Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for increasing alignment margins when contacting pitch multiplied interconnect lines with other conductive features in memory devices. The portions of the lines at the periphery of the memory device are formed at an angle and are widened relative to the portions of the lines in the array region of the memory device. The widened lines allow for an increased margin of error when overlaying other features, such as landing pads, on the lines. The possibility of contacting and causing electrical shorts with adjacent lines is thus minimized. In addition, forming the portions of the lines in the periphery at an angle relative to the portions of the lines in the array regions allows the peripheral portions to be widened while also allowing multiple landing pads to be densely packed at the periphery.

Abstract: Different sized features in the array and in the periphery of an integrated circuit are patterned on a substrate in a single step. In particular, a mixed pattern, combining two separately formed patterns, is formed on a single mask layer and then transferred to the underlying substrate. The first of the separately formed patterns is formed by pitch multiplication and the second of the separately formed patterns is formed by conventional photolithography. The first of the separately formed patterns includes lines that are below the resolution of the photolithographic process used to form the second of the separately formed patterns. These lines are made by forming a pattern on photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall pacers having widths less than the widths of the un-etched parts of the amorphous carbon are formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is then removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers as a mask pattern.

Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for increasing alignment margins when contacting pitch multiplied interconnect lines with other conductive features in memory devices. The portions of the lines at the periphery of the memory device are formed at an angle and are widened relative to the portions of the lines in the array region of the memory device. The widened lines allow for an increased margin of error when overlaying other features, such as landing pads, on the lines. The possibility of contacting and causing electrical shorts with adjacent lines is thus minimized. In addition, forming the portions of the lines in the periphery at an angle relative to the portions of the lines in the array regions allows the peripheral portions to be widened while also allowing multiple landing pads to be densely packed at the periphery.

Abstract: Different sized features in the array and in the periphery of an integrated circuit are patterned on a substrate in a single step. In particular, a mixed pattern, combining two separately formed patterns, is formed on a single mask layer and then transferred to the underlying substrate. The first of the separately formed patterns is formed by pitch multiplication and the second of the separately formed patterns is formed by conventional photolithography. The first of the separately formed patterns includes lines that are below the resolution of the photolithographic process used to form the second of the separately formed patterns. These lines are made by forming a pattern on photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall pacers having widths less than the widths of the un-etched parts of the amorphous carbon are formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is then removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers as a mask pattern.

Abstract: Non-volatile memory devices and arrays are described that facilitate the use of band-gap engineered gate stacks with asymmetric tunnel barriers in floating gate memory cells in NOR or NAND memory architectures that allow for direct tunneling programming and erase with electrons and holes, while maintaining high charge blocking barriers and deep carrier trapping sites for good charge retention. The direct tunneling program and erase capability reduces damage to the gate stack and the crystal lattice from high energy carriers, reducing write fatigue and leakage issues and enhancing device lifespan. Memory cells of the present invention also allow multiple bit storage in a single memory cell, and allow for programming and erase with reduced voltages. A positive voltage erase process via hole tunneling is also provided.

Abstract: Self-aligned recessed gate structures and method of formation are disclosed. Field oxide areas for isolation are first formed in a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of columns are defined in an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate subsequent to which a thin sacrificial oxide layer is formed over exposed regions of the semiconductor substrate but not over the field oxide areas. A dielectric material is then provided on sidewalls of each column and over portions of the sacrificial oxide layer and of the field oxide areas. A first etch is conducted to form a first set of trenches within the semiconductor substrate and a plurality of recesses within the field oxide areas. A second etch is conducted to remove dielectric residue remaining on the sidewalls of the columns and to form a second set of trenches. Polysilicon is then deposited within the second set of trenches and within the recesses to form recessed conductive gates.

Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for increasing alignment margins when contacting pitch multiplied interconnect lines with other conductive features in memory devices. The portions of the lines at the periphery of the memory device are formed at an angle and are widened relative to the portions of the lines in the array region of the memory device. The widened lines allow for an increased margin of error when overlaying other features, such as landing pads, on the lines. The possibility of contacting and causing electrical shorts with adjacent lines is thus minimized. In addition, forming the portions of the lines in the periphery at an angle relative to the portions of the lines in the array regions allows the peripheral portions to be widened while also allowing multiple landing pads to be densely packed at the periphery.

Abstract: A memory cell having a bit line contact and a method of manufacturing the memory cell is provided The memory cell may be a 6F2 or smaller memory cell. The bit line contact may have a contact hole bounded by insulating side walls, the contact hole may have a selective, epitaxially grown base layer, may be partially or completely filled with a doped polysilicon plug, and may have a silicide cap. The doped polysilicon plug may have an upper plug surface profile that is substantially free of concavities or substantially convex. Similarly, a storage node contact may comprise a doped polysilicon plug having an upper plug surface profile that is substantially free of concavities or that is substantially convex. Additionally, a semiconductor device having a conductive contact comprising a polysilicon plug may is provided. The plug may contact a capacitor structure.

Abstract: Different sized features in the array and in the periphery of an integrated circuit are patterned on a substrate in a single step. In particular, a mixed pattern, combining two separately formed patterns, is formed on a single mask layer and then transferred to the underlying substrate. The first of the separately formed patterns is formed by pitch multiplication and the second of the separately formed patterns is formed by conventional photolithography. The first of the separately formed patterns includes lines that are below the resolution of the photolithographic process used to form the second of the separately formed patterns. These lines are made by forming a pattern on photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall pacers having widths less than the widths of the un-etched parts of the amorphous carbon are formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is then removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers as a mask pattern.

Abstract: A method for defining patterns in an integrated circuit comprises defining a plurality of features in a first photoresist layer using photolithography over a first region of a substrate. The method further comprises using pitch multiplication to produce at least two features in a lower masking layer for each feature in the photoresist layer. The features in the lower masking layer include looped ends. The method further comprises covering with a second photoresist layer a second region of the substrate including the looped ends in the lower masking layer. The method further comprises etching a pattern of trenches in the substrate through the features in the lower masking layer without etching in the second region. The trenches have a trench width.

Abstract: A method for defining patterns in an integrated circuit comprises defining a plurality of features in a first photoresist layer using photolithography over a first region of a substrate. The method further comprises using pitch multiplication to produce at least two features in a lower masking layer for each feature in the photoresist layer. The features in the lower masking layer include looped ends. The method further comprises covering with a second photoresist layer a second region of the substrate including the looped ends in the lower masking layer. The method further comprises etching a pattern of trenches in the substrate through the features in the lower masking layer without etching in the second region. The trenches have a trench width.

Abstract: Differently-sized features of an integrated circuit are formed by etching a substrate using a mask which is formed by combining two separately formed patterns. Pitch multiplication is used to form the relatively small features of the first pattern and conventional photolithography used to form the relatively large features of the second pattern. Pitch multiplication is accomplished by patterning a photoresist and then etching that pattern into an amorphous carbon layer. Sidewall spacers are then formed on the sidewalls of the amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon is removed, leaving behind the sidewall spacers, which define the first mask pattern. A bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) is then deposited around the spacers to form a planar surface and a photoresist layer is formed over the BARC. The photoresist is next patterned by conventional photolithography to form the second pattern, which is then is transferred to the BARC.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods of forming integrated circuitry are described. In one embodiment, memory circuitry and peripheral circuitry are formed over a substrate. The peripheral circuitry comprises first and second type MOS transistors. Second type halo implants are conducted into the first type MOS transistors in less than all of the peripheral MOS transistors of the first type. In another embodiment, a plurality of n-type transistor devices are formed over a substrate and comprise memory array circuitry and peripheral circuitry. At least some of the individual peripheral circuitry n-type transistor devices are partially masked, and a halo implant is conducted for unmasked portions of the partially masked peripheral circuitry n-type transistor devices. In yet another embodiment, at least a portion of only one of the source and drain regions is masked, and at least a portion of the other of the source and drains regions is exposed for at least some of the peripheral circuitry n-type transistor devices.

Abstract: A memory device includes memory cells, bit lines, active areas, and transistors formed in each active area and electrically coupling memory cells to corresponding bit lines. The memory cells can have an area of about 6F2, and the bit lines can be coupled to sense amplifiers in a folded bit line configuration. Each bit line may include a first level portion and a second level portion.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention described herein reduce contact resistance to a silicon-containing material using a first refractory metal material overlying the silicon-containing material and a second refractory metal material overlying the first refractory metal material. Each refractory metal material is a conductive material containing a refractory metal and an impurity. The first refractory metal material is a metal-rich material, containing a level of its impurity at less than a stoichiometric level. The second refractory metal material has a lower affinity for the impurities than does the first refractory metal material. The second refractory metal material can thus serve as an impurity donor during an anneal or other exposure to heat.

Abstract: The invention includes methods for forming electrical connections associated with semiconductor constructions. A semiconductor substrate is provided which has a conductive line thereover, and which has at least two diffusion regions adjacent the conductive line. A patterned etch stop is formed over the diffusion regions. The patterned etch stop has a pair of openings extending through it, with the openings being along a row substantially parallel to an axis of the line. An insulative material is formed over the etch stop. The insulative material is exposed to an etch to form a trench within the insulative material, and to extend the openings from the etch stop to the diffusion regions. At least a portion of the trench is directly over the openings and extends along the axis of the line. An electrically conductive material is formed within the openings and within the trench.

Abstract: A memory device includes isolation devices located between-memory cells. A plurality of isolation lines connects the isolation devices to a positive voltage during normal operations but still keeps the isolation devices in the off state to provide isolation between the memory cells. A current control circuit is placed between the isolation lines and a power node for reducing a current flowing between the isolation lines and the power node in case a deflect occurs at any one of isolation devices.

Abstract: The invention includes a semiconductor construction having a pair of channel regions that have sub-regions doped with indium and surrounded by boron. A pair of transistor constructions are located over the channel regions and are separated by an isolation region. The transistors have gates that are wider than the underlying sub-regions. The invention also includes a semiconductor construction that has transistor constructions with insulative spacers along gate sidewalls. Each transistor construction is between a pair source/drain regions that extend beneath the spacers. A source/drain extension extends the source/drain region farther beneath the transistor constructions on only one side of each of the transistor constructions. The invention also includes methods of forming semiconductor constructions.

Abstract: A memory device includes memory cells, bit lines, active area lines running generally in parallel to the bit lines, and transistors formed in each active area line and electrically coupling memory cells to corresponding bit lines. Each bit line includes slanted portions that intersect a corresponding portion of an active area line at an angle. Contacts electrically coupling the bit line to portions of the active area line are formed in a region generally defined by the angled intersection of the bit line to the active area line. The memory cells can have an area of about 6F2, and the bit lines can be coupled to sense amplifiers in a folded bit line configuration. Each bit line includes a first level portion and a second level portion.

Abstract: A memory device having decreased cell size and having transistors with increased channel widths. The sidewalls of the pillars and the top surface of the pillars are covered with a gate oxide and a conductive layer to form a channel through the pillars. The current path through the channel is approximately equal to twice the height of the pillar plus the width of the pillar. The pillars are patterned to form non-linear active area lines having angled segments. The conductive layer is patterned to from word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments.