Abstract: A method and system for isolation trenches includes forming isolation trenches in a semiconductor substrate, filling the trenches with a filler material, creating voids near top edges of the trenches and annealing by a gaseous ambient to reflow the edges of the trenches causing the edges to become rounded and overhang the trench. The filler material may be a dielectric. Transistors are then formed in close proximity to the trenches and may include source/drain regions formed in the rounded portion of the semiconductor substrate that overhangs the trench.

Abstract: An ESD protection device. A first-type well is formed on an insulating layer. First and second second-type doped regions are formed on the first-type well. A first body-tie region is formed on the first-type well and is connected to one side of the first and the second second-type doped regions. A polysilicon gate layer is formed on the first-type well and the body-tie region, and is located between the first and the second second-type doped regions. The first first-type doped region is connected to the first body-tie region. The second first-type doped region is formed on the first-type well.

Abstract: A method comprising providing a substrate having an NMOS device adjacent a PMOS device and forming a first stress layer over the NMOS and PMOS devices, wherein the first stress layer comprises a first tensile-stress layer or a compression-stress layer. An etch stop layer is formed over the first stress layer, and portions of the first stress layer and the etch stop layer are removed from over the NMOS device, leaving the first stress layer and the etch stop layer over the PMOS device. A second tensile-stress layer is formed over the NMOS device and over the first stress layer and the etch stop layer, and portions of the second tensile-stress layer and the etch stop layer are removed from over the PMOS device, leaving the second tensile-stress layer over the NMOS device.

Abstract: A method of improving transistor carrier mobility by adjusting stress through recessing shallow trench isolation is presented. A trench is formed in a substrate. The trench is filled with a dielectric. A CMOS transistor is formed adjacent to the trench. A silicide layer is formed on the source/drain region. A recess is formed by etching the dielectric so that the surface of the dielectric is substantially lower than the surface of the substrate. Recessing the STI removes the compressive stress applied to the channel region by the STI material. A contact etch stop layer (CESL) is formed over the gate electrode, spacers, source/drain regions and the dielectric. The CESL applies a desired stress to the channel region. Trench liners are optionally formed to provide a stress to the channel region. A spacer can optionally be formed in the STI recess.

Abstract: A substrate contact and semiconductor chip, and methods of forming the same. The substrate contact is employable with a semiconductor chip formed from a semiconductor substrate and includes a seal ring region about a periphery of an integrated circuit region. In one embodiment, the substrate contact includes a contact trench extending through a shallow trench isolation region and an insulator overlying the semiconductor substrate and outside the integrated circuit region. The contact trench is substantially filled with a conductive material thereby allowing the semiconductor substrate to be electrically connected with a metal interconnect within the seal ring region.

Abstract: Provided are a microelectronic device and a method for its manufacture. In one example, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate layer having a first material (e.g., silicon or silicon germanium). An insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate layer with multiple openings exposing portions of the surface of the semiconductor substrate layer. A semiconductor layer is then formed in the openings directly upon the exposed portions of the semiconductor substrate layer using a second material different from the first material (e.g., silicon germanium or silicon). In other examples, multiple semiconductor layers may be formed using alternating materials.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an active device, having a metal gate electrode, disposed on a substrate. A passive device, made of a semiconductor material, is disposed adjacent to the active device above the substrate. A dielectric layer is interposed between the passive device and the substrate for separating the same.

Abstract: A semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate and a method of forming the same. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a gate over the semiconductor substrate and a dielectric liner on a sidewall of the gate. The semiconductor device also includes an extension spacer adjacent and extending laterally beyond the dielectric liner along the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a source/drain located below an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and adjacent a channel region under the gate. The source/drain extends under the dielectric liner and the extension spacer. The semiconductor device still further includes a silicide region over a portion of the source/drain and extending laterally beyond the extension spacer along the semiconductor substrate. Thus, the extension spacer is interposed between the dielectric liner and the silicide region located over a portion of the source/drain.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an active device, having a metal gate electrode, disposed on a substrate. A passive device, made of a semiconductor material, is disposed adjacent to the active device above the substrate. A dielectric layer is interposed between the passive device and the substrate for separating the same.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 10 includes a substrate 12 (e.g., a silicon substrate) with an insulating layer 14 (e.g., an oxide such as silicon dioxide) disposed thereon. A first semiconducting material layer 16 (e.g., SiGe) is disposed on the insulating layer 14 and a second semiconducting material layer 18 (e.g., Si) is disposed on the first semiconducting material layer 16. The first and second semiconducting material layers 16 and 18 preferably have different lattice constants such that the first semiconducting material layer 16 is compressive and the second semiconducting material layer is tensile 18.

Abstract: A method comprising providing a substrate having an NMOS device adjacent a PMOS device and forming a first stress layer over the NMOS and PMOS devices, wherein the first stress layer comprises a first tensile-stress layer or a compression-stress layer. An etch stop layer is formed over the first stress layer, and portions of the first stress layer and the etch stop layer are removed from over the NMOS device, leaving the first stress layer and the etch stop layer over the PMOS device. A second tensile-stress layer is formed over the NMOS device and over the first stress layer and the etch stop layer, and portions of the second tensile-stress layer and the etch stop layer are removed from over the PMOS device, leaving the second tensile-stress layer over the NMOS device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microelectronic device includes forming a p-channel transistor on a silicon substrate by forming a poly gate structure over the substrate and forming a lightly doped source/drain region in the substrate. An oxide liner and nitride spacer are formed adjacent to opposing side walls of the poly gate structure and a recess is etched in the semiconductor substrate on opposing sides of the oxide liner. Raised SiGe source/drain regions are formed on either side of the oxide liner and slim spacers are formed over the oxide liner. A hard mask over the poly gate structure is used to protect the poly gate structure during the formation of the raised SiGe source/drain regions. A source/drain dopant is then implanted into the substrate including the SiGe regions.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device provides for forming a gate region on top of a substrate. Gate sidewall liners are formed on opposed sides of the gate region, the sidewall liners having a vertical part contacting sidewalls of the gate region and a horizontal part contacting the substrate. Recessed spacers are formed on top of the sidewall liners. The sidewall liner underneath the spacers is pulled back from the edge of the respective spacer by a predetermined distance. The recessed spacers are formed by reducing the height of the originally formed spacer. The height of the spacers is lower than a height of the gate sidewall liner and the width of the horizontal part of the sidewall liner is shorter than the width of the spacer. The reduced spacer height reduces device channel stress.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having small layout area and a method of forming the same are provided. A slant contact is formed by shifting a portion of a contact a distance less than a whole dimension of the contact along the direction shifted. By using slant contacts, the optical proximity effect is reduced, the device density in the integrated circuit is increased and cross talk is reduced. In the preferred embodiment, the slant contact is combined with other techniques such as compound interconnection, butted local interconnection and slim spacers to reduce the layout area. In another embodiments, a six-transistor SRAM cell can be designed with a slant contact, compound interconnection and butted local interconnection to reduce the layout area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a gate region on top of a substrate. First and second gate sidewall liners are situated on first and second sides of the gate region respectively, the first and second sidewall liners having a vertical part contacting sidewalls of the gate region and a horizontal part contacting the substrate. First and second recessed spacers are situated on top of the first and second sidewall liners respectively. The height of the first and second spacers is lower than the height of the gate sidewall liner whereas the width of the horizontal part of the sidewall liner is shorter than the width of the spacer.

Abstract: A substrate contact and semiconductor chip, and methods of forming the same. The substrate contact is employable with a semiconductor chip formed from a semiconductor substrate and includes a seal ring region about a periphery of an integrated circuit region. In one embodiment, the substrate contact includes a contact trench extending through a shallow trench isolation region and an insulator overlying the semiconductor substrate and outside the integrated circuit region. The contact trench is substantially filled with a conductive material thereby allowing the semiconductor substrate to be electrically connected with a metal interconnect within the seal ring region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microelectronic device. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a patterned feature located over the substrate and a plurality of doped regions. The patterned feature also comprises at least one electrode, wherein the electrode is proximate a plurality of doped layers. The method further includes forming a sill located within the electrode, wherein the sill comprising at least one impurity and adapted for modifying an electrical property of at least one member adjacent the electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 10 includes a substrate 12 (e.g., a silicon substrate) with an insulating layer 14 (e.g., an oxide such as silicon dioxide) disposed thereon. A first semiconducting material layer 16 (e.g., SiGe) is disposed on the insulating layer 14 and a second semiconducting material layer 18 (e.g., Si) is disposed on the first semiconducting material layer 16. The first and second semiconducting material layers 16 and 18 preferably have different lattice constants such that the first semiconducting material layer 16 is compressive and the second semiconducting material layer is tensile 18.

Abstract: A CMOS structure including a Slim spacer and method for forming the same to reduce an S/D electrical resistance and improve charge mobility in a channel region, the method including providing a semiconductor substrate including a polysilicon gate structure including at least one overlying hardmask layer; forming spacers selected from the group consisting of oxide/nitride and oxide/nitride oxide layers adjacent the polysilicon gate structure; removing the at least one overlying hardmask layer to expose the polysilicon gate structure; carrying out an ion implant process; carrying out at least one of a wet and dry etching process to reduce the width of the spacers; and, forming at least one dielectric layer over the polysilicon gate structure and spacers in one of tensile and compressive stress.

Abstract: A multi-level semiconductor device wiring interconnect structure and method of forming the same to improve electrical properties and reliability of wiring interconnects including an electromigration resistance and electrical resistance, the method including forming a dielectric insulating layer over a conductive portion; forming a via opening in closed communication with the conductive portion; forming a first barrier layer to line the via opening; forming a layer of AlCu according to a sputtering process to fill the via opening to form an AlCu via including a portion overlying the first dielectric insulating layer; and, photolithographically patterning and dry etching the portion to form an AlCu interconnect line over the AlCu via.