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: 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: An integrated circuit device having non-linear active area pillars. More specifically, pillars are formed in a substrate such that sidewalls are exposed. 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 pillars are patterned to form non-linear active area lines having angled segments. The conductive layer is patterned to form word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments.

Abstract: A memory array having decreased cell sizes and having transistors with increased channel widths. More specifically, pillars are formed in a substrate such that sidewalls are exposed. The sidewalls of the pillars and the top surface of the pillars are covered with a gate oxide and a polysilicon 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 polysilicon layer is patterned to form word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments.

Abstract: Abstract of the Disclosure 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 device having decreased cell size and having transistors with increased channel widths. More specifically, pillars are formed in a substrate such that sidewalls are exposed. The sidewalls of the pillars and the top surface of the pillars are covered with a gate oxide and a polysilicon 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 polysilicon layer is patterned to from word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments.

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: 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: 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: Semiconductor processing methods of forming transistors, semiconductor processing methods of forming dynamic random access memory circuitry, and related integrated circuitry are described. In one embodiment, active areas are formed over a substrate, with one of the active areas having a width of less than one micron, and with some of the active areas having different widths. A gate line is formed over the active areas to provide transistors having different threshold voltages. Preferably, the transistors are provided with different threshold voltages without using a separate channel implant for the transistors. In another embodiment, a plurality of shallow trench isolation regions are formed within a substrate and define a plurality of active areas having widths at least some of which being no greater than about one micron (or less), with some of the widths preferably being different.

Abstract: A patterned mask can be formed as follows. A first patterned photoresist is formed over a masking layer and utilized during a first etch into the masking layer. The first etch extends to a depth in the masking layer that is less than entirely through the masking layer. A second patterned photoresist is subsequently formed over the masking layer and utilized during a second etch into the masking layer. The combined first and second etches form openings extending entirely through the masking layer and thus form the masking layer into the patterned mask. The patterned mask can be utilized to form a pattern in a substrate underlying the mask. The pattern formed in the substrate can correspond to an array of capacitor container openings. Capacitor structure can be formed within the openings. The capacitor structures can be incorporated within a DRAM array.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods of forming transistors, semiconductor processing methods of forming dynamic random access memory circuitry, and related integrated circuitry are described. In one embodiment, active areas are formed over a substrate, with one of the active areas having a width of less than one micron, and with some of the active areas having different widths. A gate line is formed over the active areas to provide transistors having different threshold voltages. Preferably, the transistors are provided with different threshold voltages without using a separate channel implant for the transistors. In another embodiment, a plurality of shallow trench isolation regions are formed within a substrate and define a plurality of active areas having widths at least some of which being no greater than about one micron (or less), with some of the widths preferably being different.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods of forming transistors, semiconductor processing methods of forming dynamic random access memory circuitry, and related integrated circuitry are described. In one embodiment, active areas are formed over a substrate, with one of the active areas having a width of less than one micron, and with some of the active areas having different widths. A gate line is formed over the active areas to provide transistors having different threshold voltages. Preferably, the transistors are provided with different threshold voltages without using a separate channel implant for the transistors. In another embodiment, a plurality of shallow trench isolation regions are formed within a substrate and define a plurality of active areas having widths at least some of which being no greater than about one micron (or less), with some of the widths preferably being different.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods of forming transistors, semiconductor processing methods of forming dynamic random access memory circuitry, and related integrated circuitry are described. In one embodiment, active areas are formed over a substrate, with one of the active areas having a width of less than one micron, and with some of the active areas having different widths. A gate line is formed over the active areas to provide transistors having different threshold voltages. Preferably, the transistors are provided with different threshold voltages without using a separate channel implant for the transistors. In another embodiment, a plurality of shallow trench isolation regions are formed within a substrate and define a plurality of active areas having widths at least some of which being no greater than about one micron (or less), with some of the widths preferably being different.

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 semiconductor device and fabrication process wherein the device includes a conductive layer with a localized thick region positioned below the contact hole. In one embodiment of the invention, the thick region to which contact is made is formed by means of an opening in an underlayer of material. This embodiment of the device includes an underlayer of material having an opening therein; a layer of thin conductive material formed on the underlayer and in the opening; and overlayer of material having a contact hole therethrough formed on the layer of thin conductive material; a conductor contacting the layer of thin conductive material through the contact hole; and wherein the opening in the underlayer is positioned below the contact hole and sized and shaped to form a localized thick region in the layer of thin conductive material within the opening.

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 semiconductor device and fabrication process wherein the device includes a conductive layer with a localized thick region positioned below the contact hole. In one embodiment of the invention, the thick region to which contact is made is formed by means of an opening in an underlayer of material. This embodiment of the device includes an underlayer of material having an opening therein; a layer of thin conductive material formed on the underlayer and in the opening; and overlayer of material having a contact hole therethrough formed on the layer of thin conductive material; a conductor contacting the layer of thin conductive material through the contact hole; and wherein the opening in the underlayer is positioned below the contact hole and sized and shaped to form a localized thick region in the layer of thin conductive material within the opening.

Abstract: A memory cell includes either a bit line contact feature or a word line space feature that are each characterized by a contact hole bounded by insulating side walls. The contact hole is filled with a conductively doped polysilicon plug defining an upper plug surface profile that is substantially free of concavities.

Abstract: A patterned mask can be formed as follows. A first patterned photoresist is formed over a masking layer and utilized during a first etch into the masking layer. The first etch extends to a depth in the masking layer that is less than entirely through the masking layer. A second patterned photoresist is subsequently formed over the masking layer and utilized during a second etch into the masking layer. The combined first and second etches form openings extending entirely through the masking layer and thus form the masking layer into the patterned mask. The patterned mask can be utilized to form a pattern in a substrate underlying the mask. The pattern formed in the substrate can correspond to an array of capacitor container openings. Capacitor structure can be formed within the openings. The capacitor structures can be incorporated within a DRAM array.