Abstract: The present invention provides a strained/SGOI structure that includes an active device region of a relaxed SiGe layer, a strained Si layer located atop the relaxed SiGe layer, a raised source/drain region located atop a portion of the strained Si layer, and a stack comprising at least a gate dielectric and a gate polySi located on another portion of the strained Si layer; and a raised trench oxide region surrounding the active device region. The present invention also provides a method of forming such a structure. In the inventive method, the gate dielectric is formed prior to trench isolation formation thereby avoiding many of the problems associated with prior art processes in which the trench oxide is formed prior to gate dielectric formation.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage cell in a Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET) and a method of forming an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip including the non-volatile storage cell. Each FET includes a control gate along one side of a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) fin, a floating gate along an opposite of the fin and a program gate alongside the floating gate. Control gate device thresholds are adjusted by adjusting charge on the floating gate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a strained/SGOI structure that includes an active device region of a relaxed SiGe layer, a strained Si layer located atop the relaxed SiGe layer, a raised source/drain region located atop a portion of the strained Si layer, and a stack comprising at least a gate dielectric and a gate polySi located on another portion of the strained Si layer; and a raised trench oxide region surrounding the active device region. The present invention also provides a method of forming such a structure. In the inventive method, the gate dielectric is formed prior to trench isolation formation thereby avoiding many of the problems associated with prior art processes in which the trench oxide is formed prior to gate dielectric formation.

Abstract: A process for forming sublithographic structures such as fins employs a hardmask protective layer above a hardmask to absorb damage during a dry etching step, thereby preserving symmetry in the hardmask and eliminating a source of defects.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device comprises etching a trench in a substrate and forming a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell having a storage capacitor at a lower end and an overlying vertical metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) comprising a gate conductor and a boron-doped channel. The method includes forming trenches adjacent the DRAM cell and a silicon-oxy-nitride isolation liner on either side of the DRAM cell, adjacent the gate conductor. Isolation regions are then formed in the trenches on either side of the DRAM cell. Thereafter, the DRAM cell, including the boron-containing channel region adjacent the gate conductor, is subjected to elevated temperatures by thermal processing, for example, forming a support device on the substrate adjacent the isolation regions. The nitride-containing isolation liner reduces segregation of the boron in the channel region, as compared to an essentially nitrogen-free oxide-containing isolation liner.

Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor device includes providing the semiconductor device including a deep trench transistor in an array area and a shallow trench isolation oxide in a support area, wherein a pad oxide and pad nitride are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes stripping the pad nitride, depositing an array top oxide layer over the pad oxide formed on the semiconductor substrate in the array area and the support area, and planarizing the array top oxide to a top of the shallow trench isolation oxide in the support area and to a deep trench poly stud of the deep trench transistor in the array area. The method further includes forming a wordline stack comprising a nitride layer, a gate conductor and an insulator, and etching the array top oxide, forming a passing wordline bridge through the array area supported on the shallow trench isolation oxide.

Abstract: A semiconductor body has a first portion, a second portion, and an active area located between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion and the second portion are a shallow trench isolation region having an exposed surface extending above the surface of the active area. A first ion implantation is performed at a first angle such that a first shaded area defined by the exposed surface of the first portion and the first angle is exposed to fewer ions than a first unshaded area. A second ion implantation is performed at a second angle such that a second shaded area defined by the exposed surface of the second portion and the second angle is exposed to fewer ions than a second unshaded area.

Abstract: A method of forming collar isolation for a trench storage memory cell structure is provided in which amorphous Si (a:Si) and silicon germanium (SiGe) are first formed into a trench structure. An etching process that is selective to a:Si as compared to SiGe is employed in defining the regions in which the collar isolation will be formed. The selective etching process employed in the present invention is a wet etch process that includes etching with HF, rinsing, etching with NH4OH, rinsing, and drying with a monohydric alcohol such as isopropanol. The sequence of NH4OH etching and rinsing may be repeated any number of times. The conditions used in the selective etching process of the present invention are capable of etching a:Si at a faster rate than SiGe.

Abstract: The present invention provides a strained/SGOI structure that includes an active device region of a relaxed SiGe layer, a strained Si layer located atop the relaxed SiGe layer, a raised source/drain region located atop a portion of the strained Si layer, and a stack comprising at least a gate dielectric and a gate polySi located on another portion of the strained Si layer; and a raised trench oxide region surrounding the active device region. The present invention also provides a method of forming such a structure. In the inventive method, the gate dielectric is formed prior to trench isolation formation thereby avoiding many of the problems associated with prior art processes in which the trench oxide is formed prior to gate dielectric formation.

Abstract: Process for forming dual gate oxides for DRAMS by incorporating different thicknesses of gate oxides by using nitrogen implantation. Either angled nitrogen implantation or nitride spacers is used to create a “shadow effect” or area, which limits the nitrogen dose close to the edges of the active area. The reduction of nitrogen dose leads to an increased gate oxide thickness at the active area (AA) adjacent to the shallow trench, increases the threshold of the parasitic corner device and reduces sub Vt (threshold voltage) and junction leakage.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure (and the resulting structure), includes providing a nitride layer between a silicon-containing layer and a polysilicon layer.

Abstract: An improved pitcher-shaped active area for a field effect transistor that, for a given gate length, achieves an increase in transistor on-current, a decrease in transistor serial resistance, and a decrease in contact resistance. The pitcher-shaped active area structure includes at least two shallow trench insulator (STI) structures formed into a substrate that defines an active area structure, which includes a widened top portion with a larger width than a bottom portion. An improved fabrication method for forming the improved pitcher-shaped active area is also described that implements a step to form STI structure divots followed by a step to migrate substrate material into at least portions of the divots, thereby forming a widened top portion of the active area structure. The fabrication method of present invention forms the pitcher-shaped active area without the use of lithography, and therefore, is not limited by the smallest ground rules of lithography tooling.

Abstract: The invention provides a trench storage structure that includes a substrate having a trench, a capacitor conductor in the lower part of the trench, a conductive node strap in the trench adjacent the capacitor conductor, a trench top oxide above the capacitor conductor, and a conductive buried strap in the substrate adjacent the trench top oxide. The trench top oxide includes a doped trench top oxide layer above the conductive strap, and an undoped trench top oxide layer above the doped trench top oxide layer.

Abstract: An isolation trench formed in a semiconductor substrate and is filled with at least one insulating liner layer that is deposited along sidewalls and a bottom region of the isolation trench and with at least one silicon liner layer that is deposited atop the insulating liner layer. An upper portion of the insulating liner layers are removed, and the silicon liner layers are removed. A remaining portion of the trench is filled with another insulating layer.

Abstract: The structure and method of forming a notched gate MOSFET disclosed herein addresses such problems as device reliability. A gate dielectric (e.g. gate oxide) is formed on the surface of an active area on the semiconductor substrate, preferably defined by an isolation trench region. A layer of polysilicon is then deposited on the gate dielectric. This step is followed by depositing a layer of silicon germanium) (SiGe). The sidewalls of the polysilicon layer are then laterally etched, selective to the SiGe layer to create a notched gate conductor structure, with the SiGe layer being broader than the underlying polysilicon layer. Sidewall spacers are preferably formed on sidewalls of the SiGe layer and the polysilicon layer. A silicide layer is preferably formed as a self-aligned silicide from a polysilicon layer deposited over the SiGe layer, to reduce resistance of the gate conductor. One or more other processing steps (e.g.

Abstract: A trench capacitor with improved strap is disclosed. The strap is located above the top surface of the capacitor. The top surface of the trench capacitor, which is formed by the top surfaces of the collar and storage plate, is planar. By locating the strap on a planar surface, the divot present in conventional strap processes is avoided. This results in improved strap reliability and device performance.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit device comprises etching a trench in a substrate and forming a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell having a storage capacitor at a lower end and an overlying vertical metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) comprising a gate conductor and a boron-doped channel. The method includes forming trenches adjacent the DRAM cell and a silicon-oxy-nitride isolation liner on either side of the DRAM cell, adjacent the gate conductor. Isolation regions are then formed in the trenches on either side of the DRAM cell. Thereafter, the DRAM cell, including the boron-containing channel region adjacent the gate conductor, is subjected to elevated temperatures by thermal processing, for example, forming a support device on the substrate adjacent the isolation regions. The nitride-containing isolation liner reduces segregation of the boron in the channel region, as compared to an essentially nitrogen-free oxide-containing isolation liner.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure (and the resulting structure), includes providing a nitride layer between a silicon-containing layer and a polysilicon layer.

Abstract: The structure and method of forming a notched gate MOSFET disclosed herein addresses such problems as device reliability. A gate dielectric (e.g. gate oxide) is formed on the surface of an active area on the semiconductor substrate, preferably defined by an isolation trench region. A layer of polysilicon is then deposited on the gate dielectric. This step is followed by depositing a layer of silicon germanium) (SiGe). The sidewalls of the polysilicon layer are then laterally etched, selective to the SiGe layer to create a notched gate conductor structure, with the SiGe layer being broader than the underlying polysilicon layer. Sidewall spacers are preferably formed on sidewalls of the SiGe layer and the polysilicon layer. A silicide layer is preferably formed as a self-aligned silicide from a polysilicon layer deposited over the SiGe layer, to reduce resistance of the gate conductor. One or more other processing steps (e.g.

Abstract: In a FinFET integrated circuit, the fins are formed with a body thickness in the body area and then thickened in the source/drain area outside the body to improve conductivity. The thickening is performed with epitaxial deposition while the gates are covered by a composite gate cover layer to prevent thickening of the gates, which may short the gate to the source/drain.