breakdown voltage when subjected to a high electric field.

Abstract: Provided are methods and composition for forming an isolation structure on an integrated circuit substrate. First, a trench is etched in the integrated circuit substrate. A lower dielectric layer is then formed in the trench such that the lower dielectric layer at least partially fills the trench. An upper dielectric layer is then formed over the lower dielectric layer to create an isolation structure, the upper dielectric layer and the lower dielectric layer together having an effective dielectric constant that is less than that of silicon dioxide, thereby enabling capacitance associated with the isolation structure to be reduced.

Abstract: A method of removing a hard mask layer from a patterned layer formed over an underlying layer, where the hard mask layer is removed using an etchant that detrimentally etches the underlying layer when the underlying layer is exposed to the etchant for a length of time typically required to remove the hard mask layer, without detrimentally etching the underlying layer. The hard mask layer is modified so that the hard mask layer is etched by the etchant at a substantially faster rate than that at which the etchant etches the underlying layer. The hard mask layer is patterned. The patterned layer is etched to expose portions of the underlying layer. Both the hard mask layer and the exposed portions of the underlying layer are etched with the etchant, where the etchant etches the hard mask layer at a substantially faster rate than that at which the etchant etches the underlying layer, because of the modification of the hard mask layer.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for fabrication of STIs in a semiconductor device using implantation of damaging high-energy ions to insulating material overburden to generally and/or selectively increase insulation overburden removal rates. This technique avoids the use of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) with a combination of implantation and, in some instances, low cost batch etching. The electrical characteristics of devices created with the new technique match closely to those fabricated with the standard CMP-based technique.

Abstract: A method of removing a hard mask layer from a patterned layer formed over an underlying layer, where the hard mask layer is removed using an etchant that detrimentally etches the underlying layer when the underlying layer is exposed to the etchant for a length of time typically required to remove the hard mask layer, without detrimentally etching the underlying layer. The hard mask layer is modified so that the hard mask layer is etched by the etchant at a substantially faster rate than that at which the etchant etches the underlying layer. The hard mask layer is patterned. The patterned layer is etched to expose portions of the underlying layer. Both the hard mask layer and the exposed portions of the underlying layer are etched with the etchant, where the etchant etches the hard mask layer at a substantially faster rate than that at which the etchant etches the underlying layer, because of the modification of the hard mask layer.

Abstract: Growth of multiple gate oxides. By implanting different sites of a wafer with different doses of an oxide growth retardant, the entire wafer can grow oxides of different thicknesses even after being exposed to the same oxidation environment. The process is modular insofar as the implantation of one site has no effect on rate of growth of other sites.

Abstract: A method of forming a high k gate insulation layer in an integrated circuit on a substrate. A high k layer is deposited onto the substrate, and patterned with a mask to define the high k gate insulation layer and exposed portions of the high k layer. The exposed portions of the high k layer are subjected to an ion implanted species that causes lattice damage to the exposed portions of the high k layer. The lattice damaged exposed portions of the high k layer are etched to leave the high k gate insulation layer.

Abstract: A memory cell having a transistor and a capacitor formed in a silicon substrate. The capacitor is formed with a lower electrically conductive plate etched in a projected surface area of the silicon substrate. The lower electrically conductive plate has at least one cross section in the shape of a vee, where the sides of the vee are disposed at an angle of about fifty-five degrees from a top surface of the silicon substrate. The surface area of the lower electrically conductive plate is about seventy-three percent larger than the projected surface area of the silicon substrate in which the lower electrically conductive plate is etched. A capacitor dielectric layer is formed of a first deposited dielectric layer, which is disposed adjacent the lower electrically conductive plate. A top electrically conductive plate is disposed adjacent the capacitor dielectric layer and opposite the lower electrically conductive plate.

Abstract: A memory cell having a transistor and a capacitor formed in a silicon substrate. The capacitor is formed with a lower electrically conductive plate etched in a projected surface area of the silicon substrate. The lower electrically conductive plate has at least one cross section in the shape of a vee, where the sides of the vee are disposed at an angle of about fifty-five degrees from a top surface of the silicon substrate. The surface area of the lower electrically conductive plate is about seventy-three percent larger than the projected surface area of the silicon substrate in which the lower electrically conductive plate is etched. A capacitor dielectric layer is formed of a first deposited dielectric layer, which is disposed adjacent the lower electrically conductive plate. A top electrically conductive plate is disposed adjacent the capacitor dielectric layer and opposite the lower electrically conductive plate.

Abstract: A method for forming shallow junctions in a substrate. The substrate is masked with a first mask to selectively cover first portions of the substrate and selectively expose second portions of the substrate. A first dopant is implanted substantially within a first depth zone through the second portions of the substrate. The first depth zone extends from a first depth to a second depth, and the first depth is shallower than the second depth. The substrate is annealed for a first time to form a noncontiguous buried insulating layer substantially within the first depth zone in the second portions of the substrate. The substrate is masked with a second mask to selectively cover third portions of the substrate and selectively expose fourth portions of the substrate. The fourth portions of the substrate at least partially overlap the second portions of the substrate. A second dopant is implanted substantially within a second depth zone through the fourth portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A relatively thin gate insulator of a digital switching transistor is formed from a layer of silicon oxynitride which was initially formed by implanting nitrogen atoms in a silicon substrate and oxidizing the nitrogen and silicon. It has been discovered that an outer layer of silicon dioxide is formed as a part of the silicon oxynitride layer. Removing this outer layer of silicon dioxide from the silicon oxynitride layer leaves a thin remaining layer of substantially-only silicon oxynitride as the gate insulator. Thinner gate insulators of approximately 15-21 angstroms, for example, can be formed from a grown thickness of 60 angstroms, for example. Gate insulators for digital and analog transistors may be formed simultaneously with a greater differential in thickness been possible by using conventional nitrogen implantation techniques.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for fabrication of STIs in a semiconductor device using implantation of damaging high-energy ions to insulating material overburden to generally and/or selectively increase insulation overburden removal rates. This technique avoids the use of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) with a combination of implantation and, in some instances, low cost batch etching. The electrical characteristics of devices created with the new technique match closely to those fabricated with the standard CMP-based technique.

Abstract: A memory cell having a transistor and a capacitor formed in a silicon substrate. The capacitor is formed with a lower electrically conductive plate etched in a projected surface area of the silicon substrate. The lower electrically conductive plate has at least one cross section in the shape of a vee, where the sides of the vee are disposed at an angle of about fifty-five degrees from a top surface of the silicon substrate. The surface area of the lower electrically conductive plate is about seventy-three percent larger than the projected surface area of the silicon substrate in which the lower electrically conductive plate is etched. A capacitor dielectric layer is formed of a first deposited dielectric layer, which is disposed adjacent the lower electrically conductive plate. A top electrically conductive plate is disposed adjacent the capacitor dielectric layer and opposite the lower electrically conductive plate.