Abstract: A viable T-gate FET is produced even when the cap of the “T” is mis-aligned from the stem of the “T”. A subtractive etch is used to selectively etch the material forming the cap of the T-gate and the material forming the stem of the T-gate in order to avoid the etching away of portions of the stem if the cap is mis-aligned relative to the stem. To that end, germanium (Ge) may be used as the material for the cap of the T-gate and poly silicon (polySi) may be used as the material for the stem of the T-gate. Since germanium can be etched selectively relative to silicon from 10:1 to as much as 20:1, the cap of the T can be formed without appreciable damage to the stem portion and thus without damage to the resultant FET device.

Abstract: A pair of dynamic random access memory cells having each end of the active area surrounded on three sides by a gate conductor. The width of each end of the active area that is surrounded by a gate conductor preferably is less than fifty percent of the width of the deep trench intersected by that end of the active area.

Abstract: A method for introducing dopants into a semiconductor device using doped germanium oxide is disclosed. The method includes using rapid thermal anneal (RTA) or furnace anneal to diffuse dopants into a substrate from a doped germanium oxide sacrificial layer on the semiconductor substrate. After annealing to diffuse the dopants into the substrate, the germanium oxide sacrificial layers is removed using water thereby avoiding removal of silicon dioxide (SiO2) in the gates or in standard device isolation structures, that may lead to device failure. N+ and p+ sources and drains can be formed in appropriate wells in a semiconductor substrate, using a singular anneal and without the need to define more than one region of the first doped sacrificial layer. Alternatively, annealing before introducing a second dopant into the germanium oxide sacrificial layer give slower diffusing ions such as arsenic a head start.

Abstract: A DRAM device and a process of manufacturing the device. The DRAM device includes a bit-line coupled to a signal storage node through a transfer device that is controlled by a word line. The transfer device includes a mesa structure having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a top, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side. A bit-line diffusion region couples the first end of the mesa structure to a bit-line contact. A storage node diffusion region couples the second end of the mesa structure to the signal storage node. The word line controls a channel formed in the mesa structure through a gate which is formed upon the first side, the second side, and the top of the mesa structure. A sub-minimum width of the mesa structure allows full depletion to be easily achieved, resulting in volume inversion in the channel.

Abstract: A method of forming oxide and gate oxide areas of differing thicknesses. The processes disclosed include using an electromagnetic wave light at differing exposure durations and/or different energy levels to create oxide of differing thicknesses on a layer. The electromagnetic wave is preferably a laser.

Abstract: A photoresist composition is disclosed having both negative tone and positive tone responses, giving rise to spaces being formed in the areas of diffraction which are exposed to intermediate amounts of radiation energy. This resist material may be used to print doughnut shapes or may be subjected to a second masking step, to print lines. Additionally, larger and smaller features may be obtained using a gray-scale filter in the reticle, to create larger areas of intermediate exposure areas.

Abstract: A method for forming contacts on an integrated circuit that are self-aligned with the wiring patterns of the integrated circuit. In the method a thicker lower layer of a first material and a thinner upper layer of a second material are formed on a substrate. The features of the metal wiring is patterned first on the upper layer. The wiring pattern trenches are etched through the thinner surface layer, and partially through the second, thicker layer. After the wiring pattern is etched, the contacts for the wiring layer are printed as line/space patterns which intersect the wiring pattern. The contact pattern is etched into the lower, thicker layer with an etch process that is selective to the upper thinner layer. The contact is only formed at the intersection point of the wiring image with the contact image, therefore the contact is self-aligned to the metal.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory device formed in a substrate having a trench. The trench has a side wall, a top, a lower portion, and a circumference. The device includes a signal storage node including a storage node conductor formed in the lower portion of the trench and isolated from the side wall by a node dielectric and a collar oxide above the node dielectric. A buried strap is coupled to the storage node conductor and contacts a portion of the side wall of the trench above the collar oxide. A trench-top dielectric which is formed upon the buried strap has a trench-top dielectric thickness.

Abstract: A structure and process for joining semiconductor components. The present invention allows the flexibility of fabricating electronic components, or semiconductor chip structures, to a common point and electrically joining the different parts together at a back end level, or to a metal wiring level, to complete circuit functionality. Different combinations of front end of the line device chips may be readily joined to a common back end of the line device using a small electrical connection to form a small semiconductor chip package. Instead of packaging different groups of semiconductor chips onto different substrates and then electrically connecting each substrate together for circuit and component functionality, each group of chips can be formed on a single substrate and electrically joined on a back end wafer. These electrically connected and combined groups of chips becomes, for all practical purposes, one chip.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a method to form unlinked features using hybrid resist. The method uses a trim process in order to trim the linking features from the “loops” formed by the hybrid resist. This allows the method to form a plurality of unlinked features rather than the loops. In order to trim the ends, a relatively larger trim area is formed adjacent the narrow feature line, either by a second exposure step or by utilizing a grey scale reticle. The broader or wider open area allows features to be formed in the narrow feature lines and being trimmed from the relatively large areas, thereby resulting in district features rather than loops.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method of making the same are disclosed which includes a DRAM cell which has a transistor which includes a gate. The gate includes an individual segment of gate conductor such as polysilicon on a thin dielectric material. The transistor further has a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a source/drain region. An active conducting wordline is deposited on top of and electrically contacting a segment gate conductor, the wordline being a conductive material having a top and sidewalls. Electrically insulating material completely surrounds the active wordline except where the active wordline contacts the segment gate conductor. The insulating material surrounding the active wordline includes silicon nitride overlying the top and surrounding a portion of the sidewalls thereof, and silicon dioxide surrounds the remainder of the side walls of the active wordline.

Abstract: It is a feature of the present invention that a subminimum dimension wordline links approximately minimum dimensional individual gate segments with the bitline contact being borderless to the wordline. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a transistor with an individual segment gate conductor and a subminimum dimension gate connector with the bitline contact being borderless to the wordline. A semiconductor structure and method of making same comprising a DRAM cell which has a transistor which includes a gate. The gate comprises an individual segment of gate conductor such as polysilicon on a thin dielectric material. The transistor further comprises a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a source/drain region. An active conductive wordline is deposited on top of and electrically contacting the segment gate conductor with the wordline being a conductive material.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of forming an out-diffused bitline in a semiconductor substrate by utilizing a laser annealing step wherein the dopant material in the trench region is out-diffused into the semiconductor substrate. The out-diffused bitline can also be formed utilizing an ion implantation step.

Abstract: A grooved planar DRAM transfer device having a grooved gate formed in a groove in a substrate located between source and drain regions. The grooved gate has sidewall portions and a bottom portion which defines a channel therealong. The bottom portion includes a doped pocket such that the threshold voltage Vt on the bottom portion is substantially less than Vt on the sidewall portions, such that the sidewall portions predominantly control electric current through the device.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a method to form unlinked features using hybrid resist. The method uses a trim process in order to trim the linking features from the “loops” formed by the hybrid resist. This allows the method to form a plurality of unlinked features rather than the loops. In order to trim the ends, a relatively larger trim area is formed adjacent the narrow feature line, either by a second exposure step or by utilizing a grey scale reticle. The broader or wider open area allows features to be formed in the narrow feature lines and being trimmed from the relatively large areas, thereby resulting in district features rather than loops.

Abstract: The present invention lengthens gate conductors used in memory chips to limit leakage current, while still allowing the overall size of cells to remain the same. The channel length for each gate is increased by decreasing the size of spaces between gates. Decreases in space size occurs by using photolithographic image enhancement techniques. These techniques allow the space between gate conductors to be smaller while the gate size increases. In addition, a groove may be added that additionally lengthens the effective channel length and provides an additional electrical shield to limit leakage current. These techniques lead to the same density memory cells for a given process with less leakage. Finally, if grooved gate structures are used, having a longer gate conductor allows a three sigma process to be used, which increases yields.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a semiconductor device. In an exemplary embodiment, the process includes the following steps. The process initially defines a first registration mark associated with a first mask level of the semiconductor device and a second registration mark associated with a second mask level of the semiconductor device. The process then defines a third registration mark associated with a third mask level of the semiconductor device based on the first and second registration marks. Finally, the process aligns the third mask level along a first axis with respect to the first registration mark, and aligns the third mask level along a second axis with respect to the second registration mark. According to various aspects of the invention, the semiconductor fabrication process is used to fabricate DRAM trench cells, or any other type of semiconductor device whose fabrication requires tight overlay alignment between the various levels of the device.

Abstract: A trench storage dynamic random access memory cell with vertical transfer device can be formed in a wafer having prepared shallow trench isolation. Vertical transfer device is built as the deep trenches are formed. Using square printing to form shallow trench isolation and deep trenches, allows for scaling of the cell to very small dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing patterned recess formation in a previously recessed area of a semiconductor structure, i.e. DRAM trench capacitor, using acid diffusion to selectively activate some, but not all of the acid sensitive material that is filled within the recessed areas of such structures. By employing the method of the present invention, it is possible to recess all the previously recessed areas at the same time providing the same level of recessed acid sensitive material within the previous recessed areas, recess some of the previously recessed areas to a desired level leaving other portions of the structure unrecessed, or recessing the previously recessed areas to contain different levels of the acid sensitive material.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices are fabricated by providing a substrate; forming isolation regions in the substrate; forming a first insulating layer on the isolation regions and the substrate; forming a conductive-forming layer on the first insulating layer; forming a second insulating layer on the conductive layer; forming a resist layer on the second insulating layer; forming an opening through the resist down to the second insulating layer located vertically between the isolation region; removing the second insulating layer beneath the opening down to the conductive-forming layer; depositing a conductive material through the opening over the conductive layer; planarizing the second insulating layer and the conductive material; removing the second insulating layer, the conductive-forming layer and the first insulating layer except beneath the conductive material; and forming source/drain regions in the substrate; or by providing a substrate; forming isolation regions in the substrate; forming a first insulating laye