Abstract: A contact region of doped silicon has a layer of metal silicide on its surface and a layer of a conductive material formed over the surface of the metal silicide, with the thickness and material of the conductive layer chosen so that the conductive layer functions as an antireflection layer during contact via photolithography. This antireflection layer is formed on the surface of a doped silicon contact region by depositing a layer of metal on the doped contact region and annealing to convert the metal layer at least partially to metal silicide. A subsequent anneal converts the metal silicide region into a lower resistivity phase. A third anneal, preferably conducted as a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) in a nitrogen or ammonia ambient, converts a surface portion of the metal silicide to titanium nitride. The third anneal forms a titanium nitride layer of a thickness appropriate to function as an antireflection layer for the wavelength of light used in the lithography of the contact via.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitor includes formation of a stacked layer formed by alternately forming conductive layers and isolation layers and then patterning these layers to form a stacked layer. An opening is formed above the source/drain region. A conductive spacer is formed on the sidewall of the opening. The conductive spacer is used as a mask. The dielectric layer below the stacked layer exposed by the opening is removed to form a contact hole. The top isolation layer of the stacked layer is removed. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate to fill the contact hole. The conductive spacer is covered by the conductive layer to form a raised region. A stacked spacer is formed beside the raised region. The isolation spacers of the stacked spacer and the isolation layer are removed to expose a storage electrode.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing DRAM capacitor includes forming a tungsten plug to connect with the source/drain region of a silicon substrate and using tungsten to form the upper and lower electrodes of the capacitor. The tungsten lower electrode of this invention is formed by depositing tungsten over the substrate using a physical vapor deposition method, and then depositing tungsten again using a chemical vapor deposition method so that a roughened surface is produced. Consequently, the tungsten lower electrode has a greater surface area, thereby increasing the capacitance of the capacitor. In addition, tantalum pentoxide is used to form the dielectric layer. Since tantalum pentoxide has a high dielectric constant, the effective capacitance of the capacitor is further increased.

Abstract: A method for fabricating interconnects of a DRAM, in which the contact windows are formed segment by segment and the contact windows are filled segment by segment to form interconnects. Also, tungsten plugs are used to replace the polysilicon plugs and the polysilicon bit lines, so as to reduce the resistance and increase the operating speed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitor on a substrate. The method includes sequentially forming a first dielectric layer and an etching barrier layer on the substrate, the etching barrier layer and the first dielectric layer having an opening formed therein. A conductive layer is formed on the etching barrier layer and fills the opening. The conductive layer is patterned to form a raised region on the conductive layer. Isolation spacers and conductive spacers are alternately formed on sidewalls of the raised region. The isolation spacers and the conductive spacers are concentrically layered. The isolation spacers are used as masks to remove the conductive spacers and a portion of the patterned conductive layer. The etching barrier layer is used as an etch stop layer. The isolation spacers and a portion of the patterned conductive layer are removed. The remaining patterned conductive layer forms a storage electrode of the capacitor.

Abstract: A method of forming contacts is provided. A thin polysilicon layer with a thickness of about 200-400 Å is deposited after forming a contact opening in a substrate. Then, the polysilicon layer is heavily doped using ion implantation to increase the number of mobile carriers in the polysilicon and to destroy the thin oxide layer formed naturally on the substrate, which destruction enhances the contact between the substrate and the polysilicon. A thick polysilicon layer is deposited on the thin polysilicon to form a bit line contact and a node contact.

Abstract: An electrode for a DRAM charge storage capacitor is provided with a textured surface using a wet etching process that has far greater process latitude and a lower cost than conventional processes for forming hemispherical grained silicon. A base capacitor electrode is provided for a DRAM cell preferably having a conventional polysilicon surface on which the textured surface will be formed. A layer of polycrystalline material having a composition different from the polysilicon surface is provided over the polysilicon surface. The layer of polycrystalline material is subjected to a wet etching process which preferentially etches along the grain boundaries of the layer of polycrystalline material. This wet etching process removes portions of the layer of polycrystalline material from over the polysilicon surface. The remaining portions of the layer of polycrystalline material are then used as a mask for etching the surface of the polysilicon, introducing a texture to the surface of the polysilicon layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitor of a dynamic random access memory is provided. A substrate is first provided, wherein a first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and a via is formed through the first dielectric layer to expose one of source/drain regions. A conductive material is formed on the first dielectric layer so that the conductive material is filled in the via to contact with the one of the source/drain regions. The conductive material is patterned to form a first conductive layer. A hemispherical polysilicon grain layer is formed at least on the first conductive layer. The hemispherical polysilicon grain layer is etched back so that the first conductive layer and the hemispherical polysilicon grain layer together form a lower electrode. A second dielectric layer is formed on the lower electrode. A second conductive layer is formed on the second dielectric layer to be an upper electrode.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a self-aligned node contact window starts by forming a bit line on a substrate having a transistor, in which the transistor includes a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region. The bit line is coupled electrically with the first source/drain region of the transistor and there is a cap layer and a first conductive layer formed on the bit line. An insulating layer that is conformal with the bit line, the cap layer and the first conductive layer is formed to serve as an etching stop layer for subsequently forming a conductive spacer. A conductive spacer is formed on the insulating layer of the sidewall of the bit line, the cap layer and the first conductive layer. Using the first conductive layer and the conductive spacer as a mask, an etching process is performed to form a self-aligned node contact window and the second source/drain is thus exposed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a cylinder capacitor of a DRAM cell that starts with forming a first oxide layer and then a doped first polysilicon layer on a substrate, patterning the first polysilicon layer to form a first opening that exposes the first oxide layer, forming a polysilicon spacer at the laterals of the first opening. Then, a portion of the first oxide layer is removed to expose the substrate by using the polysilicon spacer and the first polysilicon layer as a mask. A doped second polysilicon layer is formed on the first polysilicon layer and in the first opening. A portion of the second polysilicon layer is removed to form a second opening. A oxide spacer is formed on the laterals of the second opening, and is used as mask to remove a portion of the second polysilicon layer for forming a lower electrode. A dielectric layer and then a third polysilicon layer are formed on the lower electrode after the silicon oxide spacer is removed, wherein the third polysilicon is an upper electrode.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing shallow trench isolation comprising the steps of forming a pad oxide layer and a mask layer over a substrate, then patterning the pad oxide layer and the mask layer forming an opening in the substrate. Thereafter, insulating material is deposited into the opening forming an insulating layer, and then the mask layer is removed to expose the pad oxide layer. Next, insulating spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the insulating layer. Subsequently, the insulating spacers and the pad oxide layer are removed to complete the formation of shallow trench isolation. Hence, a trench-filled insulating layer having a smooth upper surface is formed. By forming insulating spacers over the junction area between the substrate and the insulating layer, over-etching of the junction is avoided.

Abstract: A method of making contact openings for memory cell units of DRAM IC devices is disclosed. The contact opening is used to connect the cell transistor source/drain terminal to the storage capacitor electrode located substantially above. The method includes the step of first patterning the initial opening in a shielding layer for the contact opening. The diameter of the initial opening is then reduced by the formation of sidewall spacers in initial opening. The initial opening in the shielding layer is then used to implement the etching for the formation of the contact opening. Due to reduced size of the contact opening, short-circuiting situations arising between the via formed in the contact opening and the bit lines next to the via as a result of misalignment in the process of fabrication can be reduced, thereby improving the device fabrication yield rates.

Abstract: A wafer structure on an IC chip allows the bonding pads on the IC chip to be firmly secured to the IC chip, thereby preventing detachment of the bonding pads during assembly of the IC package. The wafer structure comprises a substrate on which at least a pad area is defined. The pad area is formed with a first insulating layer, a gate on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer on the gate, and a third insulating layer on the second insulating layer. The second insulating layer has a plurality of lower openings formed therethrough and the third insulating layer has a plurality of upper openings formed therethrough, each upper opening corresponding to one of the lower openings. The lower openings are wider than the upper openings. Plugs are formed in the lower and upper openings and are bonded to a metallization layer which serves as a bonding pad for the IC chip.

Abstract: A method of forming a DRAM capacitor that utilizes cap layers and spacers to surround the gate and bit line so that the necessary contact openings in a DRAM can be formed in two self-aligned contact processing operations. The capacitor of the DRAM is fabricated by forming contact node and openings within an insulating layer above a substrate, and then forming a first conductive layer conformal to the surface profile of the substrate above the substrate structure. Next, spacers are formed on the sidewalls of the conductive layer, and then a second conductive layer is formed filling the spacer between the spacers and over the substrate structure. Thereafter, a portion of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is removed to expose the spacers and the insulating layer. Finally, the spacers and the insulating layer are removed to expose a lower electrode structure that comprises the first and the second conductive layers.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a DRAM capacitor is provided to form a lower electrode with a cylindrical profile by using a first stage and a second stage. The stages provide different etching rates in various situations. The invention uses the stages to allow the part of the second polysilicon layer between the capacitors to be completely etched and prevent the other part of the second polysilicon layer serving as a lower electrode from over-etching. The invention provides an easier process of forming a cylindrical capacitor with a larger surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of fabricating a capacitor with high capacitance. A substrate having word lines and bit lines is provided, and a dielectric layer is formed to cover the substrate. A contact window is formed in the dielectric layer to expose an active region. A conductive layer is formed to fill the contact window to connect with the active region. An insulating layer is formed on the conductive layer and the insulating layer and the conductive layer are defined. A hemispherical grained-Si (HSG-Si) layer is then formed on the substrate. An etching process is performed on the HSG-Si layer to expose the dielectric layer using a portion of the insulating layer as a mask. The insulating layer is removed. A storage node with a gear toothed profile is then formed.

Abstract: The DRAM cell is formed by covering the cell's transfer FET with a conformal insulating layer. A self aligned contact etch removes a portion of the conformal insulating layer from above a first source/drain region of the FET and then a first polysilicon layer is deposited over the device. Etching defines a polysilicon pad from the first polysilicon layer with edges of the polysilicon pad disposed over the gate electrode and an adjacent wiring line. A thick, planarized second insulating layer is provided over the device, filling the volume defined by the locally cupped surface of the polysilicon pad. Etching is performed to remove a portion of the planarized insulating layer using the pad polysilicon layer as an etch stop for the process. A second, thick polysilicon layer is next provided to fill the cavity and the layer is patterned to laterally define the lower capacitor electrode.

Abstract: Bonding pad structures may be fabricated by forming a layered structure including a first conducting layer and first and second insulating layers on top of a substrate. Openings are etched through the first and second insulating layers, with the openings being wider in the first insulating layer than in the second insulating layer. The etching process may be carried out in two steps, with the second step preferentially isotropically etching the first insulating layer so that the openings are wider in the first insulating layer than in the second insulating layer and a portion of the second insulating layer overhangs the opening above the first insulating layer. Metal is then deposited within the openings and on top of the second insulating layer. An interlocking structure is formed with the conducting material extending underneath of the overhang portions of the second insulating layer. A passivation layer may be formed over the conducting material.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a bit line comprises first that a semiconductor substrate is provided. The substrate comprises source/drain regions and a semiconductor structure. Over the substrate, an oxide layer conformal to the semiconductor substrate and a BPSG layer are formed. A contact window is formed and exposes the source/drain regions in the substrate. A polysilicon layer is formed within the contact window and connects the source/drain regions. A titanium silicide (TiSi.sub.2) is formed and covers the polysilicon layer. A titanium nitride layer is formed and covers the titanium silicide layer. One of the characteristics of the invention is that a titanium silicide layer, a titanium nitride layer, and a polysilicon layer replaces the conventional tungsten silicide and the polysilicon layer to form a bit line. Therefore, the contact resistance of the bit line is reduced effectively.

Abstract: A method for forming dual damascene metallic structure that utilizes the formation of a protective photoresist layer at the bottom of a vertical window to prevent damages to a device region in the substrate when subsequent etching operation is carried out to form a horizontal trench pattern. The protective photoresist layer at the bottom of the vertical window is formed by irradiating the photoresist layer with a dose of radiation having energy level insufficient to chemically dissociate the photoactive molecules of the photoresist layer near the bottom of the vertical window.