Abstract: A first compensation factor, a second compensation factor and a third compensation factor are provided to improve a capacitance-voltage (C-V) method for measuring an effective channel length of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and an overlap length of a gate and a source and a drain of the transistor. The first compensation factor is calculated by measuring two unit length gate capacitances of the transistor. The second compensation factor is calculated by measuring two unit length overlap capacitances of the transistor. The third compensation factor is a ratio of the second compensation factor to the first compensation factor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an inductor. A substrate is provided and then a plurality of linear-shaped first metallic layers is formed over the substrate. A first dielectric layer having a planar upper surface is over the substrate and the first metallic layers. A second metallic layer having a high magnetic conductance coefficient is embedded within the first metallic layer. A second dielectric layer is formed over the first dielectric layer and the second metallic layer. Via openings are formed in the first and the second dielectric layer directly above each end of each linear-shaped first metallic layer. Conductive material is deposited into the via openings to form plugs. A plurality of linear-shaped third metallic layers is formed so that the first metallic layer, the plug and the third metallic layer together form a spiral path. A dual damascene process may also be used to form the plugs and the third metallic layers.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gate terminal comprising the steps of providing a substrate, then forming and patterning an oxide layer to form a gate region. Next, a gate oxide layer and a crystalline silicon layer are formed in the gate region. This is followed by depositing a tungsten layer in the gate region, and then polishing the tungsten layer to form a final tungsten layer functioning as the gate electrode. Finally, the oxide layer is removed. The method of this invention is able to control the dimensions of the gate terminal produced. Moreover, the formation of a thin crystalline silicon layer over the gate oxide layer helps to increase the bonding strength with the metallic layer, and that the gate electrode can be formed at a lower processing temperature. Therefore, the gate so formed has a higher quality and the processing of the semiconductor is much easier. Furthermore, the silicon nitride layer can serve as an etching stop layer during the etching operation of the oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing spacers comprising the steps of first providing a semiconductor substrate having a gate electrode already formed thereon, and then sequentially depositing oxide, silicon nitride and oxide over the gate electrode and the substrate to form a first oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer and a second oxide layer. Subsequently, the second oxide layer is etched to form an oxide spacer above the silicon nitride layer. Thereafter, using the oxide spacer as a mask, a dry etching method having a high etching selectivity ratio for silicon nitride/oxide is used to etch the silicon nitride layer to form a silicon nitride spacer. Finally, the oxide spacer is removed using an oxide dip method. The silicon nitride spacers of this invention can have a greater thickness, more thickness uniformity, and a higher reliability for hot carriers. In addition, the method used in the invention can have a better control over the thickness.

Abstract: The process includes the following steps. At first, a masking layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A portion of the masking layer is then removed to form an opening to the semiconductor substrate. Sidewall spacers are formed on the opening and a portion of the semiconductor substrate is removed to form a trench, through an aperture defined by the sidewall spacers. The sidewall spacers is then removed and a liner layer is formed conformably over the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a source/drain region formed in the substrate, a gate oxide layer on the substrate between the source/drain region, a conductive layer on the gate oxide layer, a spacer around a side wall of the gate, and an air gap between the gate and the spacer. The spacer is not directly connected with the gate. The air gap is formed between the gate and the spacer.

Abstract: A method of forming a shallow trench isolation structure is disclosed. A dielectric layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition is used as a sacrificial layer instead of conventional sacrificial oxide layer formed by thermal oxidation. Therefore, the oxide in the trench is further protected and less damaged.

Abstract: A MOSFET device protects the device from the short channel effect and decrease the resistance of a gate of the device. The MOSFET device includes a gate formed on a substrate and two source/drain regions. The source/drain regions are formed in the substrate at the sides of the gate. An oxide layer includes a first structure and a second structure. The first structure is at the side walls of the gate with the top of the first structure being lower than the top of the gate. The second structure is formed on the substrate and is connected to the first structure. A first spacer is formed on the second structure and beside the first structure. A second spacer is formed on the second structure and beside the first spacer. A self-aligned metal layer is formed on the gate, the first spacer, and over the substrate. As a result, the MOSFET device has an ultra-shallow junction under the first spacer to reduce the source/drain resistance and increase the operating rate of the device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device. On a semiconductor substrate comprising a device isolation structure and an active region isolated by the device isolation region, an oxide layer is formed and etched on the active region to form an opening, so that the active within the opening is exposed. A first spacer is formed on a side wall of the opening. A gate oxide layer is formed on the active region within the opening. A conductive layer is formed on the gate oxide layer, so that the opening is filled thereby. The oxide layer is removed. The exposed active region is lightly doped to form a lightly doped region by using the conductive layer and the first spacer as a mask. A second spacer is formed on a side wall of the first spacer and leaves a portion of the first spacer to be exposed. The exposed active region is heavily doped to form a source/drain region by using the conductive layer, the first spacer, and the second spacer as a mask.

Abstract: A method of forming a barrier layer is disclosed. The barrier layer is formed on the upper surface of the tungsten plug. The method of forming the barrier layer is mainly a nitridation reaction. The nitridation reaction makes use of NH.sub.3 plasma, N.sub.2 plasma and N.sup.+ implantation.

Abstract: A method for depositing a silicon oxynitride layer that has a higher etch-removal rate. The deposition starts by first passing gas from a pipeline A into the deposition chamber before switching the RF power source on. The further is the delay in switching the RF power source on, the higher will be the etch-removal rate of the silicon oxynitride layer formed by the deposition. Furthermore, the RF power source will remain on for a short period after the pump starts pumping gas away from the deposition chamber through pipeline A at the end of the deposition. The sooner is the switching off of the RB power source after the pump start to operate, the higher will be the etch-removal rate of the silicon oxynitride layer that result from the deposition.

Abstract: An improved process of fabricating a read only memory device (ROM's) wherein the buried N+ lines have desirable very narrow widths and are closely spaced. The process provides that masking stripes are formed with vertical sidewalls and that spacers are formed on the sidewalls. The areas between the spacers are filled in. The spacers are etched away to form narrow closely spaced openings. Ions are implanted through the openings to form closely spaced buried lines.

Abstract: A DRAM capacitor is formed by providing an opening to the surface of the drain of a memory cell's pass transistor. A first layer of polysilicon is deposited over the device and in contact with the drain of the pass transistor. Arsenic ions are implanted into the first layer of polysilicon and the first layer of polysilicon is annealed. A second layer of polysilicon is deposited over the first. Phosphorus ions are implanted into the surface of the second layer of polysilicon. A mask is formed over the two polysilicon layers, and the two layers are etched to define the lateral extent of the memory cell capacitor's lower electrode. An etch that preferentially etches doped polysilicon is used to laterally etch the (doped and annealed) first polysilicon layer, thereby undercutting the second polysilicon layer. The second polysilicon layer is then annealed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating memory devices. By the method, a silicon nitride layer is used as a mask to form oxide layers on the lateral sides of the word lines through high-temperature heat treatment as source/drain annealing or oxidation. An etching process is subsequently used to remove the silicon nitride layer so as to expose the polysilicon layer on the word lines. After that, metal, preferably aluminum, is selectively grown the exposed polysilicon layer, which allows the resistance of the word lines to be significantly lowered thereby increasing access speed of the memory device.

Abstract: A method is provided for use in semiconductor fabrication processes for forming a plurality of gate oxide layers with various predefined thicknesses in mixed-mode or embedded circuits that are formed in a semiconductor substrate. In particular, the gate oxide layers of various predefined thicknesses are formed by means of separated growth, which allows all the gate oxide layers to be each formed in one single step, instead of combining two or more oxide layers as in conventional processes, so that the thicknesses can be more easily controllable to the desired levels. The quality of the thus-formed gate oxide layers can thus be better assured.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a MOSFET device in accordance with the present invention can protect the device from the short channel effect and decrease the resistance of a gate of the device. The fabricating method includes the following steps. A device including a substrate, an oxide layer, a gate and a lightly doped region is provided, wherein the oxide layer is formed on the substrate and the gate is formed on the oxide layer. A conducting layer is formed on the oxide layer, and the conducting layer is etched to form a first spacer. Then, the device is implanted to form a heavily doped region. A dielectric layer is deposited on the device, and the dielectric layer is etched to form a second spacer. The oxide layer is etched to expose part of the side walls of the gate. Then, a self-aligned silicide is further processed to complete the fabricating processes.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a shallow trench isolation structure that utilizes the early formation of a strong oxide spacers so that for any subsequent pad oxide layer or sacrificial oxide layer removal using a wet etching method, the oxide layer adjacent to the substrate will not be over-etched to form recesses, thereby preventing the lowering of threshold voltage and the induction of a kink effect. The method includes the steps of forming a mask over a substrate and then patterning the mask to form a protective layer for subsequent etching operation. An oxide space is farmed on the sidewalls of the mask over the surface of the substrate. Subsequently, a trench is formed in the substrate along the side edges of the oxide spacers. A liner oxide box is formed on the sidewall of the trend and the liner oxide layer does not fill the trench. This is followed by filling the trench with a second oxide layer. After planarizing the upper surface with a chemical-mechanical polishing action, the mask is removed.

Abstract: A stacked capacitor DRAM is formed on a substrate having a pass transistor and a wiring line covered by a layer of insulator. A self-aligned contact process is used to expose the surface of one of the source/drain regions of the pass transistor and three layer stack is deposited over the layer of insulator. The lowest, first layer is polysilicon in contact with the one source/drain region of the pass transistor, the second layer is silicon oxide, and the third, topmost layer of the stack is either silicon nitride or polysilicon. A mask is formed over the third layer to laterally define the capacitor structure and then the third and second layers are etched down to the surface of the first, polysilicon layer. Differential etching is then performed to laterally etch the second layer without etching the first or third layers. The mask is removed and hemispherical grained silicon (HSG-Si) is grown over all of the exposed surfaces of the device.

Abstract: A data sensing apparatus particularly useful for sensing a ROM device. The apparatus can be used with various voltage level devices because it has an adjustable load. A first load element is connected to the voltage source applied to the ROM device. A second load element is connected in parallel with the first load element. A switching element is connected to the first load element and provides a path for a sensing current of the ROM device. An inverter, responsive to the sensing current, controls the switching element. An amplifier, connected to the switching element, provides a useful output indicative of the sensing current of the ROM device. A voltage level detector detects the voltage level of the voltage source. It disables the second load element so as to increase the load when the voltage level of the voltage source is higher than a predetermined value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for fabricating capacitor cells in DRAM chips allowing the capacitor cells thus fabricated to have higher capacitance by providing a stacked fin-like structure.