Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicide contact region positioned at least partially in a semiconductor layer, an etch stop layer positioned above the semiconductor layer, and a dielectric layer positioned above the etch stop layer. A contact structure that includes a conductive contact material extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layer and through an entirety of the etch stop layer to the silicide contact region, and a silicide protection layer is positioned between sidewalls of the etch stop layer and sidewalls of the contact structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicide contact region positioned at least partially in a semiconductor layer, an etch stop layer positioned above the semiconductor layer, and a dielectric layer positioned above the etch stop layer. A contact structure that includes a conductive contact material extends through at least a portion of the dielectric layer and through an entirety of the etch stop layer to the silicide contact region, and a silicide protection layer is positioned between sidewalls of the etch stop layer and sidewalls of the contact structure.

Abstract: When forming semiconductor devices with contact plugs comprising protection layers formed on sidewalls of etch stop layers to reduce the risk of shorts, the protection layers may be formed by performing a sputter process to remove material from a contact region and redeposit the removed material on the sidewalls of the etch stop layers.

Abstract: Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to modern sophisticated semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same, wherein electrical interconnects between circuit elements based on a buried sublevel metallization may provide improved transistor density. One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a contact dielectric layer above first and second transistor elements of a semiconductor device, and after forming the contact dielectric layer, forming a buried conductive element below an upper surface of the contact dielectric layer, the conductive element providing an electrical connection between the first and second transistor elements.

Abstract: During a replacement gate approach, the inverse tapering of the opening obtained after removal of the polysilicon material may be reduced by depositing a spacer layer and forming corresponding spacer elements on inner sidewalls of the opening. Consequently, the metal-containing gate electrode material and the high-k dielectric material may be deposited with enhanced reliability.

Abstract: When forming semiconductor devices with contact plugs comprising protection layers formed on sidewalls of etch stop layers to reduce the risk of shorts, the protection layers may be formed by performing a sputter process to remove material from a contact region and redeposit the removed material on the sidewalls of the etch stop layers.

Abstract: During a replacement gate approach, the inverse tapering of the opening obtained after removal of the polysilicon material may be reduced by depositing a spacer layer and forming corresponding spacer elements on inner sidewalls of the opening. Consequently, the metal-containing gate electrode material and the high-k dielectric material may be deposited with enhanced reliability.

Abstract: When forming a metal silicide within contact openings in complex semiconductor devices, a silicidation of sidewall surface areas of the contact openings may be initiated by forming a silicon layer therein, thereby reducing unwanted diffusion of the refractory metal species into the laterally adjacent dielectric material. In this manner, superior reliability and electrical performance of the resulting contact elements may be achieved on the basis of a late silicide process.

Abstract: In sophisticated semiconductor devices, the contact elements connecting to active semiconductor regions having formed thereabove closely spaced gate electrode structures may be provided on the basis of a liner material so as to reduce the lateral width of the contact opening, while, on the other hand, non-critical contact elements may be formed on the basis of non-reduced lateral dimensions. To this end, at least a first portion of the critical contact element is formed and provided with a liner material prior to forming the non-critical contact element.

Abstract: A stress compensation region that may be appropriately positioned on a package substrate may compensate for or at least significantly reduce the thermally induced mechanical stress in a sensitive metallization system of a semiconductor die, in particular during the critical reflow process. For example, a stressor ring may be formed so as to laterally surround the chip receiving portion of the package substrate, wherein the stressor ring may efficiently compensate for the thermally induced deformation in the chip receiving portion.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating integrated circuits that include forming first and second spaced apart gate structures overlying a semiconductor substrate, and forming first and second spaced apart source/drain regions in the semiconductor substrate between the gate structures. A first layer of insulating material is deposited overlying the gate structures and the source/drain regions by a process of atomic layer deposition, and a second layer of insulating material is deposited overlying the first layer by a process of chemical vapor deposition. First and second openings are etched through the second layer and the first layer to expose portions of the source/drain regions. The first and second openings are filled with conductive material to form first and second spaced apart contacts, electrically isolated from each other, in electrical contact with the first and second source/drain regions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming conductive contacts with reduced dimensions and various semiconductor devices incorporating such conductive contacts. In one example, one method disclosed herein includes forming a layer of insulating material above a semiconducting substrate, wherein the layer of material has a first thickness, forming a plurality of contact openings in the layer of material having the first thickness and forming an organic material in at least a portion of each of the contact openings. This illustrative method further includes the steps of, after forming the organic material, performing an etching process to reduce the first thickness of the layer of insulating material to a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, after performing the etching process, removing the organic material from the contact openings and forming a conductive contact in each of the contact openings.

Abstract: During a replacement gate approach, the inverse tapering of the opening obtained after removal of the polysilicon material may be reduced by depositing a spacer layer and forming corresponding spacer elements on inner sidewalls of the opening. Consequently, the metal-containing gate electrode material and the high-k dielectric material may be deposited with enhanced reliability.

Abstract: Different threshold voltages of transistors of the same conductivity type in a complex integrated circuit may be adjusted on the basis of different Miller capacitances, which may be accomplished by appropriately adapting a spacer width and/or performing a tilted extension implantation. Thus, efficient process strategies may be available to controllably adjust the Miller capacitance, thereby providing enhanced transistor performance of low threshold transistors while not unduly contributing to process complexity compared to conventional approaches in which threshold voltage values may be adjusted on the basis of complex halo and well doping regimes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming conductive contacts with reduced dimensions and various semiconductor devices incorporating such conductive contacts. In one example, one method disclosed herein includes forming a layer of insulating material above a semiconducting substrate, wherein the layer of material has a first thickness, forming a plurality of contact openings in the layer of material having the first thickness and forming an organic material in at least a portion of each of the contact openings. This illustrative method further includes the steps of, after forming the organic material, performing an etching process to reduce the first thickness of the layer of insulating material to a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, after performing the etching process, removing the organic material from the contact openings and forming a conductive contact in each of the contact openings.

Abstract: By providing an implantation blocking material on the gate electrode structures of advanced semiconductor devices during high energy implantation processes, the required shielding effect with respect to the channel regions of the transistors may be accomplished. In a later manufacturing stage, the implantation blocking portion may be removed to reduce the gate electrode height to a desired level in order to enhance the process conditions during the deposition of an interlayer dielectric material, thereby significantly reducing the risk of creating irregularities, such as voids, in the interlayer dielectric material, even in densely packed device regions.

Abstract: Enhanced efficiency of a stress relaxation implantation process may be achieved by depositing a first layer of reduced thickness and relaxing the same at certain device regions, thereby obtaining an enhanced amount of substantially relaxed dielectric material in close proximity to the transistor under consideration, wherein a desired high amount of stressed dielectric material may be obtained above other transistors by performing a further deposition process. Hence, the negative effect of the highly stressed dielectric material for specific transistors, for instance in densely packed device regions, may be significantly reduced by depositing the highly stressed dielectric material in two steps with an intermediate relaxation implantation process.

Abstract: Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to modern sophisticated semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same, wherein electrical interconnects between circuit elements based on a buried sublevel metallization may provide improved transistor density. One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a contact dielectric layer above first and second transistor elements of a semiconductor device, and after forming the contact dielectric layer, forming a buried conductive element below an upper surface of the contact dielectric layer, the conductive element providing an electrical connection between the first and second transistor elements.

Abstract: A contact element may be formed on the basis of a hard mask, which may be patterned on the basis of a first resist mask and on the basis of a second resist mask, to define an appropriate intersection area which may represent the final design dimensions of the contact element. Consequently, each of the resist masks may be formed on the basis of a photolithography process with less restrictive constraints, since at least one of the lateral dimensions may be selected as a non-critical dimension in each of the two resist masks.

Abstract: When forming a metal silicide within contact openings in complex semiconductor devices, a silicidation of sidewall surface areas of the contact openings may be initiated by forming a silicon layer therein, thereby reducing unwanted diffusion of the refractory metal species into the laterally adjacent dielectric material. In this manner, superior reliability and electrical performance of the resulting contact elements may be achieved on the basis of a late silicide process.