Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a substrate, a gate disposed on the substrate, and a source and drain formed in the substrate on both sides of the gate. The device further comprises a thin spacer having a first layer and a second layer formed on the sidewalls of the gate, wherein the first and second layers have comparable wet etch rates of at least 10 ? per minute using the same etchant.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a resistance-reduced transistor with metallized bilayer overlying source/drain regions and gate electrode thereof. A first dielectric layer with a conductive contact overlies the resistance-reduced transistor. A second dielectric layer having a first conductive feature overlies the first dielectric layer. A third dielectric layer with a second conductive feature overlies the second dielectric layer, forming a conductive pathway down to the top surface of the metallized bilayer over one of the source/drain regions or the gate electrode layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided comprising the steps of: (a) forming a semiconductor element on a substrate, the semiconductor element having at least one nickel silicide contact region, a first etch stop layer formed over the element and an insulating layer formed over the first etch stop layer; (b) forming an opening through the insulating layer over the contact region at least to the first etch stop layer; (c) removing a portion of the first etch stop layer contacting a selected contact region using a process that does not substantially oxidize with the contact region, to form a contact opening to the contact region; and (d) filling the contact opening with conductive material to form a contact.

Abstract: In a method of forming a double gate device, a buried insulating layer having a thickness of less than about 30 nm is formed on a first substrate. A second substrate is formed on the buried insulating layer. A pad layer is formed over the second substrate. A mask layer is formed over the pad layer. A first trench is formed extending through the pad layer, second substrate, buried insulating layer and into the first substrate. The first trench is filled with a first isolation. A second trench is formed in the first isolation and filled with a conductive material. An MOS transistor is formed on the second substrate. A bottom gate is formed under the buried insulating layer and self-aligned to the top gate formed on the second substrate.

Abstract: An integrated advanced method for forming a semiconductor device utilizes a sacrificial stress layer as part of a film stack that enables spatially selective silicide formation in the device. The low-resistance portion of the device to be silicided includes NMOS transistors and PMOS transistors. The stressed film may be a tensile or compressive nitride film. An annealing process is carried out prior to the silicide formation process. During the annealing process, the stressed nitride film preferentially remains over either the NMOS transistors or PMOS transistors, but not both, to optimize device performance. A tensile nitride film remains over the NMOS transistors but not the PMOS transistors while a compressive nitride film remains over the PMOS transistors but not the NMOS transistors, during anneal.

Abstract: A one transistor (1T-RAM) bit cell and method for manufacture are provided. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure and method of manufacturing it in an integrated process that includes a finFET transistor for the 1T-RAM bit cell is provided. In some embodiments, the finFET transistor and MIM capacitor are formed in a memory region and an asymmetric processing method is disclosed, which allows planar MOSFET transistors to be formed in another region of a single device. In some embodiments, the 1T-RAM cell and additional transistors may be combined to form a macro cell, multiple macro cells may form an integrated circuit. The MIM capacitors may include nanoparticles or nanostructures to increase the effective capacitance. The finFET transistors may be formed over an insulator. The MIM capacitors may be formed in interlevel insulator layers above the substrate. The process provided to manufacture the structure may advantageously use conventional photomasks.

Abstract: A semiconductor device provides a gate structure that includes a conductive portion and a high-k dielectric material formed beneath and along sides of the conductive material. An additional gate dielectric material such as a gate oxide may be used in addition to the high-k dielectric material. The method for forming the structure includes forming an opening in an organic material, forming the high-k dielectric material and a conductive material within the opening and over the organic material then using chemical mechanical polishing to remove the high-k dielectric material and conductive material from regions outside the gate region.

Abstract: A strained channel MOSFET device with improved charge mobility and method for forming the same, the method including providing a first gate with a first semiconductor conductive type and second gate with a semiconductor conductive type on a substrate; forming a first strained layer with a first type of stress on said first gate; and, forming a second strained layer with a second type of stress on said second gate.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the dielectric constant of a low-k dielectric film on a production substrate include measuring the electronic component of the dielectric constant using an ellipsometer, measuring the ionic component of the dielectric constant using an IR spectrometer, measuring the overall dielectric constant using a microwave spectrometer and deriving the dipolar component of the dielectric constant. The measurements and determination are non-contact and may be carried out on a production device that is further processed following the measurements.

Abstract: A strained channel MOSFET device with improved charge mobility and method for forming the same, the method including providing a first gate with a first semiconductor conductive type and second gate with a semiconductor conductive type on a substrate; forming a first strained layer with a first type of stress on said first gate; and, forming a second strained layer with a second type of stress on said second gate.

Abstract: A multiple gate region FET device for forming up to 6 FET devices and method for forming the same, the device including a multiple fin shaped structure comprising a semiconductor material disposed on a substrate; said multiple fin shaped structure comprising substantially parallel spaced apart sidewall portions, each of said sidewall portions comprising major inner and outer surfaces and an upper surface; wherein, each of said surfaces comprises a surface for forming an overlying field effect transistor (FET).

Abstract: Methods and structures for forming a contact hole structure are disclosed. These methods first form a substantially silicon-free material layer over a substrate. A material layer is formed over the substantially silicon-free material layer. A contact hole is formed within the substantially silicon-free material layer and the material layer without substantially damaging the substrate. In addition, a conductive layer is formed in the contact hole so as to form a contact structure.

Abstract: A CMOS device with trapezoid shaped spacers and a method for forming the same with improved critical dimension control and improved salicide formation, the CMOS device including a semiconductor substrate; a gate structure comprising a gate dielectric on the semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; trapezoid shaped spacers adjacent either side of the gate structure; wherein, the trapezoid shaped spacers have a maximum height at an inner edge adjacent the gate electrode lower than an upper portion of the gate electrode to expose gate electrode sidewall portions.

Abstract: A strained channel MOSFET device with improved charge mobility and method for forming the same, the method including providing a first gate with a first semiconductor conductive type and second gate with a semiconductor conductive type on a substrate; forming a first strained layer with a first type of stress on said first gate; and, forming a second strained layer with a second type of stress on said second gate.

Abstract: In a method of forming a double gate device, a buried insulating layer having a thickness of less than about 30 nm is formed on a first substrate. A second substrate is formed on the buried insulating layer. A pad layer is formed over the second substrate. A mask layer is formed over the pad layer. A first trench is formed extending through the pad layer, second substrate, buried insulating layer and into the first substrate. The first trench is filled with a first isolation. A second trench is formed in the first isolation and filled with a conductive material. An MOS transistor is formed on the second substrate. A bottom gate is formed under the buried insulating layer and self-aligned to the top gate formed on the second substrate.

Abstract: An integrated advanced method for forming a semiconductor device utilizes a sacrificial stress layer as part of a film stack that enables spatially selective silicide formation in the device. The low-resistance portion of the device to be silicided includes NMOS transistors and PMOS transistors. The stressed film may be a tensile or compressive nitride film. An annealing process is carried out prior to the silicide formation process. During the annealing process, the stressed nitride film preferentially remains over either the NMOS transistors or PMOS transistors, but not both, to optimize device performance. A tensile nitride film remains over the NMOS transistors but not the PMOS transistors while a compressive nitride film remains over the PMOS transistors but not the NMOS transistors, during anneal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device provides a gate structure that includes a conductive portion and a high-k dielectric material formed beneath and along sides of the conductive material. An additional gate dielectric material such as a gate oxide may be used in addition to the high-k dielectric material. The method for forming the structure includes forming an opening in an organic material, forming the high-k dielectric material and a conductive material within the opening and over the organic material then using chemical mechanical polishing to remove the high-k dielectric material and conductive material from regions outside the gate region.

Abstract: A method for dry etching a dielectric layer including providing a substrate; forming at least one overlying dielectric layer over the substrate; subjecting the at least one overlying layer to a plasma oxidizing process; and, subjecting the at least one overlying layer to a plasma etching process.

Abstract: A method for forming a resist protect layer on a semiconductor substrate includes the following steps. An isolation structure is formed on the semiconductor substrate. An original nitride layer having a substantial etch selectivity to the isolation structure is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A photoresist mask is formed for partially covering the original nitride layer. A wet etching is performed to remove the original nitride layer uncovered by the photoresist mask in such a way without causing substantial damage to the isolation structure. As such, the original nitride layer covered by the photoresist mask constitutes the resist protect layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect structure includes an organic and/or photosensitive etch buffer layer disposed over a contact surface. The structure further provides an interlevel dielectric formed over the etch buffer layer. A method for forming an interconnect structure includes etching to form an opening in the interlevel dielectric, the etching operation being terminated at or above the etch buffer layer. The etch buffer layer is removed to expose the contact surface using a removal process that may include wet etching, ashing or DUV exposure followed by developing or other techniques that do not result in damage to contact surface. The contact surface may be a conductive material such as silicide, salicide or a metal alloy.