Abstract: Densely spaced gates of field effect transistors usually lead to voids in a contact interlayer dielectric. If such a void is opened by a contact via and filled with conductive material, an electrical short between neighboring contact regions of neighboring transistors may occur. By forming a recess between two neighboring contact regions, the void forms at a lower level. Thus, opening of the void by contact vias is prevented.

Abstract: In a sophisticated metallization system, enhanced electromigration behavior may be accomplished by incorporating electromigration barriers into metal lines after a given distance, which may be accomplished by providing an increased width in order to obtain an enhanced average grain size in the intermediate metal regions of increased lateral width. Consequently, the electromigration induced material diffusion may encounter an overall increased grain size along the entire depth of the metal lines, thereby resulting in a significantly reduced electromigration effect and thus enhanced reliability of the critical metal lines.

Abstract: In a test structure for determining dielectric breakdown events of a metallization system of semiconductor devices, a built-in compliance functionality may allow reliable switching off of the test voltage prior to causing high leakage currents, which may conventionally result in significant damage. Consequently, further failure analysis may be possible after the occurrence of a dielectric breakdown event.

Abstract: Air gaps may be formed in a metallization layer of a microstructure device on the basis of a patterning sequence in which respective via openings are also formed. Thereafter, the via openings and the air gaps may be closed by a deposition process without significantly affecting the interior of the corresponding openings. Thereafter, the further processing may be continued by forming respective trenches while maintaining integrity of the covered air gaps. Thus, the relative permittivity of the interlayer dielectric material may be efficiently reduced without adding additional process complexity.

Abstract: In sophisticated semiconductor devices, an efficient stress decoupling may be accomplished between neighboring transistor elements of a densely packed device region by providing a gap or a stress decoupling region between the corresponding transistors. For example, a gap may be formed in the stress-inducing material so as to reduce the mutual interaction of the stress-inducing material on the closely spaced transistor elements. In some illustrative aspects, the stress-inducing material may be provided as an island for each individual transistor element.

Abstract: By providing vias of increased mass flow blocking capability next to respective line segments of an electromigration test structure, the reliability of respective assessments may be enhanced, since electromigration-induced void formation in the test line segment under consideration may be efficiently decoupled from metal diffusion of neighboring test areas of the test structure.

Abstract: During the manufacture of advanced metallization systems, a dielectric cap layer formed on a sensitive dielectric material may be partially maintained during a CMP process for removing excess metal, thereby avoiding the necessity for depositing a dedicated etch stop material, as may be required in conventional approaches when substantially completely consuming the dielectric cap material during the CMP process. Hence, reduced process complexity and/or enhanced flexibility may be accomplished in combination with increased integrity of the low-k dielectric material.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a through hole via extending through the substrate of the device may be formed on the basis of a carbon-containing material, thereby providing excellent compatibility with high temperature processes, while also providing superior electrical performance compared to doped semiconductor materials and the like. Thus, in some illustrative embodiments, the through hole vias may be formed prior to any process steps used for forming critical circuit elements, thereby substantially avoiding any interference of the through hole via structure with a device level of the corresponding semiconductor device. Consequently, highly efficient three-dimensional integration schemes may be realized.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional chip configuration, a heat spreading material may be positioned between adjacent chips and also between a chip and a carrier substrate, thereby significantly enhancing heat dissipation capability. Furthermore, appropriately sized and positioned through holes in the heat spreading material may enable electrical chip-to-chip connections, while responding thermally conductive connectors may extend to the heat sink without actually contacting the corresponding chips.

Abstract: During the formation of metallization layers of sophisticated semiconductor devices, the damaging of sensitive dielectric materials, such as ULK materials, may be significantly reduced during a CMP process by applying a compressive stress level. This may be accomplished, in some illustrative embodiments, by forming a compressively stressed cap layer on the ULK material, thereby suppressing the propagation of micro cracks into the ULK material.

Abstract: Different threshold voltages of transistors of the same conductivity type in a complex integrated circuit may be adjusted on the basis of different Miller capacitances, which may be accomplished by appropriately adapting a spacer width and/or performing a tilted extension implantation. Thus, efficient process strategies may be available to controllably adjust the Miller capacitance, thereby providing enhanced transistor performance of low threshold transistors while not unduly contributing to process complexity compared to conventional approaches in which threshold voltage values may be adjusted on the basis of complex halo and well doping regimes.

Abstract: In a manufacturing sequence for forming metallization levels of semiconductor devices, out-gassing of volatile components after an etch process may be initiated immediately after the etch process, thereby reducing the probability of creating contaminants in other substrates and transport carriers during transport activities. Consequently, the defect rate of deposition-related irregularities in the metallization level may be reduced.

Abstract: By protecting sidewall portions of active semiconductor regions during a silicidation process, the probability of creating nickel silicide pipes may be reduced. Consequently, yield losses caused by the shorting of PN junctions in sophisticated semiconductor devices may be reduced.

Abstract: Air gaps may be provided in a self-aligned manner with sub-lithography resolution between closely spaced metal lines of sophisticated metallization systems of semiconductor devices by recessing the dielectric material in the vicinity of the metal lines and forming respective sidewall spacer elements. Thereafter, the spacer elements may be used as an etch mask so as to define the lateral dimension of a gap on the basis of the corresponding air gaps, which may then be obtained by depositing a further dielectric material.

Abstract: By forming a protection layer prior to the application of the planarization layer during a dual damascene strategy for first patterning vias and then trenches, enhanced etch fidelity may be accomplished. In other aspects disclosed herein, via openings and trenches may be patterned in separate steps, which may be accomplished by different etch behaviors of respective dielectric materials and/or the provision of an appropriate etch stop layer, while filling the via opening and the trench with a barrier material and a highly conductive metal may be achieved in a common fill sequence. Hence, the via opening may be formed on the basis of a reduced aspect ratio, while nevertheless providing a highly efficient overall process sequence.

Abstract: By forming a hardmask layer in combination with one or more cap layers, undue exposure of a sensitive dielectric material to resist stripping etch ambients may be reduced and integrity of the hardmask may also be maintained so that the trench etch process may be performed with a high degree of etch selectivity during the patterning of openings in a metallization layer of a semiconductor device.

Abstract: The thickness of drain and source areas may be reduced by a cavity etch used for refilling the cavities with an appropriate semiconductor material, wherein, prior to the epitaxial growth, an implantation process may be performed so as to allow the formation of deep drain and source areas without contributing to unwanted channel doping for a given critical gate height. In other cases, the effective ion blocking length of the gate electrode structure may be enhanced by performing a tilted implantation step for incorporating deep drain and source regions.

Abstract: By forming an isolation structure that extends above the height level defined by the semiconductor material of an active region, respective recesses may be defined in combination with gate electrode structures of the completion of basic transistor structures. These recesses may be subsequently filled with an appropriate contact material, thereby forming large area contacts in a self-aligned manner without requiring deposition and patterning of an interlayer dielectric material. Thereafter, the first metallization layer may be formed, for instance, on the basis of well-established techniques wherein the metal lines may connect directly to respective “large area” contact elements.

Abstract: By forming metal capacitors in the metallization structures of semiconductor devices, complex manufacturing sequences in the device level may be avoided. The process of manufacturing the metal capacitors may be performed on the basis of well-established patterning regimes of modern metallization systems by using appropriately selected etch stop materials, which may enable a high degree of compatibility for forming via openings in a metallization layer while providing a capacitor dielectric of a desired high dielectric constant in the capacitor.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises providing a substrate comprising a layer of a first material. A protection layer is formed over the layer of first material. At least one opening is formed in the layer of first material and the protection layer. A layer of a second material is formed over the layer of first material and the protection layer to fill the opening with the second material. A planarization process is performed to remove portions of the layer of second material outside the opening. At least a portion of the protection layer is not removed during the planarization process. An etching process is performed to remove the portions of the protection layer which were not removed during the planarization process.