Abstract: When incorporating a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy in one type of sophisticated transistors, the removal of sacrificial cap materials, such as a spacer layer, sacrificial spacer elements and dielectric cap materials, may be accomplished by using, at least in a first phase of the removal process, an efficient etch stop liner material, which may thus reduce the material loss in the drain and source extension regions that are formed prior to the deposition of the strain-inducing semiconductor material. Moreover, the drain and source extension regions of the other type of transistor may be formed with superior process uniformity due to a reduced material erosion of the corresponding spacer elements.

Abstract: A memory cell and method of forming the same is provided. To make contact between a bit line and a select transistor of a dynamic memory unit on a semiconductor wafer, a contact hole is filled with a metal or a metal alloy. A liner layer may be introduced between the semiconductor substrate and the metal filling. The semiconductor substrate has a doped region in the contact hole.

Abstract: A memory cell and method of forming the same is provided. To make contact between a bit line and a select transistor of a dynamic memory unit on a semiconductor wafer, a contact hole is filled with a metal or a metal alloy. A liner layer may be introduced between the semiconductor substrate and the metal filling. The semiconductor substrate has a doped region in the contact hole.

Abstract: A method fabricates a semiconductor structure having a plurality of memory cells that are provided in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and contains a plurality of planar selection transistors and a corresponding plurality of storage capacitors connected thereto. The selection transistors have respective first and second active regions of a second conductivity type. The first active regions are connected to the storage capacitors and the second active regions are connected to respective bit lines, and respective gate stacks, which are provided above the semiconductor substrate in a manner insulated by a gate dielectric. In this case, a single-sided halo doping is effected, and an excessive outdiffusion of the halo doping zones is prevented by introduction of a diffusion-inhibiting species.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure having a plurality of gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4) on a semiconductor substrate (10), having the following steps: application of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4) to a gate dielectric (11) above the semiconductor substrate (10); formation of a sidewall oxide (17) on sidewalls of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4); application and patterning of a mask (12) on the semiconductor structure; and implantation of a contact doping (13) in a self-aligned manner with respect to the sidewall oxide (17) of the gate stacks (GS1, GS2) in regions not covered by the mask (12).

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microelectronic structure includes implanting nitrogen into a semiconductor substrate which is provided with trenches, at least in the region of a main area of the semiconductor substrate. The implantation is intended to be carried out in such a way that a nitrogen concentration at the main area is considerably greater than at the side walls of the trenches. As a result, during subsequent oxidation of the semiconductor substrate, a thinner oxide layer can be formed on the main area, in comparison with the side walls. The oxide layer has a homogeneous transition in the edge region between the main area and the side walls. Implanting nitrogen prior to the oxidation of the semiconductor substrate leads to a uniform oxide layer thickness on the main area.