Abstract: A method of forming a capacitor includes providing material having an opening therein over a node location on a substrate. A shield is provided within and across the opening, with a void being received within the opening above the shield and a void being received within the opening below the shield. The shield comprises a nitride. Etching is conducted within the opening through the nitride-comprising shield. After the etching, a first capacitor electrode is formed within the opening in electrical connection with the node location. A capacitor dielectric and a second capacitor electrode are formed operatively adjacent the first capacitor electrode. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes selectively depositing a collar material between a number of memory containers. The collar material along a side of a first memory container of the number of memory containers is in contact with the collar material along a side of a second memory container. An opening exists between the collar material along a corner of the memory container and the collar material along a corner of a third memory container.

Abstract: An etching process includes providing a dielectric first film on a substrate and a sacrificial second film on the dielectric first film. A conductive structure such as a container capacitor is formed in a recess in the first and second films. The conductive structure is exposed as to its external surface by an etch process that resists destructive collapse of the conductive structure.

Abstract: The use of an ammonium hydroxide spike to a hot tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution to form an insitu poly oxide decapping step in a polysilicon (poly) etch process, results in a single step rapid poly etch process having uniform etch initiation and a high etch selectivity, that may be used in manufacturing a variety of electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) and micro electro-mechanical (MEM) devices. The etching solution is formed by adding 35% ammonium hydroxide solution to a hot 12.5% TMAH solution at about 70° C. at a rate of 1% by volume, every hour. Such an etch solution and method provides a simple, inexpensive, single step self initiating poly etch that has etch stop ratios of over 200 to 1 over underlying insulator layers and TiN layers.

Abstract: Apparatus and method, suitable for cable wrapping apparatus for securing the cable of a spooled or a coiled product and for packaging such products. Apparatus and method is also suitable for quick switchover from a finished cable product to a new cable product so that the productivity of the cable wrapping apparatus can be increased.

Abstract: Methods for etching metal nitrides and metal oxides include using ultradilute HF solutions and buffered, low-pH HF solutions containing a minimal amount of the hydrofluoric acid species H2F2. The etchant can be used to selectively remove metal nitride layers relative to doped or undoped oxides, tungsten, polysilicon, and titanium nitride. A method is provided for producing an isolated capacitor, which can be used in a dynamic random access memory cell array, on a substrate using sacrificial layers selectively removed to expose outer surfaces of the bottom electrode.

Abstract: A laminated wafer sensor structure includes a housing layer having pocket openings formed therein, a circuit layer having a sensor element and electronic components mounted for registration with the pocket openings in the housing layer, and a rigid back layer. The laminated structure is suitable for handling by conventional robotic wafer handling systems. The wafer sensor structure is adapted for electrical connection to a base station that is also adapted for connection to a host computer system to facilitate communication among the sensor structure, the base station and the host computer.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a strip product using a strip fabrication assembly, by entering arm positions for guide arms of the assembly into a guide arm controller device, moving the corresponding guide arms of the strip fabrication assembly to the respective arm positions using the guide arm controller device, and feeding different strip materials through the assembly using the guide arms, after moving them to the entered arm positions. The guide arms are coupled to threaded rods, and are moved by actuating servo motors which are coupled to the threaded rods. The guide arm controller device may include a programmable logic controller, which has been programmed to control the servo motors in response to entry of guide arm positions.

Abstract: The use of an ammonium hydroxide spike to a hot tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution to form an insitu poly oxide decapping step in a polysilicon (poly) etch process, results in a single step rapid poly etch process having uniform etch initiation and a high etch selectivity, that may be used in manufacturing a variety of electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) and micro electromechanical (MEM) devices. The etching solution is formed by adding 35% ammonium hydroxide solution to a hot 12.5% TMAH solution at about 70° C. at a rate of 1% by volume, every hour. Such an etch solution and method provides a simple, inexpensive, single step self initiating poly etch that has etch stop ratios of over 200 to 1 over underlying insulator layers and TiN layers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing a semiconductor substrate that includes a memory container having a double-sided capacitor. The method also includes vapor phase etching a layer adjacent to the side wall of the memory container with a vapor having a surface tension lowering agent.

Abstract: The use of an ammonium hydroxide spike to a hot tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution to form an insitu poly oxide decapping step in a polysilicon (poly) etch process, results in a single step rapid poly etch process having uniform etch initiation and a high etch selectivity, that may be used in manufacturing a variety of electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) and micro electromechanical (MEM) devices. The etching solution is formed by adding 35% ammonium hydroxide solution to a hot 12.5% TMAH solution at about 70° C. at a rate of 1% by volume, every hour. Such an etch solution and method provides a simple, inexpensive, single step self initiating poly etch that has etch stop ratios of over 200 to 1 over underlying insulator layers and TiN layers.

Abstract: Bottom electrodes of memory cell capacitors are recessed to prevent electrical shorts between neighboring memory cells. A partially fabricated memory cell capacitor has a bottom electrode comprising titanium nitride (TiN) and hemispherical grained (HSG) silicon. The container housing the capacitor is filled with photoresist and then planarized. The TiN layer is then selectively recessed with a peroxide mixture and subsequently the HSG silicon layer is recessed using tetramethyl ammoniumhydroxide. Thus, the bottom electrode is recessed below the level of particles which may overlie the memory cell capacitors and cause shorts by contacting the bottom electrode.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming isolation regions. An opening can be formed to extend into a semiconductor material, and an upper periphery of the opening can be protected with a liner while a lower periphery is unlined. The unlined portion can then be etched to form a widened region of the opening. Subsequently, the opening can be filled with insulative material to form an isolation region. Transistor devices can then be formed on opposing sides of the isolation region, and electrically isolated from one another with the isolation region. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions containing an electrically insulative isolation structure extending into a semiconductor material, with the structure having a bulbous bottom region and a stem region extending upwardly from the bottom region to a surface of the semiconductor material.

Abstract: Double-sided container capacitors are formed using sacrificial layers. A sacrificial layer is formed within a recess in a structural layer. A lower electrode is formed within the recess. The sacrificial layer is removed to create a space to allow access to the sides of the structural layer. The structural layer is removed, creating an isolated lower electrode. The lower electrode can be covered with a capacitor dielectric and upper electrode to form a double-sided container capacitor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing a semiconductor substrate that includes a memory container having a double-sided capacitor. The method also includes vapor phase etching a layer adjacent to the side wall of the memory container with a vapor having a surface tension lowering agent.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of forming isolation regions. An opening can be formed to extend into a semiconductor material, and an upper periphery of the opening can be protected with a liner while a lower periphery is unlined. The unlined portion can then be etched to form a widened region of the opening. Subsequently, the opening can be filled with insulative material to form an isolation region. Transistor devices can then be formed on opposing sides of the isolation region, and electrically isolated from one another with the isolation region. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions containing an electrically insulative isolation structure extending into a semiconductor material, with the structure having a bulbous bottom region and a stem region extending upwardly from the bottom region to a surface of the semiconductor material.

Abstract: The use of an ammonium hydroxide spike to a hot tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution to form an insitu poly oxide decapping step in a polysilicon (poly) etch process, results in a single step rapid poly etch process having uniform etch initiation and a high etch selectivity, that may be used in manufacturing a variety of electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) and micro electro-mechanical (MEM) devices. The etching solution is formed by adding 35% ammonium hydroxide solution to a hot 12.5% TMAH solution at about 70° C. at a rate of 1% by volume, every hour. Such an etch solution and method provides a simple, inexpensive, single step self initiating poly etch that has etch stop ratios of over 200 to 1 over underlying insulator layers and TiN layers.

Abstract: This invention methods of etching an aluminum oxide comprising substrate, and methods of forming capacitors. In one implementation, a method of etching an aluminum oxide comprising substrate includes flowing water and ozone to aluminum oxide on the substrate, with at least one of the water and the ozone being at a temperature of at least 65° C. at the aluminum oxide effective to etch aluminum oxide from the substrate. In one implementation, aspects of the method are utilized in forming a capacitor.

Abstract: A surface treatment process includes rinsing a substrate after a dry development process to remove residual resist material prior to patterning a hard mask layer. An amorphous carbon hard mask is dry developed and thereafter, the surface treatment includes an aqueous ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide composition. While the composition acts as a solvent to the resist, the composition is selective to the amorphous carbon hard mask and the surface under the hard mask.

Abstract: A surface treatment process includes rinsing a substrate after a dry development process to remove residual resist material prior to patterning a hard mask layer. An amorphous carbon hard mask is dry developed and thereafter, the surface treatment includes an aqueous ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide composition. While the composition acts as a solvent to the resist, the composition is selective to the amorphous carbon hard mask and the surface under the hard mask.