Abstract: A liquid dispenser comprises a body defining an interior containment space for containing a liquid to be dispensed and a structure configured to mount the liquid dispenser onto a drinking container such that the liquid dispenser does not obstruct drinking from a rim of the drinking container.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure, particularly a pFET, which includes a dielectric material that has a dielectric constant of greater than that of SiO2 and a Ge or Si content of greater than 50% and at least one other means for threshold/flatband voltage tuning by material stack engineering is provided. The other means contemplated in the present invention include, for example, utilizing an insulating interlayer atop the dielectric for charge fixing and/or by forming an engineered channel region. The present invention also relates to a method of fabricating such a CMOS structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a passivated metal layer that preserves the properties and morphology of an underlying metal layer during subsequent exposure to oxygen-containing ambients. The method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a process gas containing a rhenium-carbonyl precursor to deposit a rhenium metal layer on the substrate in a chemical vapor deposition process, and forming a passivation layer on the rhenium metal layer to thereby inhibit oxygen-induced growth of rhenium-containing nodules on the rhenium metal surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gate stack structure that has high mobilites and low interfacial charges as well as semiconductor devices, i.e., metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) that include the same. In the semiconductor devices, the gate stack structure of the present invention is located between the substrate and an overlaying gate conductor. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the inventive gate stack structure in which a high temperature annealing process (on the order of about 800° C.) is employed. The high temperature anneal used in the present invention provides a gate stack structure that has an interface state density, as measured by charge pumping, of about 8×1010 charges/cm2 or less, a peak mobility of about 250 cm2/V-s or greater and substantially no mobility degradation at about 6.0×1012 inversion charges/cm2 or greater.

Abstract: A method of fabricating hafnium oxide and/or zirconium oxide films is provided. The methods include providing a mixture of Hf and/or Zr alkoxide dissolved, emulsified or suspended in a liquid; vaporizing at least the alkoxide and depositing the vaporized component at a temperature of greater than 400° C. The resultant film is dense, microcrystalline and is capable of self-passivation when treated in a hydrogen plasma or forming gas anneal.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a Vt stabilization layer between a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. The Vt stabilization layer is capable of stabilizing the structure's threshold voltage and flatband voltage to a targeted value and comprises a nitrided metal oxide, or a nitrogen-free metal oxide, with the proviso that when the Vt stabilization layer comprises a nitrogen-free metal oxide, at least one of the semiconductor substrate or the gate dielectric includes nitrogen. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating such a structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a passivated metal layer that preserves the properties and morphology of an underlying metal layer during subsequent exposure to oxygen-containing ambients. The method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, exposing the substrate to a process gas containing a rhenium-carbonyl precursor to deposit a rhenium metal layer on the substrate in a chemical vapor deposition process, and forming a passivation layer on the rhenium metal layer to thereby inhibit oxygen-induced growth of rhenium-containing nodules on the rhenium metal surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gate stack structure that has high mobilites and low interfacial charges as well as semiconductor devices, i.e., metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) that include the same. In the semiconductor devices, the gate stack structure of the present invention is located between the substrate and an overlaying gate conductor. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the inventive gate stack structure in which a high temperature annealing process (on the order of about 800° C.) is employed. The high temperature anneal used in the present invention provides a gate stack structure that has an interface state density, as measured by charge pumping, of about 8×1010 charges/cm2 or less, a peak mobility of about 250 cm2/V-s or greater and substantially no mobility degradation at about 6.0×1012 inversion charges/cm2 or greater.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a microstructure with an interfacial oxide layer by using a diffusion filter layer to control the oxidation properties of a substrate associated with formation of a high-k layer into the microstructure. The diffusion filter layer controls the oxidation of the surface. The interfacial oxide layer can be formed during an oxidation process that is carried out following deposition of a high-k layer onto the diffusion filter layer, or during deposition of a high-k layer onto the diffusion filter layer.

Abstract: Compounds of Ta and N, potentially including further elements, and with a resistivity below about 20 m?cm and with the elemental ratio of N to Ta greater than about 0.9 are disclosed for use as gate materials in field effect devices. A representative embodiment of such compounds, TaSiN, is stable at typical CMOS processing temperatures on SiO2 containing dielectric layers and high-k dielectric layers, with a workfunction close to that of n-type Si. Metallic Ta—N compounds are deposited by a chemical vapor deposition method using an alkylimidotris(dialkylamido)Ta species, such as tertiaryamylimidotris(dimethylamido)Ta (TAIMATA), as Ta precursor. The deposition is conformal allowing for flexible introduction of the Ta—N metallic compounds into a CMOS processing flow. Devices processed with TaN or TaSiN show near ideal characteristics.

Abstract: A diffusion barrier (and method for forming the diffusion barrier) for a field-effect transistor having a channel region and a gate electrode, includes an insulating material being disposed over the channel region. The insulating material includes nitrogen (N), and is disposed under the gate electrode. The insulating material can be provided either as a layer or distributed within a gate dielectric material disposed under the gate electrode.

Abstract: Compounds of Ta and N, potentially including further elements, and with a resistivity below about 20 m?cm and with the elemental ratio of N to Ta greater than about 0.9 are disclosed for use as gate materials in field effect devices. A representative embodiment of such compounds, TaSiN, is stable at typical CMOS processing temperatures on SiO2 containing dielectric layers and high-k dielectric layers, with a workfunction close to that of n-type Si. Metallic Ta—N compounds are deposited by a chemical vapor deposition method using an alkylimidotris(dialkylamido)Ta species, such as tertiaryamylimidotris(dimethylamido)Ta (TAIMATA), as Ta precursor. The deposition is conformal allowing for flexible introduction of the Ta—N metallic compounds into a CMOS processing flow. Devices processed with TaN or TaSiN show near ideal characteristics.

Abstract: A method for forming a gate dielectric for an integrated circuit device. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes forming an initial oxynitride layer upon a substrate material, the oxynitride layer having an initial physical thickness. The initial oxynitride layer is then subjected to a plasma nitridation, the plasma nitridation resulting in final oxynitride layer having a final physical thickness.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a microstructure with an interfacial oxide layer by using a diffusion filter layer to control the oxidation properties of a substrate associated with formation of a high-k layer into the microstructure. The diffusion filter layer controls the oxidation of the surface. The interfacial oxide layer can be formed during an oxidation process that is carried out following deposition of a high-k layer onto the diffusion filter layer, or during deposition of a high-k layer onto the diffusion filter layer.

Abstract: A structure and method for a metal replacement gate of a high performance device is provided. A sacrificial gate structure is first formed on an etch stop layer provided on a semiconductor substrate. A pair of spacers is provided on sidewalls of the sacrificial gate structure. The sacrificial gate structure is then removed, forming an opening. Subsequently, a metal gate including an first layer of metal such as tungsten, a diffusion barrier such as titanium nitride, and a second layer of metal such as tungsten is formed in the opening between the spacers.

Abstract: A method of depositing a film on a substrate, comprising placing the substrate in the presence of plasma energy, and contacting the substrate with a reactive gas component comprising a compound of the formula (R—NH)4−nSiXn, wherein R is an alkyl group, n is 1, 2, or 3, and X is selected from hydrogen or the halogens. The reactive gas composition may further comprise an oxidizer and/or a reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of depositing a film on a substrate, comprising placing the substrate in the presence of plasma energy, and contacting the substrate with a reactive gas component comprising a compound of the formula (R—NH)4−nSiXn, wherein R is an alkyl group, n is 1, 2, or 3, and X is selected from hydrogen or the halogens. The reactive gas composition may further comprise an oxidizer and/or a reducing agent.