Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming stressed silicon-carbon areas in an NMOS transistor device. In one example, a method disclosed herein includes forming a layer of amorphous carbon above a surface of a semiconducting substrate comprising a plurality of N-doped regions and performing an ion implantation process on the layer of amorphous carbon to dislodge carbon atoms from the layer of amorphous carbon and to drive the dislodged carbon atoms into the N-doped regions in the substrate.

Abstract: A MOS device and methods for its fabrication are provided. In one embodiment the MOS device is fabricated on and within a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a gate structure having a top and sidewalls and having a gate insulator overlying the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode overlying the gate insulator, and a cap overlying the gate electrode. An oxide liner is deposited over the top and sidewalls of the gate structure. In the method, the cap is etched from the gate structure and oxide needles extending upward from the gate structure are exposed. A stress-inducing layer is deposited over the oxide needles and gate structure and the semiconductor substrate is annealed. Then, the stress-inducing liner is removed.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional transistor configuration, a strain-inducing isolation material is provided, at least in the drain and source areas, thereby inducing a strain, in particular at and in the vicinity of the PN junctions of the three-dimensional transistor. In this case, superior transistor performance may be achieved, while in some illustrative embodiments even the same type of internally stressed isolation material may result in superior transistor performance of P-channel transistors and N-channel transistors.

Abstract: A stress enhanced MOS transistor and methods for its fabrication are provided. In one embodiment the transistor includes a channel region at a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The method includes etching first recesses into the semiconductor substrate adjacent the channel region to define adjacent regions in the semiconductor substrate between the first recesses and the channel region. A first layer of SiGe is epitaxially grown in the first recesses. The method includes etching second recesses through the first layer of SiGe and into the adjacent regions of the semiconductor substrate. Further, a second layer of SiGe is epitaxially grown in the second recesses.

Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to methods for forming dual embedded stressor regions in semiconductor devices such as transistor elements and the like, using in situ doping and substantially diffusionless annealing techniques. One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming first and second cavities in PMOS and NMOS device regions, respectively, of a semiconductor substrate, and thereafter performing first and second epitaxial deposition processes to form in situ doped first and second embedded material regions in the first and second cavities, respectively. The method further includes, among other things, performing a single heat treating process to activate dopants in the in situ doped first and second embedded material regions.

Abstract: In one example, a method disclosed herein includes forming a gate electrode structure for a PMOS transistor and a gate electrode structure for a NMOS transistor, forming a plurality of cavities in the substrate proximate the gate electrode structure of the PMOS transistor and performing an epitaxial deposition process to form raised silicon-germanium regions is the cavities. The method concludes with the step of performing a common etching process on the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor to define recessed regions in the substrate proximate the gate electrode structure of the NMOS transistor and to reduce the amount of the silicon-germanium material positioned above the surface of the substrate for the PMOS transistor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a semiconductor device. In one example, the method includes forming extension implant regions in a PMOS region and a NMOS region of a semiconducting substrate for a PMOS device and a NMOS device, respectively and, after forming the extension implant regions, performing a first heating process. The method further includes forming a plurality of cavities in the PMOS region of the substrate, performing at least one epitaxial deposition process to form a plurality of in-situ doped semiconductor layers that are positioned in or above each of said cavities, and forming a masking layer that exposes the NMOS region and covers the PMOS region. The method concludes with the steps of forming source/drain implant regions in the NMOS region of the substrate for the NMOS device and performing a second heating process.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary fabrication method involves forming first doped stressor regions in a first region of semiconductor material, forming second doped stressor regions in a second region of semiconductor material after forming the first doped stressor regions, and after forming the second doped stressor regions, annealing the semiconductor device structure to activate ions of the first and second doped stressor regions concurrently. The amount of time for the annealing is chosen to inhibit diffusion of the ions of the first and second doped stressor regions.

Abstract: In one example, a method disclosed herein includes forming a gate electrode structure for a PMOS transistor and a gate electrode structure for a NMOS transistor, forming a plurality of cavities in the substrate proximate the gate electrode structure of the PMOS transistor and performing an epitaxial deposition process to form raised silicon-germanium regions is the cavities. The method concludes with the step of performing a common etching process on the PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor to define recessed regions in the substrate proximate the gate electrode structure of the NMOS transistor and to reduce the amount of the silicon-germanium material positioned above the surface of the substrate for the PMOS transistor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming stressed silicon-carbon areas in an NMOS transistor device. In one example, a method disclosed herein includes forming a layer of amorphous carbon above a surface of a semiconducting substrate comprising a plurality of N-doped regions and performing an ion implantation process on the layer of amorphous carbon to dislodge carbon atoms from the layer of amorphous carbon and to drive the dislodged carbon atoms into the N-doped regions in the substrate.

Abstract: When forming sophisticated multiple gate transistors and planar transistors in a common manufacturing sequence, the threshold voltage characteristics of the multiple gate transistors may be intentionally “degraded” by selectively incorporating a dopant species into corner areas of the semiconductor fins, thereby obtaining a superior adaptation of the threshold voltage characteristics of multiple gate transistors and planar transistors. In advantageous embodiments, the incorporation of the dopant species may be accomplished by using the hard mask, which is also used for patterning the self-aligned semiconductor fins.

Abstract: Generally, the present disclosure is directed to various methods of making a semiconductor device by implanting hydrogen or hydrogen-containing clusters to improve the interface between a gate insulation layer and the substrate. One illustrative method disclosed herein involves forming a gate insulation layer on a substrate, forming a layer of gate electrode material above the gate insulation material and performing an ion implantation process with a material comprising hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing compound to introduce the hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compound proximate an interface between the gate insulation layer and said substrate with a concentration of the implanted hydrogen or hydrogen-containing compound being at least 1e10 ions/cm2.

Abstract: When forming sophisticated semiconductor devices including high-k metal gate electrode structures and N-channel transistors, superior performance may be achieved by incorporating epitaxially grown semiconductor materials, for instance a strain-inducing silicon/carbon alloy in combination with an N-doped silicon material, which may provide an acceptable sheet resistivity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a semiconductor device. In one example, the method includes forming extension implant regions in a PMOS region and a NMOS region of a semiconducting substrate for a PMOS device and a NMOS device, respectively and, after forming the extension implant regions, performing a first heating process. The method further includes forming a plurality of cavities in the PMOS region of the substrate, performing at least one epitaxial deposition process to form a plurality of in-situ doped semiconductor layers that are positioned in or above each of said cavities, and forming a masking layer that exposes the NMOS region and covers the PMOS region. The method concludes with the steps of forming source/drain implant regions in the NMOS region of the substrate for the NMOS device and performing a second heating process.

Abstract: During the fabrication of advanced transistors, significant dopant diffusion may be suppressed by performing a millisecond anneal process after completing the basic transistor configuration, wherein a stress memorization technique may also be obtained by forming a strain-inducing area within a sidewall spacer structure. Due to the corresponding void formation in the spacer structure, a high tensile strain component may be obtained, in the adjacent channel region.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating CMOS integrated circuits. In accordance with one embodiment the methods include forming a gate electrode structure overlying an N-doped portion of a semiconductor substrate and growing an embedded silicon germanium area in the N-doped portion in alignment with the gate electrode structure. A layer of silicon is selectively grown overlying the embedded silicon germanium area and a nickel silicide contact is made to the layer of silicon.

Abstract: During the fabrication of advanced transistors, significant dopant diffusion may be suppressed by performing a millisecond anneal process after completing the basic transistor configuration, wherein a stress memorization technique may also be obtained by forming a strain-inducing area within a sidewall spacer structure. Due to the corresponding void formation in the spacer structure, a high tensile strain component may be obtained, in the adjacent channel region.

Abstract: During the fabrication of advanced transistors, significant dopant diffusion may be suppressed by performing a millisecond anneal process after completing the basic transistor configuration, wherein a stress memorization technique may also be obtained by forming a strain-inducing area within a sidewall spacer structure. Due to the corresponding void formation in the spacer structure, a high tensile strain component may be obtained in the adjacent channel region.

Abstract: During the fabrication of advanced transistors, significant dopant diffusion may be suppressed by performing a millisecond anneal process after completing the basic transistor configuration, wherein a stress memorization technique may also be obtained by forming a strain-inducing area within a sidewall spacer structure. Due to the corresponding void formation in the spacer structure, a high tensile strain component may be obtained in the adjacent channel region.