Abstract: By providing a CMP stop layer in a metal gate stack, the initial height thereof may be efficiently reduced after the definition of the deep drain and source areas, thereby providing enhanced process conditions for forming highly stressed dielectric materials. Consequently, the dielectric material may be positioned more closely to the channel region substantially without deteriorating gate conductivity.

Abstract: By providing a conductive connection between the active semiconductor layer and the substrate material in an SOI device during the anisotropic etch process for forming a deep trench portion in the substrate material, the uniformity of the etch conditions may be increased, thereby enabling greater etch depth and enhanced controllability with respect to the shape of the deep trench portion.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises providing a semiconductor substrate. A feature having a side surface and a top surface is formed over the substrate. A material layer is formed over the substrate. The material layer covers at least the side surface of the feature. An ion implantation process is performed to create an ion-implanted portion in the material layer. An etch process adapted to remove the ion-implanted portion at a greater etch rate than other portions of the material layer is performed.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating low contact resistance CMOS integrated circuits are provided. In accordance with an embodiment, a method for fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit including an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor disposed in and on a silicon-comprising substrate includes depositing a first silicide-forming metal on the NMOS and PMOS transistors. The first silicide-forming metal forms a silicide at a first temperature. At least a portion of the first silicide-forming metal is removed from the NMOS or PMOS transistor and a second silicide-forming metal is deposited. The second silicide-forming metal forms a silicide at a second temperature that is different from the first temperature. The first silicide-forming metal and the second silicide-forming metal are heated at a temperature that is no less than the higher of the first temperature and the second temperature.

Abstract: By reducing the effect of particle bombardment during the sequence for forming a metal silicide in semiconductor devices, the defect rate and the metal silicide uniformity may be enhanced. For this purpose, the metal may be deposited without an immediately preceding sputter etch process, wherein, in a particular embodiment, an additional oxidation process is performed to efficiently remove any silicon contaminations and surface impurities by a subsequent wet chemical treatment on the basis of HF, which is followed by the metal deposition.

Abstract: By forming a substantially continuous and uniform semiconductor alloy in one active region while patterning the semiconductor alloy in a second active region so as to provide a base semiconductor material in a central portion thereof, different types of strain may be induced, while, after providing a corresponding cover layer of the base semiconductor material, well-established process techniques for forming the gate dielectric may be used. In some illustrative embodiments, a substantially self-aligned process is provided in which the gate electrode may be formed on the basis of layer, which has also been used for defining the central portion of the base semiconductor material of one of the active regions. Hence, by using a single semiconductor alloy, the performance of transistors of different conductivity types may be individually enhanced.

Abstract: By performing sophisticated anneal techniques, such as laser anneal, flash anneal and the like, for a metal silicide formation, such as nickel silicide, the risk of nickel silicide defects in sensitive device regions, such as SRAM pass gates, may be significantly reduced. Also, the activation of dopants may be performed in a highly localized manner, so that undue damage of gate insulation layers may be avoided when activating and re-crystallizing drain and source regions.

Abstract: By performing a silicidation process on the basis of a patterned dielectric layer, such as an interlayer dielectric material, the respective metal silicide portions may be provided in a highly localized manner at the respective contact regions, while the overall amount of metal silicide may be significantly reduced. In this way, a negative influence of the stress of metal silicide on the channel regions of field effect transistors may be significantly reduced, while nevertheless maintaining a low contact resistance.

Abstract: Field effect transistors and methods for fabricating field effect transistors are provided. A method, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, comprises forming a polycrystalline silicon gate electrode overlying a silicon substrate. The gate electrode has two parallel sidewalls. Two sidewall spacers are fabricated overlying the silicon substrate. Each of the two sidewall spacers has a sidewall that is adjacent to one of the two parallel sidewalls of the gate electrode. A portion of the gate electrode between the two sidewall spacers is removed.

Abstract: By performing a laser-based or flash-based anneal process after silicidation, the degree of dopant activation with reduced diffusion activity may be accomplished, while the characteristics of the metal silicide may be improved or the complexity for manufacturing the same may be reduced.

Abstract: Formation of a silicide layer on the source/drain regions of a field effect transistor with a channel under tensile strain is disclosed. The strain is originated by the silicon/carbon source/drain regions which are grown by CVD deposition. In order to form the silicide layer, a silicon cap layer is deposited in situ by CVD. The silicon cap layer is then employed to form a silicide layer made of a silicon/cobalt compound. This method allows the formation of a silicide cobalt layer in silicon/carbon source/drain regions, which was until the present time not possible.

Abstract: By forming a non-oxidizable liner in an isolation trench and selectively modifying the liner within the isolation trench, the stress characteristics of the isolation trench may be adjusted. In one embodiment, a high compressive stress may be obtained by treating the liner with an ion bombardment and subsequently exposing the device to an oxidizing ambient at elevated temperatures, thereby incorporating silicon dioxide into the non-oxidizable material. Hence, an increased compressive stress may be generated within the non-oxidizable layer.

Abstract: By reducing the effect of particle bombardment during the sequence for forming a metal silicide in semiconductor devices, the defect rate and the metal silicide uniformity may be enhanced. For this purpose, the metal may be deposited without an immediately preceding sputter etch process, wherein, in a particular embodiment, an additional oxidation process is performed to efficiently remove any silicon contaminations and surface impurities by a subsequent wet chemical treatment on the basis of HF, which is followed by the metal deposition.

Abstract: By modifying the vertical dopant concentration in deep drain and source regions, the reaction behavior during the formation of metal silicide regions may be controlled. For this purpose, an increased dopant concentration is formed around a target depth for the metal silicide interface, thereby reducing the reaction speeds and thus improving the uniformity of the resulting metal silicide interface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for boron doping wafers using a vertical oven system. The vertical oven system (1) used comprises a vertical reaction chamber (2) that extends from an upper end toward a lower end and comprises several independently heated temperature zones (5a-5e). An upper temperature zone (5a) is provided on a gas intake (6) for a boron-containing reactive gas. The additional zones (5b-5e) follow the upper end in the direction toward the lower end of the reaction chamber (2). With this method, the boron-containing reactive gas flows over the wafers (4) inside the reaction chamber. The boron from the boron layer, deposited in this way on the wafers, subsequently diffuses into the wafer surface.