Abstract: The invention discloses a semiconductor device which comprises an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor formed on a substrate; and grid electrodes, source cathode doped areas, drain doped areas, and side walls formed on two sides of the grid electrodes are arranged on the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor respectively. The device is characterized in that the side walls on the two sides of the grid electrode of the NMOS transistor possess tensile stress, and the side walls on the two sides of the grid electrode of the PMOS transistor possess compressive stress. The stress gives the side walls a greater role in adjusting the stress applied to channels and the source/drain areas, with the carrier mobility further enhanced and the performance of the device improved.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming a transistor, which includes: providing a substrate, a semiconductor layer being formed on the substrate; forming a dummy gate structure on the semiconductor layer; forming a source region and a drain region in the substrate and the semiconductor layer and at opposite sides of the dummy gate structure; forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the semiconductor layer; removing the dummy gate structure for forming an opening in the interlayer dielectric layer; non-crystallizing the semiconductor layer exposed in the opening for forming a channel layer; annealing the channel layer so that the channel layer and the substrate have same crystal orientation; and forming a metal gate structure in the opening, the metal gate being formed on the channel layer. Saturation current of the transistor is raised, and the performance of a semiconductor device is promoted.

Abstract: The invention provides a phase change memory and a method for forming the phase change memory. The phase change memory includes a storage region and a peripheral circuit region. The peripheral circuit region has a peripheral substrate, a plurality of peripheral shallow trench isolation (STI) units in the peripheral substrate, and at least one MOS transistor on the peripheral substrate and between the peripheral STI units. The storage region has a storage substrate, an N-type ion buried layer on the storage substrate, a plurality of vertical LEDs on the N-type ion buried layer, a plurality of storage shallow trench isolation (STI) units between the vertical LEDs, and a plurality of phase change layers on the vertical LED and between the storage STI units. The storage STI units have thickness substantially equal to thickness of the vertical LEDs. The peripheral STI units have thickness substantially equal to thickness of the storage STI units. The N-type conductive region contains SiC.

Abstract: The invention provides a phase change memory and a method for forming the phase change memory. The phase change memory includes a storage region and a peripheral circuit region. The peripheral circuit region has a peripheral substrate, peripheral shallow trench isolation (STI) units in the peripheral substrate, and MOS transistors on the peripheral substrate and between the peripheral STI units. The storage region has a storage substrate, an N-type ion buried layer on the storage substrate, vertical LEDs on the on the N-type ion buried layer, storage shallow trench isolation (STI) units between the vertical LEDs, and phase change layers on the vertical LEDs and between the storage STI units. The storage STI units have thickness equal to thickness of the vertical LEDs. Each vertical LED comprises an N-type conductive region on the N-type ion buried layer, and a P-type conductive region on the N-type conductive region. The P-type conductive region contains SiGe.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the following steps: flowing a first precursor gas to the semiconductor substrate within a ALD chamber to form a first discrete monolayer on the semiconductor substrate; flowing an inert purge gas to the semiconductor substrate within the ALD chamber; flowing a second precursor gas to the ALD chamber to react with the first precursor gas which has formed the first monolayer, thereby forming a first discrete compound monolayer; and flowing an inert purge gas; forming a first dielectric layer to cover the discrete compound monolayer; forming a second third monolayer above first dielectric layer; and forming a second discrete compound monolayer; and forming a second dielectric layer to cover the second discrete compound monolayer above the first dielectric layer. There is also provided a semiconductor device formed by the ALD method.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor devices, e.g., strained silicon MOS device, includes providing a semiconductor substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) having a surface region, which has one or more contaminants and an overlying oxide layer. The one or more contaminants is at least a carbon species. The method also includes processing the surface region using at least a wet process to selectively remove the oxide layer and expose the surface region. The method further includes subjecting the surface region to a laser treatment process for a time period of less than 1 second to increase a temperature of the surface region to greater than 1000 degrees Celsius to remove the one or more contaminants provided on the surface region. The method also includes removing the laser treatment process to cause a reduction in temperature to about 300 to about 600 degrees Celsius in a time period of less than 1 second.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with an amorphous silicon (a-Si) metal-aluminum oxide-semiconductor (MAS) memory cell structure. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer overlying the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions embedded in the dielectric layer with a co-planar surface of n-type a-Si and the dielectric layer. Additionally, the device includes a p-i-n a-Si diode junction. The device further includes an aluminum oxide charge trapping layer on the a-Si p-i-n diode junction and a metal control gate overlying the aluminum oxide layer. A method is provided for making the a-Si MAS memory cell structure and can be repeated to integrate the structure three-dimensionally.

Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MONOS) or semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SONOS) memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer overlying the P? polysilicon layer; and at least one control gate overlying the ONO layer. In one embodiment, the control gate is made of a metal layer. In another embodiment, the control gate is made of a P+ polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor devices includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface region containing one or more contaminants and having an overlying oxide layer. In an embodiment, the one or more contaminants are at least a carbon species. The method includes processing the surface region using at least a wet processing process to selectively remove the overlying oxide layer and expose the surface region including the one or more contaminants. The method includes subjecting the surface region to a high energy electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths ranging from about 300 to about 800 nanometers for a time period of less than 1 second to increase a temperature of the surface region to greater than 1000 degrees Celsius to remove the one or more contaminants. The method includes removing the high energy electromagnetic radiation to cause a reduction in temperature to about 300 to about 600 degrees Celsius in a time period of less than 1 second.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor devices, e.g., strained silicon MOS device, includes providing a semiconductor substrate (e.g., silicon wafer) having a surface region, which has one or more contaminants and an overlying oxide layer. The one or more contaminants is at least a carbon species. The method also includes processing the surface region using at least a wet process to selectively remove the oxide layer and expose the surface region. The method further includes subjecting the surface region to a laser treatment process for a time period of less than 1 second to increase a temperature of the surface region to greater than 1000 degrees Celsius to remove the one or more contaminants provided on the surface region. The method also includes removing the laser treatment process to cause a reduction in temperature to about 300 to about 600 degrees Celsius in a time period of less than 1 second.

Abstract: A method for atomic layer deposition. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface region and exposing the surface region of the substrate to an atmospheric pressure. The method also maintains at least the substrate at about the atmospheric pressure and forms a film overlying the surface region using atomic layer deposition, while the substrate is maintained at about atmospheric pressure. Preferably, the film is grown at a rate of greater than about 1 nanometer per minute.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the following steps: flowing a first precursor gas to the semiconductor substrate within the ALD chamber to form a first discrete monolayer on the semiconductor substrate; flowing an inert purge gas to the semiconductor substrate within the ALD chamber; flowing a second precursor gas to the ALD chamber to react with the first precursor gas which has formed the first monolayer, thereby forming a first discrete compound monolayer; and flowing an inert purge gas; and forming a second discrete compound monolayer above the semiconductor substrate by the same process as that for forming the first discrete compound monolayer. There is also provided a semiconductor device in which the charge trapping layer is a dielectric layer containing the first and second discrete compound monolayers formed by the ALD method.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory device including a capacitor structure, e.g., trench, stack. The device includes a substrate (e.g., silicon, silicon on insulator, epitaxial silicon) having a surface region. The device includes an interlayer dielectric region overlying the surface region. In a preferred embodiment, the interlayer dielectric region has an upper surface and a lower surface. The device has a container structure within a portion of the interlayer dielectric region. The container structure extends from the upper surface to the lower surface. The container structure has a first width at the upper surface and a second width at the lower surface. The container structure has an inner region extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. In a specific embodiment, the container structure has a higher dopant concentration within a portion of the inner region within a vicinity of the lower surface and on a portion of the inner region near the vicinity of the lower surface.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor devices, e.g., SONOS cell. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate (e.g., silicon wafer, silicon on insulator) having a surface region, which has a native oxide layer. The method includes treating the surface region to a wet cleaning process to remove a native oxide layer from the surface region. In a specific embodiment, the method includes subjecting the surface region to an oxygen bearing environment and subjecting the surface region to a high energy electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths ranging from about 300 to about 800 nanometers for a time period of less than 10 milli-seconds to increase a temperature of the surface region to greater than 1000 Degrees Celsius. In a specific embodiment, the method causes formation of an oxide layer having a thickness of less than 10 Angstroms. In a preferred embodiment, the oxide layer is substantially free from pinholes and other imperfections.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with an amorphous silicon (a-Si) metal-aluminum oxide-semiconductor (MAS) memory cell structure. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer overlying the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions embedded in the dielectric layer with a co-planar surface of n-type a-Si and the dielectric layer. Additionally, the device includes a p-i-n a-Si diode junction. The device further includes an aluminum oxide charge trapping layer on the a-Si p-i-n diode junction and a metal control gate overlying the aluminum oxide layer. A method is provided for making the a-Si MAS memory cell structure and can be repeated to integrate the structure three-dimensionally.

Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) silicon-aluminum oxide-silicon (SAS) memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N? polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface, an aluminum oxide layer overlying the P? polysilicon layer; and at least one control gate overlying the aluminum oxide layer. In a specific embodiment, the control gate is made of highly doped P+ polysilicon. A method for making the TFT SAS memory cell structure is provided and can be repeated to integrate the structure three-dimensionally.

Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MONOS) or semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SONOS) memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer overlying the P? polysilicon layer; and at least one control gate overlying the ONO layer. In one embodiment, the control gate is made of a metal layer. In another embodiment, the control gate is made of a P+ polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A method of growing an epitaxial silicon layer is provided. The method comprising providing a substrate including an oxygen-terminated silicon surface and forming a first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the oxygen-terminated silicon surface. Additionally, the method includes forming a second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface through atomic-layer deposition (ALD) epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. The second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface is capable of being added one or more layer of silicon through ALD epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. In one embodiment, the method is applied for making devices with thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures which is capable for three-dimensional integration.

Abstract: A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a first conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P? polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface and a floating gate on the P? polysilicon layer. The floating gate is a low-pressure CVD-deposited silicon layer sandwiched by a bottom oxide tunnel layer and an upper oxide block layer. Moreover, the device includes at least one control gate made of a P+ polysilicon layer overlying the upper oxide block layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a silicon-aluminum oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SANOS) memory cell structure is provided. The device includes a silicon substrate including a surface, a source region and a drain region in the surface. The drain region and the source region are separate from each other. The device further includes a confined dielectric structure on the surface and between the source region and the drain region. The confined dielectric structure includes sequentially a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, and an aluminum oxide layer. Additionally, the device includes a gate region overlying the aluminum oxide layer. In a specific embodiment, the gate region is made from patterning an amorphous silicon layer. In another specific embodiment, the gate region includes a polysilicon layer.