Abstract: Provided herein are metal structures that may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, or nickel, as well as related devices and methods. The metal structures may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and may include trace amounts of precursor materials used during the CVD process.

Abstract: Provided herein are metal structures that may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, or nickel, as well as related devices and methods. The metal structures may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and may include trace amounts of precursor materials used during the CVD process.

Abstract: A cap may be formed anisotropically over a photoresist feature. For example, a material, such as a polymer, may be coated over the photoresist feature. If the coated material is photoactive, the cap may be grown preferentially in the vertical direction, creating high aspect ratio structures in some embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: Noble metal may be used as a non-oxidizing diffusion barrier to prevent diffusion from copper lines. A diffusion barrier may be formed of a noble metal formed over an adhesion promoting layer or by a noble metal cap over an oxidizable diffusion barrier. The copper lines may also be covered with a noble metal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes introducing a precursor containing hydrocarbon substituents and optionally a second conventional or hydrocarbon-containing precursor into a vapor deposition apparatus; and forming a dielectric layer having the hydrocarbon substituents on a substrate within the vapor deposition apparatus from the precursor(s). In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the hydrocarbon substituents may be later removed from the dielectric layer to reduce density thereof.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a barrier layer and a barrier layer is described which employs a metal selected from the group of Ru, Ir, Pd, Pt, Rh, Os, Au, Ag, W, Ta and Ti. A graded region is formed to cause the metal to adhere to an underlying substrate. Direct plating is enabled without a seed layer.

Abstract: A process for fabricating carbon doped silicon nitride layers is described. By adjusting the amount of carbon in adjacent regions, selective etching of the silicon nitride regions can occur. Several precursors for the introduction of carbon into the silicon nitride film, are described.

Abstract: A barrier and seed layer for a semiconductor damascene process is described. The seed layer is formed from a noble metal with an intermediate region to prevent oxidation of the barrier between the barrier and noble metal layers to prevent oxidation of the barrier layer.

Abstract: Multiple-layer films in integrated circuit processing may be formed by the phase segregation of a single composition formed above a semiconductor substrate. The composition is then induced to phase segregate into at least a first continuous phase and a second continuous phase. The composition may be formed of two or more components that phase segregate into different continuous layers. The composition may also be a single component that breaks down upon activation into two or more components that phase segregate into different continuous layers. Phase segregation may be used to form, for example, a sacrificial light absorbing material (SLAM) and a developer resistant skin, a dielectric layer and a hard mask, a photoresist and an anti-reflective coating (ARC), a stress buffer coating and a protective layer on a substrate package, and light interference layers.

Abstract: Embodiments of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer having an etch stop layer overlying the buried oxide layer, as well as embodiments of a method of making the same, are disclosed. The etch stop layer may comprise silicon nitride, nitrogen-doped silicon dioxide, or silicon oxynitride, as well as some combination of these materials. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Organometallic precursors may be utilized to form titanium silicon nitride films that act as heaters for phase change memories. By using a combination of TDMAT and TrDMASi, for example in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber, a relatively high percentage of silicon may be achieved in reasonable deposition times, in some embodiments. In one embodiment, two separate bubblers may be utilized to feed the two organometallic compounds in gaseous form to the deposition chamber so that the relative proportions of the precursors can be readily controlled.

Abstract: A deliberately engineered placement and size constraint (molecular weight distribution) of photoacid generators, solubility switches, photoimageable species, and quenchers forms individual pixels within a photoresist. Upon irradiation, a self-contained reaction occurs within each of the individual pixels that were irradiated to pattern the photoresist. These pixels may take on a variety of forms including a polymer chain, a bulky cluster, a micelle, or a micelle formed of several polymer chains. Furthermore, these pixels may be designed to self-assemble onto the substrate on which the photoresist is applied.

Abstract: An electronic device that includes a molecular sieve layer is described herein. The molecular sieve layer may be used as a high mechanical strength, low dielectric constant insulating layer.

Abstract: A method including introducing a precursor in the presence of a circuit substrate, and forming a film including a reaction product of the precursor on the substrate, wherein the precursor includes a molecule comprising a primary species of the film and a modifier. A method including introducing a precursor in the presence of a circuit substrate, the precursor including a primary species and a film modifier as a single source, and forming a film on the circuit substrate. An apparatus including a semiconductor substrate, and a film on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the film including a reaction product of a precursor including a molecule comprising a primary species and a modifier.

Abstract: A cap may be formed anisotropically over a photoresist feature. For example, a material, such as a polymer, may be coated over the photoresist feature. If the coated material is photoactive, the cap may be grown preferentially in the vertical direction, creating high aspect ratio structures in some embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: At least a p-type and n-type semiconductor device deposited upon a semiconductor wafer containing metal or metal alloy gates. More particularly, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device is formed on a semiconductor wafer having n-type and p-type metal gates.

Abstract: A composition including a first moiety; and a different second moiety capable of harvesting energy from an external source, wherein the second moiety is positioned such that energy harvested at the second moiety may be transferred to the first moiety. An article of manufacture including a film including a first moiety and a different second moiety capable of harvesting energy from an external source, wherein the second moiety is positioned such that collectively the first and second moieties have an electron capture cross-section greater than the electron capture cross-section of the first moiety alone. A method including forming a film on a substrate including a first moiety and a different second moiety; exposing the film to photonic or charged particle radiation; and patterning the film.

Abstract: Methods and systems for the concentration and removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions are described, comprising treating the aqueous solutions with photoswitchable ionophores.

Abstract: A silicon nitride film may be deposited on a work piece using conventional deposition techniques and a selected source for use as a silicon precursor. A nitrogen precursor may also be selected for film deposition. Using the selected precursor(s), the temperature for deposition may be 500° C., or less.

Abstract: Numerous embodiments of a method and apparatus for low temperature silicon nitride deposition are disclosed. In one embodiment, a halogen substituted silicon hydride and a nitrogen-containing precursor are added to a chamber. An operating temperature of the chamber is set below 550 ° C. and a silicon nitride layer is deposited on a substrate.