Abstract: A self-aligned silicide method for integrated circuit and semiconductor device fabrication wherein a metal layer is formed over one or more silicon regions of a substrate and a barrier metal layer is formed over the metal layer using a chemical vapor deposition process. The temperature at which the chemical vapor deposition process is performed causes the metal layer to react with the one or more silicon regions of the substrate to form a metal-silicide film over each of the silicon regions.

Abstract: A process for reducing the thermal budget and enhancing stability in the thermal budget of a metal salicide process used in the formation of metal salicides on substrates, thus eliminating or reducing salicide spiking and junction leakage in microelectronic devices fabricated on the substrates. According to a typical embodiment, a substrate is cooled to a sub-processing temperature which is lower than the metal deposition processing temperature and the salicide-forming metal is deposited onto the reduced-temperature substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microelectronic layer. There is first provided a substrate. There is then formed over the substrate a target layer. There is then formed upon the target layer a patterned photoresist layer which defines a first aperture, where the first aperture has a first aperture width which exposes a first portion of the target layer. There is then reflowed thermally the patterned photoresist layer to form a reflowed patterned photoresist layer which defines a substantially straight sided second aperture. The second aperture has a second aperture width less than the first aperture width, and the second aperture thus exposes a second portion of the blanket target layer of areal dimension less than the first portion of the blanket target layer. Finally, there is then fabricated the target layer to form a fabricated target layer while employing the reflowed patterned photoresist layer as a mask layer.

Abstract: A robust dual damascene process is disclosed where the substructure in a substrate is protected from damage caused by multiple etchings required in a damascene process by filling a contact or via hole opening with a protective material prior to the forming of the conductive line opening of the damascene structure having an etch-stop layer separating a lower and an upper dielectric layer. In the first embodiment, the protective material is partially removed from the hole opening reaching the substructure prior to the forming of the upper conductive line opening by etching. In the second embodiment, the protective material in the hole is removed at the same time the upper conductive line opening is formed by etching. In a third embodiment, the disclosed process is applied without the need of an etch-stop layer for the dual damascene process of this invention.

Abstract: A low temperature process for forming palladium silicided shallow junctions in which ions are implanted into a palladium or a palladium silicide layer over a silicon substrate. The impurities are driven into the silicon substrate during the formation or recrystallization of the palladium silicide layer, and a diffusion region with shallow junction is formed in the substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming silicided shallow junctions, wherein impurities are implanted into a silicon layer formed over a silicon substrate. A metal layer selected from one of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) is deposited over the silicon layer. At least one low temperature annealing process is carried out to form a silicide layer as well as the shallow junctions. Pre-anneal of the silicon layer and post-anneal of the silicide between 450.degree. and 600.degree. C. are also employed.