Abstract: A method is provided for obtaining a topography with a substantially planar upper surface. The profile of the upper surface of the semiconductor topography is first detected by a profile detection tool, such as a stylus profilometer. The profile detection tool creates a database to quantify the elevational variations across the upper surface of the semiconductor topography. The database is then provided to a control system of a deposition tool. The control system controls the deposition of a profile layer upon the upper surface of the semiconductor topography such that a thickness of the profile layer is a function of the elevation of the surface. In one embodiment, the control system controls a potential gradient across the semiconductor topography so as to cause more reactant species to be directed toward the more recessed regions of the topography. In another embodiment, the control system controls the opening and closing of valves disposed within a shower head above the semiconductor topography.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure having multiple thicknesses of high-k gate dielectrics and a process of manufacture. In one embodiment, semiconductor structure is provided that includes a substrate, and a high permittivity layer is disposed on the substrate, the high permittivity layer having two or more areas with different thicknesses. A plurality of gate electrodes are disposed in the two or more areas on the high permittivity layer. In another embodiment, a process for constructing a semiconductor structure includes depositing a high permittivity layer on the substrate, the high permittivity layer having a first thickness. A first set of one or more gate electrodes are formed on the high permittivity layer having the first thickness. Selected portions of the high permittivity layer are then removed, whereby the high permittivity layer is reduced to a second thickness. Then a second set of gate electrodes are formed on the selected portions of the high permittivity layer having the second thickness.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having grown oxide spacers and a method for manufacturing such a semiconductor device is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate, and an oxidation-resistant layer is formed adjacent to the gate electrode. The gate electrode is oxidized to grow an oxide layer on the gate electrode extending over the oxidation-resistant layer. One or more spacers then is formed adjacent to the gate electrode using the oxide layer.

Abstract: Generally, the present invention relates to semiconductor devices having an oxide-nitride gate insulating layer and methods of manufacture thereof. Consistent with the present invention a semiconductor device is formed by forming a nitrogen bearing oxide layer over a substrate and forming a nitride layer over the nitrogen bearing oxide layer. The thickness of the nitride layer is reduced and the nitride layer is annealed in an NH.sub.3 bearing ambient. The NH.sub.3 anneal may, for example, be performed before or after or while reducing the thickness of the nitride layer. One or more of the gate electrodes may then be formed over the nitride layer using the nitrogen bearing oxide layer and the nitride layer to insulate the gate electrode(s) from the substrate. This technique can, for example, provide a highly reliable and scaled gate insulating layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a transistor having a very short channel length. The method generally comprises forming a plurality of process layers above a surface of a semiconducting substrate, one of the process layers being comprised of a gate dielectric material and another of the process layers being comprised of a gate conductor material. The method further comprises patterning the plurality of process layers to define an opening and forming a first sidewall spacer in the opening adjacent at least the process layer comprised of a gate conductor material. The method continues with the formation of a gate conductor mask by oxidation of a portion of at least one of the process layers other than those layers comprised of a gate dielectric material and the gate conductor material.

Abstract: A fabrication process and transistor are described in which a transistor having a diffusion barrier located in the bottom layer of a stacked (i.e., multi-layer) gate conductor is formed, thereby reducing the diffusion of dopants from the gate conductor to the underlying channel region. In a general embodiment, multiple gate conductor layers are formed and arranged in a vertical stack, and a diffusion barrier is introduced into one or more layers of the stack. In a preferred dual-layer embodiment, a first gate conductor layer (i.e., the bottom layer) having a first thickness is deposited upon a gate dielectric layer. An argon distribution is then introduced into the first gate conductor layer to form an argon diffusion barrier in the first gate conductor layer. A second gate conductor layer having a second thickness is then deposited upon the first gate conductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor process in which a first silicide is formed on silicon upper surfaces upon which a second silicide is selectively deposited. A refractory metal is blanket deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is then heated to a first temperature to react portions of the refractory metal above the exposed silicon surfaces to form a first phase of a first silicide. The unreacted portions of the refractory metal then remove, typically with a wet etch process. The semiconductor substrate is then heated to a second temperature to form a second phase of the first silicide. The second temperature is typically greater than the first, and the resistivity of the second phase is less than a resistivity of the first phase. Thereafter, a second metal silicide is selectively deposited on the first silicide, preferably through the use of a chemical vapor deposition process.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transistor formed above a layer of a dielectric material and a method of making same. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises forming a first layer of dielectric material, forming a plurality of source/drain regions comprised of polysilicon above said first layer of dielectric material and between said source/drain regions, and forming a second layer of dielectric material above said first layer of dielectric material. The method further comprises forming a layer of polysilicon above the second layer of dielectric material, forming a gate dielectric above said layer of polysilicon, and forming a gate conductor above said gate dielectric.

Abstract: An integrated circuit employing both sides of a base substrate or wafer and a method of making the same are provided. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a base substrate that has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side has a first semiconductor layer and a first isolation structure positioned thereon wherein the first side surrounds the first semiconductor layer. The second side has a second semiconductor layer and a second isolation structure positioned thereon wherein the second isolation structure surrounds the second semiconductor layer. A first circuit device is positioned on the first semiconductor layer. A second circuit device is positioned on the second semiconductor layer. The method enables simultaneous processing of both sides of a given wafer. Fabrication efficiency is increased through higher throughput and much higher yields per wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the determination of a depth profile and/or one or more depth profile characteristics of a dopant material in a semiconductor device includes a light source which can illuminate the device at two or more illumination wavelengths, a detector that receives scattered light from the semiconductor device and determines an intensity characteristic for one or more Raman spectral lines attributable to the presence of the dopant material in the semiconductor device. The intensity characteristics of the Raman spectral lines can then be used to determine the depth profile or depth profile characteristics using profile constants measured from known samples at each of the illumination wavelengths. This apparatus and method can be used in-line because it is noninvasive, relatively quick, and nondestructive.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and manufacturing method is provided in which asymmetric source/drain regions are formed using a self aligning implant mask. A gate electrode is formed on a substrate and a dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and adjacent the gate electrode. A masking layer is formed over the dielectric layer and the gate electrode and selectively removed to form an implant mask. The implant mask extends further over a first side of the gate electrode than a second side of the gate electrode. Using the implant mask for alignment, a dopant is implanted into the active regions of the substrate adjacent the gate electrode to form a first heavily-doped region adjacent the first side of the gate electrode and second heavily-doped region adjacent the second side of the gate electrode. The first heavily-doped region is spaced further from the gate electrode than the second heavily-doped region. Contacts may be formed to the masking layer or a silicide layer formed from the masking layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transistor having a stacked silicide metal and method of making same. In general, the method comprises forming a layer of nitrogen-bearing silicon dioxide above the gate conductor and the source and drain regions of a transistor. In one illustrative embodiment, the method further comprises forming a layer of titanium above at least the surface of the gate conductor and the source and drain regions. Thereafter, a layer of cobalt is formed above the layer of titanium. The transistor is then subjected to a heat treating process such that at least the layer of cobalt forms a metal silicide. Also disclosed herein is a partially formed transistor comprised of a gate conductor, a source region and a gate region. In one illustrative embodiment, the transistor is further comprised of a layer of nitrogen-bearing silicon dioxide formed above the gate conductor and the source and drain regions.

Abstract: A transistor is provided having a pair of sidewall spacers, each preferably including an ultrathin silicon nitride layer, adjacent to opposed sidewall surfaces of a gate conductor on a semiconductor substrate. Each spacer preferably includes a layer of thermally grown silicon nitride, and may also include a silicon dioxide layer. In an embodiment, the spacer includes a first silicon nitride layer adjacent to the sidewall surface, a silicon dioxide layer adjacent to the first silicon nitride layer, and a second silicon nitride layer adjacent to the silicon dioxide layer. Impurity distributions within the substrate may be aligned with any of the layers within the spacer, such that a distribution may be aligned with a sidewall surface or displaced outward from a sidewall surface. Such a distribution may be displaced outward by the lateral width of the spacer or by less than the lateral width of the spacer (i.e. the width of one or more layers within the spacer).

Abstract: An integrated circuit and a method of making the same are provided. The circuit includes a substrate that has a trench formed therein defining and isolating first and second active area and an upper surface. The circuit includes a capacitor that has a first insulating layer formed in the trench, a conductor layer formed on the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer that fills the trench. The conductor layer is positioned substantially at or below the upper surface. The circuit integrates trench isolation structure with a capacitor that may be used as a filter between power and ground. The method integrates capacitor formation with trench isolation formation.

Abstract: A trench isolation structure is provided which includes a dielectric material having a relatively low dielectric constant, K, that is approximately less than 3.8. The capacitance between active areas separated by the trench isolation structure, being directly proportional to K, is thus reduced. As a result, the lateral width of the isolation structure may be decreased without significantly increasing the capacitance between those active areas. In an embodiment, a fabrication process for the trench isolation structure may include a trench is etched within a semiconductor substrate upon which a masking layer is formed. An oxide liner is thermally grown upon the sidewalls and base of the trench. A layer of low K dielectric material is deposited across the oxide liner. A fill oxide is then formed upon the layer of dielectric material. The resulting trench isolation structure includes a low K dielectric material interposed between an oxide liner and a fill oxide.

Abstract: Various methods of fabricating a reticle are provided. In one aspect, a pattern of opaque structures is formed on a plate capable of transmitting electromagnetic radiation. Adjacently positioned angled surfaces of the opaque structures are identified. Preselected portions of the opaque structures that encompass the adjacently positioned angled surfaces are then removed by ion-beam milling or other methods. Reticle patterns may be customized by modifying the structures of adjacent polygon structures that could otherwise give rise to diffraction-induced patterning errors on resist layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has gate with a first material having a first dielectric constant adjacent the semiconductor substrate and a second material having a second dielectric constant adjacent the semiconductor substrate. A conductor, such as polysilicon, is then placed on the gate so that the first and second materials are sandwiched between the conductor and the semiconductor substrate. Since the dielectric constants of the two materials are different, the gate acts like a gate having a single dielectric with at least two thicknesses. One dielectric constant is larger than the other dielectric constant. The higher dielectric constant material is comprised of a single spacer located within the gate at the sidewall nearest the drain of the semiconductor device. A layer of silicon dioxide is positioned on the semiconductor substrate between the spacer and the other sidewall of the gate. The thickness of the spacers can be adjusted to optimize the performance of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor device having a reduced feature size and a method of making same. The device is comprised of a gate dielectric positioned above a semiconducting substrate, and a gate conductor positioned above said gate dielectric. The width of the gate dielectric being less than the width of the gate conductor. The device further comprises a plurality of sidewall spacers adjacent said conductor. The method is comprised of forming a gate dielectric above the surface of a semiconducting substrate, forming a gate conductor above the gate dielectric, and wet etching the gate dielectric to a finished width that is less than the width of the gate conductor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming ultra shallow extensions in a transistor and a device incorporating same. The method comprises forming a gate dielectric and a gate conductor above a surface of a semiconducting substrate and forming a first plurality of sidewall spacers adjacent the gate dielectric and the gate conductor. The method continues with implanting the substrate with a dopant material to form a plurality of doped regions in the substrate, heating the substrate to drive the dopant material towards the gate dielectric, and removing the first plurality of sidewall spacers. The method further comprises forming a second plurality of sidewall spacers adjacent the gate dielectric and the gate conductor, and performing a second ion implantation process to complete the formation of source/drain regions in said substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device can be formed with active regions disposed in a substrate adjacent to a gate electrode and a doped region, of the same conductivity type as the active regions, embedded beneath the channel region defined by the active regions. In one embodiment, a patterned masking layer having at least one opening is formed over the substrate. A dopant material is implanted into the substrate using the masking layer to form active regions adjacent to the opening and an embedded doped region that is between and spaced apart from the active regions and is deeper in the substrate then the active regions. In addition or alternatively, spacer structures can be formed on the gate electrode by forming a conformal dielectric layer along a bottom surface and at least one sidewall of the opening and forming a gate electrode in the opening over the dielectric layer.