Abstract: An opto-thermal annealing method for forming a field effect transistor uses a reflective metal gate so that electrical properties of the metal gate and also interface between the metal gate and a gate dielectric are not compromised when opto-thermal annealing a source/drain region adjacent the metal gate. Another opto-thermal annealing method may be used for simultaneously opto-thermally annealing: (1) a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicided gate; and (2) a source/drain region to form an annealed source/drain region. An additional opto-thermal annealing method may use a thermal insulator layer in conjunction with a thermal absorber layer to selectively opto-thermally anneal a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicide gate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor material that has enhanced electron and hole mobilities that comprises a Si-containing layer having a <110> crystal orientation and a biaxial compressive strain. The term “biaxial compressive stress” is used herein to describe the net stress caused by longitudinal compressive stress and lateral stress that is induced upon the Si-containing layer during the manufacturing of the semiconductor material. Other aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming the semiconductor material of the present invention. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a silicon-containing <110> layer; and creating a biaxial strain in the silicon-containing <110> layer.

Abstract: An opto-thermal annealing method for forming a field effect transistor uses a reflective metal gate so that electrical properties of the metal gate and also interface between the metal gate and a gate dielectric are not compromised when opto-thermal annealing a source/drain region adjacent the metal gate. Another opto-thermal annealing method may be used for simultaneously opto-thermally annealing: (1) a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicided gate; and (2) a source/drain region to form an annealed source/drain region. An additional opto-thermal annealing method may use a thermal insulator layer in conjunction with a thermal absorber layer to selectively opto-thermally anneal a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicide gate.

Abstract: A method for reducing STI processing induced stress on a substrate during fabrication of a MOSFET. The method includes providing a substrate, wells (including dopants), and STIs in an upper layer of the substrate. A layer of an oxide substance is formed on a top surface of the upper layer of the substrate covering the STIs. A layer of a nitride substance is formed over the oxide layer. The substrate is annealed using temperatures greater than 1000° C. to activate the dopants in the wells which results in less stress on the STIs and hence less stress in the channels because of the nitride substance layer. The nitride and oxide substance layers are then stripped off the substrate, and CMOS fabrication is continued. The low stress remains in the channels if the thermal budget in following processes are low by using low temperature RTA and/or laser anneal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the use of edge-angle-optimized solid phase epitaxy for forming hybrid orientation substrates comprising changed-orientation Si device regions free of the trench-edge defects typically seen when trench-isolated regions of Si are recrystallized to the orientation of an underlying single-crystal Si template after an amorphization step. For the case of amorphized Si regions recrystallizing to (100) surface orientation, the trench-edge-defect-free recrystallization of edge-angle-optimized solid phase epitaxy may be achieved in rectilinear Si device regions whose edges align with the (100) crystal's in-plane <100> directions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved amorphization/templated recrystallization (ATR) method for fabricating low-defect-density hybrid orientation substrates. ATR methods for hybrid orientation substrate fabrication generally start with a Si layer having a first orientation bonded to a second Si layer or substrate having a second orientation. Selected regions of the first Si layer are amorphized and then recrystallized into the orientation of the second Si layer by using the second Si layer as a template. The process flow of the present invention solves two major difficulties not disclosed by prior art ATR methods: the creation of “corner defects” at the edges of amorphized Si regions bounded by trenches, and undesired orientation changes during a high temperature post-recrystallization defect-removal annealing of non-ATR'd regions not bounded by trenches.

Abstract: A stressed liner for improving carrier mobility in a transistor and a method for fabricating the same is disclosed. The stressed liner includes an intrinsically stressed conductive film encapsulated between two insulating layers such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or oxynitride. The stressed liner may be compressively-stressed or tensile-stressed depending on whether an n-FET or p-FET is required.

Abstract: A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor including a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, at least a first opening and at least a second opening formed in the first insulating layer, a dielectric layer formed in the first opening, a conductive material deposited in the first and second openings, and a first metal plate formed over the first opening and a second metal plate formed over the second opening. A method for fabricating the MIM capacitor, includes forming the first metal layer, forming the insulating layer on the first metal layer, forming at least the first opening and at least the second opening in the first insulating layer, depositing a mask over the second opening, forming the dielectric layer in the first opening, removing the mask, depositing the conductive material in the first and second openings, and depositing a second metal layer over the first and second openings.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor material that has enhanced electron and hole mobilities that comprises a Si-containing layer having a <110> crystal orientation and a biaxial compressive strain. The term “biaxial compressive stress” is used herein to describe the net stress caused by longitudinal compressive stress and lateral stress that is induced upon the Si-containing layer during the manufacturing of the semiconductor material. Other aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming the semiconductor material of the present invention. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a silicon-containing <110> layer; and creating a biaxial strain in the silicon-containing <110> layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor material that has enhanced electron and hole mobilities that comprises a Si-containing layer having a <110> crystal orientation and a biaxial compressive strain. The term “biaxial compressive stress” is used herein to describe the net stress caused by longitudinal compressive stress and lateral stress that is induced upon the Si-containing layer during the manufacturing of the semiconductor material. Other aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming the semiconductor material of the present invention. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a silicon-containing <110> layer; and creating a biaxial strain in the silicon-containing <110> layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor structure in which different types of devices are located upon a specific crystal orientation of a hybrid substrate that enhances the performance of each type of device. In the semiconductor structure of the present invention, a dual trench isolation scheme is employed whereby a first trench isolation region of a first depth isolates devices of different polarity from each other, while second trench isolation regions of a second depth, which is shallower than the first depth, are used to isolate devices of the same polarity from each other. The present invention further provides a dual trench semiconductor structure in which pFETs are located on a (110) crystallographic plane, while nFETs are located on a (100) crystallographic plane. In accordance with the present invention, the devices of different polarity, i.e., nFETs and pFETs, are bulk-like devices.

Abstract: A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor including a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, at least a first opening and at least a second opening formed in the first insultaing layer, a dielectric layer formed in the first opening, a conductive material deposited in the first and second openings, and a first metal plate formed over the first opening and a second metal plate formed over the second opening. A method for fabricating the MIM capacitor, includes forming the first metal layer, forming the insulating layer on the first metal layer, forming at least the first opening and at least the second opening in the first insultaing layer, depositing a mask over the second opening, forming the dielectric layer in the first opening, removing the mask, depositing the conductive material in the first and second openings, and depositing a second metal layer over the first and second openings.

Abstract: In a method of forming a semiconductor device, a wafer includes a first semiconductor region of a first crystal orientation and a second semiconductor region of a second crystal orientation. Insulating material is formed over the wafer. A first portion of the insulating material is removed to expose the first semiconductor region and a second portion of the insulating material is removed to expose the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor material that has enhanced electron and hole mobilities that comprises a Si-containing layer having a <110> crystal orientation and a biaxial compressive strain. The term “biaxial compressive stress” is used herein to describe the net stress caused by longitudinal compressive stress and lateral stress that is induced upon the Si-containing layer during the manufacturing of the semiconductor material. Other aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming the semiconductor material of the present invention. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a silicon-containing <110> layer; and creating a biaxial strain in the silicon-containing <110> layer.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating a CMOS structure use a first gate stack located over a first orientation region of a semiconductor substrate. A second gate material layer is located over the first gate stack and a laterally adjacent second orientation region of the semiconductor substrate. A planarizing layer is located upon the second gate material layer. The planarizing layer and the second gate material layer are non-selectively etched to form a second gate stack that approximates the height of the first gate stack. An etch stop layer may also be formed upon the first gate stack. The resulting CMOS structure may comprise different gate dielectrics, metal gates and silicon gates.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having semiconductor material of a first crystal orientation. A first transistor is formed in the semiconductor material of the first crystal orientation. An insulating layer overlies portions of the semiconductor body and a semiconductor layer overlies the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer has a second crystal orientation. A second transistor is formed in the semiconductor layer having the second crystal orientation. In the preferred embodiment, the semiconductor body is (100) silicon, the first transistor is an NMOS transistor, the semiconductor layer is (110) silicon and the second transistor is a PMOS transistor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved amorphization/templated recrystallization (ATR) method for fabricating low-defect-density hybrid orientation substrates. ATR methods for hybrid orientation substrate fabrication generally start with a Si layer having a first orientation bonded to a second Si layer or substrate having a second orientation. Selected regions of the first Si layer are amorphized and then recrystallized into the orientation of the second Si layer by using the second Si layer as a template. The process flow of the present invention solves two major difficulties not disclosed by prior art ATR methods: the creation of “corner defects” at the edges of amorphized Si regions bounded by trenches, and undesired orientation changes during a high temperature post-recrystallization defect-removal annealing of non-ATR'd regions not bounded by trenches.

Abstract: A method (and system) of reducing contact resistance on a silicon-on-insulator device, including controlling a silicide depth in a source-drain region of the device.

Abstract: An opto-thermal annealing method for forming a field effect transistor uses a reflective metal gate so that electrical properties of the metal gate and also interface between the metal gate and a gate dielectric are not compromised when opto-thermal annealing a source/drain region adjacent the metal gate. Another opto-thermal annealing method may be used for simultaneously opto-thermally annealing: (1) a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicided gate; and (2) a source/drain region to form an annealed source/drain region. An additional opto-thermal annealing method may use a thermal insulator layer in conjunction with a thermal absorber layer to selectively opto-thermally anneal a silicon layer and a silicide forming metal layer to form a fully silicide gate.

Abstract: Edge-angle-optimized solid phase epitaxy is described as a method for forming hybrid orientation substrates comprising changed-orientation Si device regions free of the trench-edge defects typically seen when trench-isolated regions of Si are recrystallized to the orientation of an underlying single-crystal Si template after an amorphization step. For the case of amorphized Si regions recrystallizing to (100) surface orientation, the trench-edge-defect-free recrystallization of edge-angle-optimized solid phase epitaxy may be achieved in rectilinear Si device regions whose edges align with the (100) crystal's in-plane <100> directions.