Abstract: Dual stress liners for CMOS applications are provided. The dual stress liners can be formed from silicon nitride having a first portion for inducing a first stress and a second portion for inducing a second stress. An interface between the first and second stress portions is self-aligned and co-planar. To produce a co-planar self-aligned interface, polishing, for example, mechanical chemical polishing is used.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a workpiece and a trench formed within the workpiece. The trench has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a first width and the lower portion having a second width, the second width being greater than the first width. A first material is disposed in the lower portion of the trench at least partially in regions where the second width of the lower portion is greater than the first width of the upper portion. A second material is disposed in the upper portion of the trench and at least in the lower portion of the trench beneath the upper portion.

Abstract: An integrated circuit interconnect structure includes a conductive line, a first barrier layer disposed on a bottom surface of conductive line, a second barrier layer disposed on the top surface of the conductive line, and an interlevel dielectric surrounding the conductive line.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device including a metal interconnect structure with a conductive region formed in a first dielectric layer, and an overlying, low-k, dielectric layer. A via and trench are formed in a dual damascene structure in the overlying dielectric layer, the via aligned with the conductive region and the trench. A sacrificial liner to release organic residues is deposited in the via and over the upper surface of the wafer, over which an organic planarization layer is deposited. The organic planarization layer is removed with a dry plasma etch, followed by a wet clean to remove the sacrificial liner. A diffusion barrier to separate the conductive material from the dielectric layers is deposited over the dual damascene structure and over the upper surface of the wafer. A conductive structure is formed over the diffusion barrier and polished to form an even surface for further processing steps.

Abstract: A mark configuration for the alignment and/or determination of a relative position of at least two planes in relation to one another in a substrate and/or in layers on a substrate during lithographic exposure, in particular, in the case of a wafer during the production of DRAMs, includes a mark structure, and at least one layer of a definable thickness underneath the mark structure for adjusting the physical position of the mark structure relative to a reference plane in or on the substrate. Also provided is a wafer having such a configuration and a process for providing such a configuration. The invention allows a mark configuration to have mark structures exhibiting good contrast regardless of the design or the process conditions.