Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device, as well as a semiconductor device. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, among others, includes providing a gate structure (240) over a substrate (210), the gate structure (240) including a gate electrode (248) located over a nitrided gate dielectric (243), and forming a nitrided region (310) over a sidewall of the nitrided gate dielectric (243).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device, as well as a semiconductor device. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, among others, includes providing a gate structure (240) over a substrate (210), the gate structure (240) including a gate electrode (248) located over a nitrided gate dielectric (243), and forming a nitrided region (310) over a sidewall of the nitrided gate dielectric (243).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, which includes forming a gate structure over a substrate, and forming a stack of layers on the substrate and at least partially along a sidewall of the gate structure. In this embodiment, the stack of layers includes an initial layer located over the substrate, a buffer layer located over the initial layer and an offset layer located over the buffer layer. This embodiment of the method further includes removing horizontal segments of the offset layer and the buffer layer using a dry etch and a wet clean, wherein removing includes choosing at least one of an initial thickness of the buffer layer, a period of time for the dry etch or a period of time for the wet clean such that horizontal segments of the initial layer are exposed and substantially unaffected after the dry etch and wet clean.

Abstract: A mixed voltage circuit is formed by providing a substrate (12) having a first region (20) for forming a first device (106), a second region (22) for forming a second device (108) complementary to the first device (106), and a third region (24) for forming a third device (110) that operates at a different voltage than the first device (106). A gate layer (50) is formed outwardly of the first, second, and third regions (20, 22, 24). While maintaining a substantially uniform concentration of a dopant type (51) in the gate layer (50), a first gate electrode (56) is formed in the first region (20), a second gate electrode (58) is formed in the second region (22), and a third gate electrode (60) is formed in the third region (24). The third region (24) is protected while implanting dopants (72) into the first region (20) to form source and drain features (74) for the first device (106).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method for manufacturing the semiconductor device, in one embodiment, includes forming a gate structure over a substrate, and forming a stack of layers on the substrate and at least partially along a sidewall of the gate structure. In this embodiment, the stack of layers includes an initial layer located over the substrate, a buffer layer located over the initial layer and an offset layer located over the buffer layer. This embodiment of the method further includes removing horizontal segments of the offset layer and the buffer layer using a dry etch and a wet clean, wherein removing includes choosing at least one of an initial thickness of the buffer layer, a period of time for the dry etch or a period of time for the wet clean such that horizontal segments of the initial layer are exposed and substantially unaffected after the dry etch and wet clean.

Abstract: A method of providing critical dimension (CD) gate control during photolithography is achieved by scanning a trial wafer from a batch by an exposure tool and then measuring the gate width to determine shot zones for bi-shot (BSE) exposure. The time delay based on shot or exposure order is determined for each BSE zone. The shot or exposure dose for the other wafers from the same or similar batch is then determined on the bi-shot exposure and the shot order.

Abstract: A method of forming a narrow feature, such as a gate electrode (14) in an integrated circuit is disclosed. A gate layer (14) such as polycrystalline silicon is disposed near a surface of a substrate (12), and a hardmask layer (16) is formed over the gate layer (14). The hardmask layer (16) includes one or more dielectric layers (16a, 16b, 16c) such as silicon-rich silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, and oxide. Photoresist (18) sensitive to 193 nm UV light is patterned over the hardmask layer (16) to define a feature of a first width (CD) that is reliably patterned at that wavelength. The hardmask layer (16) is then etched to clear from the surface of the gate layer (14). A timed overetch of the hardmask layer (16) reduces hardmask CD and that of the overlying photoresist (18) to the desired feature size. Etch of the gate layer is then carried out to form the desired feature.

Abstract: A method of providing critical dimension (CD) gate control during photolithography is achieved by scanning a trial wafer from a batch by an exposure tool and then measuring the gate width to determine shot zones for bi-shot (BSE) exposure. The time delay based on shot or exposure order is determined for each BSE zone. The shot or exposure dose for the other wafers from the same or similar batch is then determined on the bi-shot exposure and the shot order.

Abstract: A method of forming a narrow feature, such as a gate electrode (14) in an integrated circuit is disclosed. A gate layer (14) such as polycrystalline silicon is disposed near a surface of a substrate (12), and a hardmask layer (16) is formed over the gate layer (14). The hardmask layer (16) includes one or more dielectric layers (16a, 16b, 16c) such as silicon-rich silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, and oxide. Photoresist (18) sensitive to 193 nm UV light is patterned over the hardmask layer (16) to define a feature of a first width (CD) that is reliably patterned at that wavelength. The hardmask layer (16) is then etched to clear from the surface of the gate layer (14). A timed overetch of the hardmask layer (16) reduces hardmask CD and that of the overlying photoresist (18) to the desired feature size. Etch of the gate layer is then carried out to form the desired feature.

Abstract: A mixed voltage circuit is formed by providing a substrate (12) having a first region (20) for forming a first device (106), a second region (22) for forming a second device (108) complementary to the first device (106), and a third region (24) for forming a third device (110) that operates at a different voltage than the first device (106). A gate layer (50) is formed outwardly of the first, second, and third regions (20, 22, 24). While maintaining a substantially uniform concentration of a dopant type (51) in the gate layer (50), a first gate electrode (56) is formed in the first region (20), a second gate electrode (58) is formed in the second region (22), and a third gate electrode (60) is formed in the third region (24). The third region (24) is protected while implanting dopants (72) into the first region (20) to form source and drain features (74) for the first device (106).

Abstract: A mixed voltage circuit is formed by providing a substrate (12) having a first region (20) for forming a first device (106), a second region (22) for forming a second device (108) complementary to the first device (106), and a third region (24) for forming a third device (110) that operates at a different voltage than the first device (106). A gate layer (50) is formed outwardly of the first, second, and third regions (20, 22, 24). While maintaining a substantially uniform concentration of a dopant type (51) in the gate layer (50), a first gate electrode (56) is formed in the first region (20), a second gate electrode (58) is formed in the second region (22), and a third gate electrode (60) is formed in the third region (24). The third region (24) is protected while implanting dopants (72) into the first region (20) to form source and drain features (74) for the first device (106).

Abstract: A method of forming LV and HV transistors with independently optimized threshold adjust (Vt) implants to minimize reverse short channel effects. A through-the-poly implant is used for the Vt implants after gate (214) formation. The Vt implants for the LV transistors (224,226) are performed after the LDD patterns (216,238). The Vt implants for the HV transistors (220, 222) are performed after the I/O LDD patterns (234,244).

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit having at least two types of transistors (300,301) with different doping profiles. The gate electrodes (302) of the first type (300) are aligned in a first direction and the gate electrodes (310) of the second type (301) are aligned in a second direction at an angle beta from the first direction. An angled implant is performed at wafer rotation angles of 0 and 180 to form, for example, pocket regions (305,311). Due to the orientation of the gate electrodes, region (305) extends further under the gate electrode (302) than region (311) extends under gate electrode (310).

Abstract: A semiconductor over insulator transistor (100) includes a semiconductor mesa (36) formed over an insulating layer (34) which overlies a semiconductor substrate (32). Source and drain regions (66, 68) of a first conductivity type are formed at opposite ends of the mesa. A body node (56) of a second conductivity type is located between the source and drain regions in the mesa. A gate insulator (40) and a gate electrode (46) lie over the body node. Halo implants (54, 56) are placed to completely separate the source and drain regions from the body node, or channel regions, for improving short channel effect. The transistor is useful as a pass gate and as a peripheral transistor in a DRAM, and also is useful in digital and analog applications and in low power applications.