Abstract: A semiconductor device with dual gate electrodes and its method of formation is taught. A first metal/silicon gate stack and a first gate dielectric are formed over a first doped region. The metal/gate stack comprises a metal portion over the first gate dielectric and a first gate portion over the metal portion. A silicon gate and a second gate dielectric are formed over the second doped region. In one embodiment, the first and second gate portions are P+ doped silicon germanium and the metal portion is TaSiN. In another embodiment, the first and second gate portions are N+ doped polysilicon and the metal portion is TaSiN.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor region that functions as a channel between two metal conductors. In the semiconductor region and adjacent to the metal conductors are doped regions of an opposite conductivity type to that of the channel that are source and drain regions, which are electrically coupled laterally to the two metal conductors and function as ohmic contacts. The semiconductor region is epitaxially grown through a hole in an insulating layer that underlies the two metal conductors. Under the insulating layer is a semiconductor layer that forms the seed for epitaxially growing the semiconductor layer. The hole is also formed through another relatively thick insulating layer over the two metal conductors.

Abstract: A grooved channel Schottky contacted MOSFET has asymmetric source and drain regions. The MOSFET includes an undoped silicon substrate with a background doping concentration of less than about 1017 cm−3. A grooved channel is formed in a first surface of the substrate. A first metal silicide material is formed in a first side of the grooved channel, forming a source region, and a second metal silicide material is formed on a second side of the grooved channel, forming a drain region. A metal gate is formed in the grooved channel. The grooved structure allows the off-state current to be reduced to less than 50 pA/&mgr;m. Further, the feature size can be scaled down to 10 nm without strong short-channel effects (DIBL<0.063) and the gate delay (CV/I) is reduced to 2.4 ps.

Abstract: A grooved channel Schottky contacted MOSFET has asymmetric source and drain regions. The MOSFET includes an undoped silicon substrate with a background doping concentration of less than about 1017 cm−3. A grooved channel is formed in a first surface of the substrate. A first metal silicide material is formed in a first side of the grooved channel, forming a source region, and a second metal silicide material is formed on a second side of the grooved channel, forming a drain region. A metal gate is formed in the grooved channel. The grooved structure allows the off-state current to be reduced to less than 50 pA/&mgr;m. Further, the feature size can be scaled down to 10 nm without strong short-channel effects (DIBL<0.063) and the gate delay (CV/I) is reduced to 2.4 ps.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with dual gate electrodes and its method of formation is taught. A first metal/silicon gate stack and a first gate dielectric are formed over a first doped region. The metal/gate stack comprises a metal portion over the first gate dielectric and a first gate portion over the metal portion. A silicon gate and a second gate dielectric are formed over the second doped region. In one embodiment, the first and second gate portions are P+ doped silicon germanium and the metal portion is TaSiN. In another embodiment, the first and second gate portions are N+ doped polysilicon and the metal portion is TaSiN.

Abstract: A dielectric layer comprises lanthanum, aluminum, nitrogen, and oxygen and is formed between two conductors or a conductor and substrate. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer is graded with among the lanthanum, nitrogen, or aluminum. An additional insulating layer may be formed between the conductor or substrate and the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer can be formed by atomic layer chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, organometallic chemical vapor deposition or pulsed laser deposition.

Abstract: A process for forming a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor of a second conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The substrate has a first well of the first conductivity type and a second well of the second conductivity type. A gate dielectric is formed over the wells. A first metal layer is then formed over the gate dielectric. A portion of the first metal layer located over the second well is then removed. A second metal layer different from said first metal is then formed over the wells and a gate mask is formed over the second metal. The metal layers are then patterned to leave a first gate over the first well and a second gate over the second well. Source/drains are then formed in the first and second wells to form the first and second transistor.

Abstract: A dielectric layer comprises lanthanum, aluminum and oxygen and is formed between two conductors or a conductor and substrate. In one embodiment, the dielectric layer is graded with respect to the lanthanum or aluminum. In another embodiment, an insulating layer is formed between the conductor or substrate and the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer can be formed by atomic layer chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, organometallic chemical vapor deposition or pulsed laser deposition.

Abstract: A process for forming a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor of a second conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The substrate has a first well of the first conductivity type and a second well of the second conductivity type. A gate dielectric is formed over the wells. A first metal layer is then formed over the gate dielectric. A portion of the first metal layer located over the second well is then removed. A second metal layer different from said first metal is then formed over the wells and a gate mask is formed over the second metal. The metal layers are then patterned to leave a first gate over the first well and a second gate over the second well. Source/drains are then formed in the first and second wells to form the first and second transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes a floating gate made up of a plurality of pre-formed isolated storage elements (18) and a method for making such a device is presented. The device is formed by first providing a semiconductor layer (12) upon which a first gate insulator (14) is formed. A plurality of pre-fabricated isolated storage elements (18) is then deposited on the first gate insulator (14). This deposition step may be accomplished by immersion in a colloidal solution (16) that includes a solvent and pre-fabricated isolated storage elements (18). Once deposited, the solvent of the solution (16) can be removed, leaving the pre-fabricated isolated storage elements (18) deposited on the first gate insulator (14). After depositing the pre-fabricated isolated storage elements (18), a second gate insulator (20) is formed over the pre-fabricated isolated storage elements (18).

Abstract: A transistor (12) and method of making an integrated circuit (10) uses a chromium based sacrificial gate (22A) to align, dope and activate source and drain portions (36, 38, 52, 53,) of the transistor. The transistor is subjected to a high temperature to activate the source and drain, which would damage a high permittivity gate dielectric. The sacrificial gate is removed by etching with ceric ammonia nitrate. A high permittivity gate dielectric (72) and a final gate electrode (74) are formed over a channel (30) of the transistor. Electrodes (76, 78) are formed for coupling to the source and drain.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed for forming a semiconductor device having an isolation region (601). A dielectric layer (108) is deposited and etched to form isolation regions (102, 605) having top portions that are narrower than their bottom portions, thereby a tapered isolation region is formed. Active regions (601, 603) are formed using an epitaxial process in the regions between the isolation regions. The resulting active regions (601, 603) have a greater amount of surface area near a top portion, than near a bottom portion. Transistors (721, 723) having opposite polarities are formed within the active areas.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device with a floating gate that includes a plurality of nanoclusters (21) and techniques useful in the manufacturing of such a device are presented. The device is formed by first providing a semiconductor substrate (12) upon which a tunnel dielectric layer (14) is formed. A plurality of nanoclusters (19) is then grown on the tunnel dielectric layer (14). The growth of the nanoclusters (19) may be accomplished using low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) or ultra high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHCVD) processes. Such growth may be facilitated by formation of a nitrogen-containing layer (502) overlying the tunnel dielectric layer (14). After growth of the nanoclusters (21), a control dielectric layer (20) is formed over the nanoclusters (21). In order to prevent oxidation of the formed nanoclusters (21), the nanoclusters (21) may be encapsulated using various techniques prior to formation of the control dielectric layer (20).

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device with a floating gate that includes a plurality of nanoclusters (21) and techniques useful in the manufacturing of such a device are presented. The device is formed by first providing a semiconductor substrate (12) upon which a tunnel dielectric layer (14) is formed. A plurality of nanoclusters (19) is then grown on the tunnel dielectric layer (14). After growth of the nanoclusters (21), a control dielectric layer (20) is formed over the nanoclusters (21). In order to prevent oxidation of the formed nanoclusters (21), the nanoclusters (21) may be encapsulated using various techniques prior to formation of the control dielectric layer (20). A gate electrode (24) is then formed over the control dielectric (20), and portions of the control dielectric, the plurality of nanoclusters, and the gate dielectric that do not underlie the gate electrode are selectively removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to locate particles of a predetermined species within a solid, more specifically to form an oxy-nitride dielectric for VLSI applications. A layer (18) of a substance (YZ) is formed upon a solid (10) and a chemical reaction is performed between the substance (YZ) and a gas (X), thereby releasing particles (Z) of a predetermined species which incorporate into the solid (10). This method is used, for example, to form an oxy-nitride dielectric by incorporating nitrogen within a silicon oxide layer (28′).

Abstract: A method of processing a high K gate dielectric includes growing a high quality silicon dioxide layer at the silicon interface followed by deposition of a metal layer, which is then diffused into the silicon dioxide. Preferred metals include zirconium and hafnium. A gate stack may be fabricated by adding a metal containing layer to an existing thermally grown SiO2 or a combination of SiO2, SiO3 and SiO4 (oxide-nitride or oxynitride) stacks.

Abstract: Metal semiconductor nitride gate electrodes (40, 70) are formed for use in a semiconductor device (60). The gate electrodes (40, 70) may be formed by sputter deposition, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The materials are expected to etch similar to silicon-containing compounds and may be etched in traditional halide-based etching chemistries. The metal semiconductor nitride gate electrodes (40, 70) are relatively stable, can be formed relatively thinner than traditional gate electrodes (40, 70) and work functions near the middle of the band gap for the material of the substrate (12).

Abstract: A trench power switching transistor (10) is fabricated having sub-micron features on a body layer (26) without using sub-micron lithography. An opening in a field oxide layer (28) defines an area for implanting a source region (30) in the body layer (26) that is self-aligned to a first edge (28A) and a second edge (28B) of the field oxide layer (28). Sidewall spacers (32) are formed in accordance with the first and second edges (28A and 28B) of the field oxide layer (28). A trench is aligned to the sidewall spacers (32) and formed centered within the source region (30). An implant layer (42) formed between sections of the power switching transistor (10) is aligned to the sidewall spacers (32) at the first and second edges (28A and 28B).

Abstract: A stack of oxide (16) and silicon nitride (18) is grown/deposited over a patterned polysilicon line, which typically acts as a bottom capacitor plate. A thin layer of amorphous or polycrystalline silicon (20) is deposited over the blanket silicon nitride film. The thickness of the deposited silicon layer must be optimized according to the final amount of oxide desired over the silicon nitride, which will be roughly twice the thickness of the deposited silicon film. The oxide/nitride/silicon stack is then patterned and etched, stopping either at or underneath the bottom oxide. Any subsequent cleaning in potentially oxide-etching chemistries (including HF) is done with the protective silicon deposit on top of the silicon nitride. The entire structure is then thermally oxidized, transforming the deposited silicon into silicon oxide (30). Where the structure has been cleared down to the substrate by etching, a second gate oxide is simultaneously formed.

Abstract: Reflective notching of a photoresist pattern (20), generated over reflective materials on a semiconductor substrate (12), is minimized by using an anti-reflective layer (20) of silicon-rich silicon nitride. The layer of silicon-rich silicon nitride is formed over the reflective materials and a layer of photoresist is then formed over the silicon-rich silicon nitride. The photoresist layer is then photolithographically patterned to form an integrated circuit pattern (20). The silicon-rich silicon nitride layer has an absorptive index of greater than 0.25, which allows it to be used as an anti-reflective layer with photolithographic patterning systems having ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet exposure wavelengths.