Abstract: A method is provided for forming an integrated circuit contact structure. A conductive region is formed on a semiconductor device. Thereafter an insulating layer is formed over the conductive region. An opening is then formed through the insulating region to the conductive region. A thin barrier layer is deposited over the integrated circuit contact structure. A portion of the thin barrier layer is removed by backsputtering the integrated circuit contact structure so that only a thin barrier sidewall remains. Finally, a conductive metal layer is deposited over the integrated circuit contact structure. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit contact structure is baked before the conductive metal layer is deposited.

Abstract: A programmable semiconductor contact structure and method are provided. A semiconductor substrate has a first patterned conductive layer for forming an interconnect. A first insulating layer overlies the first patterned conductive layer. An opening is formed through the insulating layer to the first patterned conductive layer to form the contact via. A buffer layer overlies portions of the first insulating layer and covers the opening. A second conductive layer overlies the buffer layer. A third conductive layer then overlies the integrated circuit. The buffer layer is a material, such as amorphous silicon, which functions as an anti-fuse and can be programmed by application of a relatively high programming voltage.

Abstract: A method for forming a self-aligned contact utilizes a thin insulating layer formed on the upper surface of a conductive layer. A barrier layer is deposited over the insulating layer, and gate electrodes are then defined. Sidewall spacers are formed along the vertical sidewalls of the gate electrodes. During formation of the sidewall spacers the barrier layer protects the gate electrodes. A second insulating layer is then deposited and a via is opened to the substrate. A contact can now be created by depositing conductive material into the via.

Abstract: Local interconnect is defined in a polycrystalline silicon layer. Openings to underlying conducting regions are made through an insulating layer after the local interconnect conductor definition. A thin extra polycrystalline silicon layer is then deposited over the device and etched back to form polycrystalline silicon sidewall elements. These sidewalls connect the polycrystalline silicon local interconnect conductors to the underlying conductive regions. Standard silicidation techniques are then used to form a refractory metal silicide on the exposed underlying conductive regions, the polycrystalline silicon sidewall elements, and the polycrystalline silicon local interconnect conductors. This results in a complete silicided connection between features connected by the local interconnect conductors.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an interconnect structure in an integrated circuit. A first conductive layer is formed over an underlying region in the integrated circuit. The underlying region may be, for example, a semiconductor substrate or a gate electrode. A buffer layer is then formed over the first conductive layer, followed by the formation of an insulating layer over the buffer layer. The insulating layer and the buffer layer are patterned to define a form for the interconnect structure. A second conductive layer is then formed over the integrated circuit, and portions of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the buffer layer are silicided to form the interconnect structure.

Abstract: A titanium nitride layer is deposited between the metal titanium layer and the oxide cap of a conventional oxide capped titanium disilicide technology process. This titanium nitride layer is deposited in-situ after a certain thickness of metal titanium has been deposited by bleeding nitrogen gas into the titanium sputter machine. Thereafter the normal oxide cap is deposited over this titanium nitride layer. The normal titanium react process is performed to produce titanium disilicide. After the titanium disilicide has been produced, it is then necessary to strip off the oxide cap. The extra titanium nitride layer makes it is possible to use a wet etch to remove the oxide cap, with the titanium nitride layer serving as a etch stop. In this manner an isotropic wet etch may be employed to remove all of the oxide cap layer. The isotropic wet etch is preferably a 10% buffered HF etch.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an integrated circuit contact structure. A conductive region is formed on a semiconductor device. Thereafter an insulating layer is formed over the conductive region. An opening is then formed through the insulating region to the conductive region. A thin barrier layer is deposited over the integrated circuit contact structure. A portion of the thin barrier layer is removed by backsputtering the integrated circuit contact structure so that only a thin barrier sidewall remains. Finally, a conductive metal layer is deposited over the integrated circuit contact structure. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit contact structure is baked before the conductive metal layer is deposited.

Abstract: A local interconnect structure for an integrated circuit is formed from a patterned refractory metal silicide. The local interconnect has an overlying oxide layer, which prevents part of the amorphous silicon used to form the interconnect from becoming silicided. This results in a local interconnect layer which has thinner silicide portions than silicide regions formed over adjacent source/drain regions and gate electrodes.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a gate overlap LDD structure of an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. An oxide layer is formed over a substrate. A four layered gate electrode is formed in an inverse T shape. A first polysilicon layer is formed over the underlying oxide layer. A first conductive layer is formed over the first polysilicon layer. A second polysilicon layer is formed over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is then formed over the second polysilicon layer. The second conductive and polysilicon layers are etched to expose a portion of the underlying first conductive layer. Lightly doped drain regions are formed in the substrate adjacent to the second conductive and polysilicon layers. Sidewall oxide spacers are formed on the sides of the second conductive and polysilicon layers and on top of the first conductive layer. The first conductive and polysilicon layers are etched exposing a portion of the underlying oxide layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a gate overlap LDD structure of an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. An oxide layer is formed over a substrate. A four layered gate electrode is formed in an inverse T shape. A first polysilicon layer is formed over the underlying oxide layer. A first conductive layer is formed over the first polysilicon layer. A second polysilicon layer is formed over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is then formed over the second polysilicon layer. The second conductive and polysilicon layers are etched to expose a portion of the underlying first conductive layer. Lightly doped drain regions are formed in the substrate adjacent to the second conductive and polysilicon layers. Sidewall oxide spacers are formed on the sides of the second conductive and polysilicon layers and on top of the first conductive layer. The first conductive and polysilicon layers are etched exposing a portion of the underlying oxide layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming isolated regions of oxide of an integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. A pad oxide layer is formed over a portion of a substrate. A first silicon nitride layer is formed over the pad oxide layer. A polysilicon buffer layer is then formed over the first silicon nitride layer. A second silicon nitride layer is formed over the polysilicon layer. A photoresist layer is formed and patterned over the second silicon nitride layer. An opening is etched through the second silicon nitride layer and the polysilicon buffer layer to expose a portion of the first silicon nitride layer. A third silicon nitride region is then formed on at least the polysilicon buffer layer exposed in the opening. The first silicon nitride layer is etched in the opening. A field oxide region is then formed in the opening.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming contact vias in an integrated circuit. Initially, a first buffer layer is formed over an insulating layer in an integrated circuit. The first buffer layer has a different etch rate from the insulating layer. A second buffer layer is then formed over the first buffer layer, with the second buffer layer having an etch rate which is faster than the first buffer layer. An isotropic etch is performed to create an opening through the second buffer layer and a portion of the first buffer layer. Because the second buffer layer etches faster than the first buffer layer, the slant of the sideswalls of the opening can be controlled. An anisotropic etch is then performed to complete formation of the contact via.

Abstract: A TiSi.sub.2 LI process solves the problems of poor junction integrity and rapid dopant outdiffusion by adding a second titanium deposition on the amorphous silicon/titanium stack and reducing the initial titanium thickness to its minimum required value for amorphous silicon etch stop. Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, titanium layer 60 reacts at exterior surface 58 of sidewall oxide 59 to form TiN layer 57. Layer 57 acts to stop outdiffusion of silicon into the second titanium layer 60. This second titanium deposition on the amorphous silicon/titanium stack minimizes differential TiSi.sub.2 formations because the silicon selected in TiSi.sub.2 formation originates from amorphous silicon layer 54, rather than from the source region 22 or drain region 23, resulting in better junction integrity. This process saves up to 25% of the area otherwise required in contacts for SRAMS, yielding much improved packing density.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments include silicon complementary MOSFETs with titanium silicided junctions (38, 58) and direct contacts of aluminum metallization (61, 62) to the p junctions (58) which avoids the high contact resistance of the silicide (60) to p silicon (58). Preferred embodiments also include silicided polysilicon lines without corresponding silicided MOSFET junctions.

Abstract: Local interconnect is defined in a polycrystalline silicon layer. Openings to underlying conducting regions are made through an insulating layer after the local interconnect conductor definition. A thin extra polycrystalline silicon layer is then deposited over the device and etched back to form polycrystalline silicon sidewall elements. These sidewalls connect the polycrystalline silicon local interconnect conductors to the underlying conductive regions. Standard silicidation techniques are then used to form a refractory metal silicide on the exposed underlying conductive regions, the polycrystalline silicon sidewall elements, and the polycrystalline silicon local interconnect conductors. This results in a complete silicided connection between features connected by the local interconnect conductors.

Abstract: A method is provided for depositing aluminum thin film layers to form improved quality contacts in a semiconductor integrated circuit device. All or some of the deposition process occurs at relatively low deposition rates at a temperature which allows improved surface migration of the deposited aluminum atoms. Aluminum deposited under these conditions tends to fill contact vias without the formation of voids. The low temperature deposition step can be initiated by depositing aluminum while a wafer containing the integrated circuit device is being heated from cooler temperatures within the deposition chamber.

Abstract: A MOS bulk device having source/drain-contact regions 36 which are almost completely isolated by a dielectric 35. These "source/drain" regions 36 formed by using a silicon etch to form a recess, limiting the etched recess with oxide, and backfilling with polysilicon. A short isotropic oxide etch, followed by a polysilicon filament deposition, then makes contact between the oxide-isolated source/drain-contact regions 36 and the channel region 33 of the active device. Outdiffusion through the small area of this contact will form small diffusioins 44 in silicon, which act as the electrically effective source/drain regions. Use of sidewall nitride filaments 30 on the gate permits the silicon etch step to be self-aligned.

Abstract: A process for making CMOS device wherein the N-channel devices have n+ gates, and the P-channel devices have p+ gates. A TiN local interconnect system is used to connect the two types of gates, as well as providing connections to moat. A titanium nitride layer may be formed by depositing titanium metal everywhere, and then heating the integrated circuit structure in a nitrogen atmosphere. This process may also be used with other refractory metal nitride interconnect layers. In addition to titanium based thin film compositions, other metals can be substituted and used for direct-react silicidation and simultaneous formation of a conductive nitride to form local interconnects, including molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, cobalt, and others.

Abstract: An SRAM using TiN local interconnects. This permits the moat parasitic capacitance to be reduced, and also avoids use of metal jumpers, resulting in increased density.

Abstract: A MOS bulk device having source/drain-contact regions 36 which are almost completely isolated by a dielectric 35. These "source/drain" regions 36 are formed by using a silicon etch to form a recess, lining the etched recess with oxide, and backfilling with polysilicon. A short isotropic oxide etch, followed by a polysilicon filament deposition, then makes contact between the oxide-isolated source/drain-contact regions 36 and the channel region 33 of the active device. Outdiffusion through the small area of this contact will form small diffusions 44 in silicon, which act as the electrically effective source/drain regions. Use of sidewall nitride filaments 30 on the gate permits the silicon etch step to be self-aligned.