Abstract: A method of forming integrated circuitry includes, a) providing a pair of spaced and adjacent electrically conductive elongated lines; and b) providing electrically insulative material over the pair of spaced lines in a manner which leaves an elongated void between the lines, the elongated void being top sealed along its substantial elongated length. Preferably, the electrically insulative material is provided by depositing electrically insulative material over the pair of lines in a manner which produces a retrograde cross-sectional profile of the insulating material relative to the respective line sidewalls and which leaves an elongated top sealed void within the insulating material between the lines, the elongated void being open at at least one end. The void at the one end is subsequently sealed.

Abstract: A variable resistance material-based memory cell is disclosed for use in an electronic memory. The memory cell includes a MOS diode for delivering large amounts of current to the variable resistance material, as needed during programming of the memory cell. In one embodiment, a buried contact under the gate is used as the drain of the device. The buried contact allows formation of a very short channel, causing a "snapback" phenomenon in the MOS diode and thereby greatly increasing the amount of current flow across the device. This buried contact construction has the additional advantage of reducing the area needed for the memory cell. Additionally, the processing is simple and may be performed using the same techniques normally used during the fabrication of electronic memories.

Abstract: A method of forming a field effect transistor includes, a) providing a silicon substrate having impurity doping of a first conductivity type; b) providing source and drain diffusion regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate, the source region and the drain region being spaced from one another to define a channel region therebetween within the silicon substrate; c) providing a gate relative to the silicon substrate operatively adjacent the channel region; and d) providing respective ohmic electrical contacts to the source region and the drain region, the electrical contact to the source region comprising a substrate leaking junction, the electrical connection to the drain region not comprising a substrate leaking junction. A field effect transistor is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming film transistor includes, a) forming a thin film transistor layer of semiconductive material; b) providing a gate operatively adjacent the thin film transistor layer; c) forming at least one electrically conductive sidewall spacer over at least one lateral edge of the gate, the spacer being electrically continuous therewith; and d) providing a source region, a drain region, a drain offset region, and a channel region in the thin film transistor layer; the drain offset region being positioned operatively adjacent the one electrically conductive sidewall spacer and being gated thereby. The spacer is formed by anisotropically etching a spacer forming layer.

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes, a) providing a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; b) providing a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; c) providing a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the resistor nodes; d) providing a pair of contact openings, with respective widths, through the first insulating layer to the pair of resistor nodes; e) providing a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths; f) anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating ann

Abstract: A static memory cell is described which has cross coupled pulldown transistors and dual access transistors. The memory cell is fabricated such that balanced current paths are formed through the two pulldown transistors. A single word line is used to activate the access transistors which couple the memory cell to complementary bit lines. The memory cells, as viewed in a plan view, have the single word line and gates of the pulldown transistors fabricated in parallel.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes: a) a thin film transistor layer comprising a source region, a channel region and a drain region; the thin film transistor layer further comprising a drain offset region positioned between the drain region and the channel region; b) the channel region being substantially polycrystalline and having a first average crystalline grain size; and c) the drain offset region being substantially polycrystalline and having a second average crystalline grain size, the second average crystalline grain size being larger than the first average crystalline grain size. A method for forming such a construction using polycrystalline materials, preferably polysilicon, and an amorphizing silicon implant with subsequent recrystallization is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming integrated circuitry includes, a) providing a pair of spaced and adjacent electrically conductive elongated lines; and b) providing electrically insulative material over the pair of spaced lines in a manner which leaves an elongated void between the lines, the elongated void being top sealed along its substantial elongated length. Preferably, the electrically insulative material is provided by depositing electrically insulative material over the pair of lines in a manner which produces a retrograde cross-sectional profile of the insulating material relative to the respective line sidewalls and which leaves an elongated top sealed void within the insulating material between the lines, the elongated void being open at at least one end. The void at the one end is subsequently sealed.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method of forming complementary NMOS and PMOS field effect transistors on a substrate comprises the following steps: (a) providing a first conductivity type region and a second conductivity type region of the semiconductor substrate, one of the first and second type regions being an n-type region and the other being a p-type region; (b) providing a first transistor gate over the first conductivity type region, the first transistor gate defining the gate of a second conductivity type field effect transistor; (c) providing a second transistor gate over the second conductivity type region, the second transistor gate defining the gate of a first conductivity type field effect transistor; (d) providing an implant masking layer over the first conductivity type region; and (e) ion implanting a second conductivity type dopant into the first conductivity type region through the implant masking layer to define graded junction regions for the second conductivity type field effect transistor an

Abstract: A method of making ohmic contact between a thin film polysilicon layer of a first conductivity type and a subsequently provided conductive layer includes: a) providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer region; b) providing a first insulating layer outwardly of the outer region; c) etching a first contact opening of a first diameter through the first insulating layer to the substrate outer region; d) providing conductivity enhancing dopant impurity of the first conductivity type into the substrate outer region to render the outer region electrically conductive; e) providing a thin film polysilicon layer of the first conductivity type into the first contact opening and in ohmic electrical connection with the substrate outer region; f) providing a second insulating layer outwardly of the thin film polysilicon layer and the first insulating layer; g) etching a second contact opening of a second diameter into the second insulating layer, the second contact opening overlapping with the first contact opening

Abstract: A thin film field effect transistor includes: a) a thin film channel region; b) a pair of opposing electrically conductive first and second source/drain regions adjacent the thin film channel region; c) a gate insulator and a gate positioned adjacent the thin film channel region for electrically energizing the channel region to switch on the thin film field effect transistor; d) the first source/drain region having a first thickness, the second source/drain region having a second thickness, the channel region having a third thickness; at least one of the first and second thicknesses being greater than the third thickness. Methods are disclosed for making thin field effect transistors.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method of forming field oxide regions on a semiconductor substrate includes, i) providing an oxidation resistant mask over a layer of oxide over a desired active area region on a semiconductor substrate, the mask having a central region and opposed sidewall edges, the oxide layer being thinner in the central region than at the sidewall edges; and ii) oxidizing portions of the substrate unmasked by the mask to form field oxide regions on the substrate. The oxidation resistant mask can be provided by depositing and patterning a nitride layer atop a pad oxide layer. Substrate area not covered the mask is oxidized to produce an oxide layer outside of the mask which is thicker than the pad oxide layer. A thin layer of nitride can then be deposited, and anisotropically etched to produce masking spacers which cover the thicker oxide adjacent the original mask. Mask lifting during subsequent oxidation is restricted, thus minimizing bird's beak encroachment and substrate defects.

Abstract: A method of making ohmic contact between a thin film polysilicon layer of a first conductivity type and a subsequently provided conductive layer includes: a) providing a semiconductor substrate having an outer region; b) providing a first insulating layer outwardly of the outer region; c) etching a first contact opening of a first diameter through the first insulating layer to the substrate outer region; d) providing conductivity enhancing dopant impurity of the first conductivity type into the substrate outer region to render the outer region electrically conductive; e) providing a thin film polysilicon layer of the first conductivity type into the first contact opening and in ohmic electrical connection with the substrate outer region; f) providing a second insulating layer outwardly of the thin film polysilicon layer and the first insulating layer; g) etching a second contact opening of a second diameter into the second insulating layer, the second contact opening overlapping with the first contact opening

Abstract: A method is provided for combining the process steps for forming a resistor and interconnect into one process layer, thus eliminating the need for at least two mask steps. An oxide layer is formed over a region of a polysilicon layer in which the resistor will be formed. The oxide protects the resistor from further processing. A conductive layer is then deposited at least over the exposed portion of the polysilicon layer. In a first preferred embodiment, a refractory metal forms the conductive layer. The refractory metal is sintered or heated to form silicide over the exposed portion of the polysilicon layer, and the non-silicided metal is removed. The underlying layer may be doped as desired, before or after silicidation, for the first preferred embodiment. Thus, a resistor and conductive interconnect is formed within the same layer. Also disclosed is an embodiment in which the conductive layer need not be sintered, and an embodiment in which the resistor is formed in the sidewalls of a vertical cavity.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes: a) a thin film transistor layer comprising a source region, a channel region and a drain region; the thin film transistor layer further comprising a drain offset region positioned between the drain region and the channel region; b) the channel region being substantially polycrystalline and having a first average crystalline grain size; and c) the drain offset region being substantially polycrystalline and having a second average crystalline grain size, the second average crystalline grain size being larger than the first average crystalline grain size. A method for forming such a construction using polycrystalline materials, preferably polysilicon, and an amorphizing silicon implant with subsequent recrystallization is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a field effect transistor includes, a) providing a silicon substrate having impurity doping of a first conductivity type; b) providing source and drain diffusion regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate, the source region and the drain region being spaced from one another to define a channel region therebetween within the silicon substrate; c) providing a gate relative to the silicon substrate operatively adjacent the channel region; and d) providing respective ohmic electrical contacts to the source region and the drain region, the electrical contact to the source region comprising a substrate leaking junction, the electrical connection to the drain region not comprising a substrate leaking junction. A field effect transistor is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming BiCMOS circuitry includes, i) conducting a first common second conductivity type implant into, a) a first substrate area to comprise a second conductivity type well for a first area first conductivity type FET, and b) a third substrate area to comprise one of a bipolar transistor second conductivity type collector or emitter region; ii) providing field oxide regions and active area regions within first, second and third areas of the substrate; iii) conducting a first common first conductivity type implant into, a) the second substrate area to comprise a first conductivity type channel stop region beneath field oxide in the second area, and b) the third substrate area to comprise the bipolar transistor base; and iv) conducting a second common second conductivity type implant into, a) at least one of the first or the second substrate areas to comprise at least one of a source/drain implant or a graded junction implant for at least one of the first or second conductivity type FETs, and b) the

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method of making electrical connection between an electrically conductive line and a node location includes, a) forming an electrically conductive line over a substrate, the substrate having an outwardly exposed silicon containing node location to which electrical connection is to be made, the line having an outer portion and an inner portion, the inner portion laterally extending outward from the outer portion and having an outwardly exposed portion, the inner portion having a terminus adjacent the node location, and b) electrically connecting the extending inner portion with the node location. An integrated circuit is also described. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, a node location on the substrate, and a conductive line over the substrate which is in electrical communication with the node location. The conductive line includes an outer portion and an inner portion.

Abstract: A method for forming a field effect transistor which includes providing a substrate having thin film source and drain regions formed thereon; forming a thin film channel region intermediate the thin film source and drain regions, the thin film channel region comprising a first layer of semiconductor material, an etch stop layer formed over the first layer semiconductor material, and a second layer of material formed over the etch stop layer; forming a masking layer over the source and drain regions while leaving the thin film channel region effectively exposed; and removing a portion of the second layer of material selectively relative to the etch stop layer in the exposed thin film channel region.

Abstract: A field effect transistor includes, a silicon substrate having impurity doping of a first conductivity type; source and drain diffusion regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate, the source region and the drain region being spaced from one another to define a channel region therebetween within the silicon substrate; a gate relative to the silicon substrate operatively adjacent the channel region; and respective ohmic electrical contacts to the source region and the drain region, the electrical contact to the source region comprising a substrate leaking junction, the electrical connection to the drain region not comprising a substrate leaking junction.