Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a method of real-time alignment of a wafer situated on a stage of an e-beam tool involves collecting backscattered electrons from an underlying patterned feature of the wafer while an e-beam column of the e-beam tool writes during scanning of the stage. The collecting is performed by an electron detector placed at the e-beam column bottom. The method also involves performing linear corrections of an alignment of the stage relative to the e-beam column based on the collecting.

Abstract: A method including forming a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and forming contact points to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source. An apparatus including a substrate including a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and contact points coupled to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings. The first and second columns of openings together form an array having a pitch in the first direction. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction. The pitch of the array corresponds to half of a minimal pitch layout of a target pattern of lines for orientation parallel with the second direction.

Abstract: A method including forming a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and forming contact points to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source. An apparatus including a substrate including a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and contact points coupled to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool is described. The BAA includes three distinct aperture arrays of different pitch.

Abstract: A method including forming a first substrate including an integrated circuit device layer disposed between a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects; coupling a second substrate including a memory device layer to the first substrate so that the memory device layer is juxtaposed to one of the plurality of first interconnects and the plurality of second interconnects; and removing a portion of the first substrate. An apparatus including a device layer including a plurality of circuit devices disposed between a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on a substrate; a memory device layer including a plurality of memory devices juxtaposed and coupled to one of the plurality of first interconnects and the plurality of second interconnects; and contacts points coupled to one of ones of the first plurality of interconnects and ones of the second plurality of interconnects.

Abstract: An apparatus including a circuit structure including a first side including a device layer including a plurality of devices and an opposite second side; an electrically conductive contact coupled to one of the plurality of devices on the first side; and an electrically conductive interconnect disposed on the second side of the structure and coupled to the conductive contact. A method including forming a transistor device including a channel between a source and a drain and a gate electrode on the channel defining a first side of the device; forming an electrically conductive contact to one of the source and the drain from the first side; and forming an interconnect on a second side of the device, wherein the interconnect is coupled to the contact.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for exchanging signals with one or more transistors at a front side of a semiconductor substrate. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit include a cell—such as a static random access memory (SRAM) cell—comprising transistor structures variously disposed in or on a first side of a substrate. After fabrication of such transistor structures, substrate material may be thinned to expose a second side of the substrate, opposite the first side. A first interconnect and a second interconnect are coupled each to exchange a signal or a voltage. In another embodiment, respective portions of the first interconnect and the second interconnect extend on opposite sides of the substrate, wherein the first side and the second side each extend between such interconnect portions. Positioning of interconnect structures on opposite sides of the substrate allow for performance improvements due to low interconnect resistances.

Abstract: An apparatus including a circuit structure including a device stratum; and a contact coupled to a supply line and routed through the device stratum and coupled to at least one device on a first side. A method including providing a supply from a package substrate to at least one transistor in a device stratum of a circuit structure; and distributing the supply to the at least one transistor using a supply line on an underside of the device stratum and contacting the at least one transistor on a device side by routing a contact from the supply line through the device stratum. A system including a package substrate, and a die including at least one supply line disposed on an underside of a device stratum and routed through the device stratum and coupled to at least one of a plurality of transistor devices on the device side.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide capacitance with a memory cell of an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, a transistor of the memory cell includes structures variously formed in or on a first side of a semiconductor substrate. After processing to form the transistor structures, thinning is performed to expose a second side of the semiconductor substrate, the second side opposite the first side. Processing in or on the exposed second side of the semiconductor substrate is subsequently performed to form in the semiconductor substrate a capacitor that extends to couple to one of the transistor structures. In another embodiment, the capacitor is coupled to accumulate charge based on activation of a channel of the transistor. The capacitor is further coupled to send charge from the memory cell via the second side.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a layout for a metallization layer of an integrated circuit includes a first region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a first width and a first pitch and parallel with a first direction. The layout also includes a second region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a second width and a second pitch and parallel with the first direction, the second width and the second pitch different than the first width and the first pitch, respectively. The layout also includes a third region having a plurality of unidirectional lines of a third width and a third pitch and parallel with the first direction, the third width and the third pitch different than the first and second widths and different than the first and second pitches.

Abstract: An integrated circuit layout is described that uses a library cells with alternating conducting lines. One embodiment includes a first cell and a second cell, the second cell being adjacent to the first cell. The first cell has a first plurality of conductive lines, a first portion of the first plurality having line ends that are a first distance from the second cell. The second cell has a second plurality of conductive lines, the conductive lines being parallel to and aligned with the conductive lines in the first cell, a second portion of the second plurality having line ends that are a second distance from the first cell. The first distance is shorter than the second distance.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool is described. The BAA includes three distinct aperture arrays of different pitch.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool is described. The BAA is a non-universal cutter.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool is described. The BAA includes three distinct aperture arrays of different pitch.

Abstract: Monolithic 3D ICs employing one or more local inter-level interconnect integrated intimately with at least one structure of at least one transistor on at least one transistor level within the 3D IC. In certain embodiments the local inter-level interconnect intersects a gate electrode or a source/drain region of at least one transistor and extends through at least one inter-level dielectric layer disposed between a first and second transistor level in the 3D IC. Local inter-level interconnects may advantageously make a direct vertical connection between transistors in different levels of the 3D IC without being routed laterally around the footprint (i.e., lateral, or planar, area) of either the overlying or underlying transistor level that is interconnected.

Abstract: Monolithic 3D ICs employing one or more local inter-level interconnect integrated intimately with at least one structure of at least one transistor on at least one transistor level within the 3D IC. In certain embodiments the local inter-level interconnect intersects a gate electrode or a source/drain region of at least one transistor and extends through at least one inter-level dielectric layer disposed between a first and second transistor level in the 3D IC. Local inter-level interconnects may advantageously make a direct vertical connection between transistors in different levels of the 3D IC without being routed laterally around the footprint (i.e., lateral, or planar, area) of either the overlying or underlying transistor level that is interconnected.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings. The first and second columns of openings together form an array having a pitch in the first direction. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction. The pitch of the array corresponds to half of a minimal pitch layout of a target pattern of lines for orientation parallel with the second direction.

Abstract: A method including forming a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and forming contact points to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source. An apparatus including a substrate including a plurality of first interconnects and a plurality of second interconnects on opposite sides of an integrated circuit device layer including a plurality of circuit devices, wherein the plurality of second interconnects include interconnects of different dimensions; and contact points coupled to the second plurality of interconnects, the contact points operable for connection to an external source.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction and having a pitch. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings. The second column of openings has the pitch. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction.