Abstract: Providing a first layer of a semiconductor structure having at least one air gap between conductive lines formed in the first layer. The air gap extends into the first layer from a first surface of the first layer. A barrier dielectric material over the first surface and the air gap is selected to have a dielectric constant less than 3.5 and to provide a barrier to prevent chemicals entering the at least one air gap. An air gap can extend from a first surface of the first layer to at least a portion of side surfaces of the at least two conductive lines to expose at least a portion of the side surfaces.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprising one or more dielectric layers the or each dielectric layer being provided with one or more interconnects wherein the interconnect comprises metallic atoms moving from a first region of the interconnect to a second region of the interconnect when a current flows, characterized in that the interconnect comprises a donor zone in the first region of the interconnect for providing metallic atoms in order to compensate for movement of atoms from the first region and a receptor zone at the second region of the interconnect for receiving metallic atoms in order to compensate for movement of atoms to the second region.

Abstract: Providing a first layer of a semiconductor structure having at least one air gap between conductive lines formed in the first layer. The air gap extends into the first layer from a first surface of the first layer. A barrier dielectric material over the first surface and the air gap is selected to have a dielectric constant less than 3.5 and to provide a barrier to prevent chemicals entering the at least one air gap. An air gap can extend from a first surface of the first layer to at least a portion of side surfaces of the at least two conductive lines to expose at least a portion of the side surfaces.

Abstract: A method of sealing an air gap in a layer of a semiconductor structure comprises providing a first layer of the semiconductor structure having at least one air gap for providing isolation between at least two conductive lines formed in the first layer. The at least one air gap extends into the first layer from a first surface of the first layer. The method further comprises forming a barrier layer of a barrier dielectric material over the first surface of the first layer and the at least one air gap. The barrier dielectric material is selected to have a dielectric constant less than 3.5 and to provide a barrier to prevent chemicals entering the at least one air gap.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprising one or more dielectric layers the or each dielectric layer being provided with one or more interconnects wherein the interconnect comprises metallic atoms moving from a first region of the interconnect to a second region of the interconnect when a current flows, characterised in that the interconnect comprises a donor zone in the first region of the interconnect for providing metallic atoms in order to compensate for movement of atoms from the first region and a receptor zone at the second region of the interconnect for receiving metallic atoms in order to compensate for movement of atoms to the second region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a transistor on a silicon substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate comprising: a gate electrode with a liner comprising silicon and oxygen, and with a sidewall spacer, and source and/or drain region(s) in the substrate adjacent to the gate electrode, a layer at least 5 nm thick comprising silicon dioxide covering at least the source and/or drain regions; etching the layer comprising silicon and oxygen from at least the source and/or drain regions; and forming contacts for the source and/or drain region(s), characterized in that the layer comprising silicon and oxygen is etched from the substrate by steps comprising: forming an etchant from a plasma formed from a mixture comprising nitrogen trifluoride and ammonia; exposing the substrate to the etchant; and annealing the substrate.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device and selectively forming a salicide layer is described. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a metal layer over a semiconductor substrate having a first area and a second area, wherein the first area and the second area include silicon, removing the metal layer over the second gate electrode, and reacting the metal layer with the first area to form a salicide layer over the first area. In one embodiment, the first area and the second area include a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode, respectively.