Abstract: Methods and structures for increasing strain in fully insulated finFETs are described. The finFET structures may be formed on an insulating layer and include source, channel, and drain regions that are insulated all around. During fabrication, the source and drain regions may be formed as suspended structures. A strain-inducing material may be formed around the source and drain regions on four contiguous sides so as to impart strain to the channel region of the finFET.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming at least one semiconductor fin on a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of gate formation layers is formed on an etch stop layer disposed on the fin. The plurality of gate formation layers include a dummy gate layer formed from a dielectric material. The plurality of gate formation layers is patterned to form a plurality of dummy gate elements on the etch stop layer. Each dummy gate element is formed from the dielectric material. A spacer layer formed on the dummy gate elements is etched to form a spacer on each sidewall of dummy gate elements. A portion of the etch stop layer located between each dummy gate element is etched to expose a portion the semiconductor fin. A semiconductor material is epitaxially grown from the exposed portion of the semiconductor fin to form source/drain regions.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device includes depositing a hardmask over a semiconductor layer depositing a metallic alloy layer over the hardmask, defining a semiconductor fin, depositing a dummy gate stack material layer conformally on exposed portions of the fin, patterning a dummy gate stack by removing portions of the dummy gate stack material using an etching process that selectively removes exposed portions of the dummy gate stack without appreciably removing portions of the metallic alloy layer, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, forming spacers adjacent to the dummy gate stack, forming source and drain regions on exposed regions of the semiconductor fin, removing the dummy gate stack, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, and forming a gate stack conformally over exposed portions of the insulator layer and the semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A field effect transistor device includes a fin including a semiconductor material arranged on an insulator layer, the fin including a channel region, a hardmask layer arranged partially over the channel region of the fin, a gate stack arranged over the hardmask layer and over the channel region of the fin, a metallic alloy layer arranged on a first portion of the hardmask layer, the metallic alloy layer arranged adjacent to the gate stack, and a first spacer arranged adjacent to the gate stack and over the metallic alloy layer.

Abstract: A field effect transistor device includes a fin including a semiconductor material arranged on an insulator layer, the fin including a channel region, a hardmask layer arranged partially over the channel region of the fin, a gate stack arranged over the hardmask layer and over the channel region of the fin, a metallic alloy layer arranged on a first portion of the hardmask layer, the metallic alloy layer arranged adjacent to the gate stack, and a first spacer arranged adjacent to the gate stack and over the metallic alloy layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device includes depositing a hardmask over a semiconductor layer depositing a metallic alloy layer over the hardmask, defining a semiconductor fin, depositing a dummy gate stack material layer conformally on exposed portions of the fin, patterning a dummy gate stack by removing portions of the dummy gate stack material using an etching process that selectively removes exposed portions of the dummy gate stack without appreciably removing portions of the metallic alloy layer, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, forming spacers adjacent to the dummy gate stack, forming source and drain regions on exposed regions of the semiconductor fin, removing the dummy gate stack, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, and forming a gate stack conformally over exposed portions of the insulator layer and the semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A method comprising steps of removing a first dielectric material, including a hard mask layer and one or more spacer material layers, from a semiconductor device having a sacrificial gate whose sidewalls being covered by said spacer material layers, and a raised source and a raised drain region with both, together with said sacrificial gate, being covered by said hard mask layer, wherein the removing is selective to the sacrificial gate, raised source region and raised drain region and creates a void between each of the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate. The method includes depositing a conformal layer of a second dielectric material to the semiconductor device, wherein the second material conforms in a uniform layer to the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate, and fills the void between each of the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device patterns a first fin in a pFET region, and patterns a second fin in an nFET region. A plurality of conformal microlayers containing a straining material are deposited on the first and second fins. A protective cap material is formed on the first fin, and the conformal layers are selectively removed from the second fin. The straining material is then thermally diffused into the first fin. The protective cap material is removed from the first fin after the thermal annealing and after the conformal micro layers are selectively removed from the second fin.

Abstract: A method comprising steps of removing a first dielectric material, including a hard mask layer and one or more spacer material layers, from a semiconductor device having a sacrificial gate whose sidewalls being covered by said spacer material layers, and a raised source and a raised drain region with both, together with said sacrificial gate, being covered by said hard mask layer, wherein the removing is selective to the sacrificial gate, raised source region and raised drain region and creates a void between each of the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate. The method includes depositing a conformal layer of a second dielectric material to the semiconductor device, wherein the second material conforms in a uniform layer to the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate, and fills the void between each of the raised source region, raised drain region and sacrificial gate.

Abstract: A field effect transistor device includes a fin including a semiconductor material arranged on an insulator layer, the fin including a channel region, a hardmask layer arranged partially over the channel region of the fin, a gate stack arranged over the hardmask layer and over the channel region of the fin, a metallic alloy layer arranged on a first portion of the hardmask layer, the metallic alloy layer arranged adjacent to the gate stack, and a first spacer arranged adjacent to the gate stack and over the metallic alloy layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device includes depositing a hardmask over a semiconductor layer depositing a metallic alloy layer over the hardmask, defining a semiconductor fin, depositing a dummy gate stack material layer conformally on exposed portions of the fin, patterning a dummy gate stack by removing portions of the dummy gate stack material using an etching process that selectively removes exposed portions of the dummy gate stack without appreciably removing portions of the metallic alloy layer, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, forming spacers adjacent to the dummy gate stack, forming source and drain regions on exposed regions of the semiconductor fin, removing the dummy gate stack, removing exposed portions of the metallic alloy layer, and forming a gate stack conformally over exposed portions of the insulator layer and the semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device patterns a first fin in a pFET region, and patterns a second fin in an nFET region. A plurality of conformal microlayers containing a straining material are deposited on the first and second fins. A protective cap material is formed on the first fin, and the conformal layers are selectively removed from the second fin. The straining material is then thermally diffused into the first fin. The protective cap material is removed from the first fin after the thermal annealing and after the conformal micro layers are selectively removed from the second fin.

Abstract: CMOS transistors are formed incorporating a gate electrode having tensely stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of an n channel field effect transistor and having compressively stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of a p channel field effect transistor to provide differentially stressed channels in respective transistors to increase carrier mobility in the respective channels.

Abstract: CMOS transistors are formed incorporating a gate electrode having tensely stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of an n channel field effect transistor and having compressively stressed spacers on the gate sidewalls of a p channel field effect transistor to provide differentially stressed channels in respective transistors to increase carrier mobility in the respective channels.

Abstract: An insulating region for a semiconductor wafer and a method of forming same. The insulating region can include a tri-layer structure of silicon oxide, boron nitride and silicon oxide. The insulating region may be used to insulate a semiconductor device layer from an underlying bulk semiconductor substrate. The insulating region can be formed by coating the sides of a very thin cavity with silicon oxide, and filling the remainder of the cavity between the silicon oxide regions with boron nitride.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of improving the fabrication of interconnect structures of the single or dual damascene type, in which there is no problem of hard mask retention or of conductivity between the metal lines after fabrication. The methods of the present invention include at least steps of chemical mechanical polishing and UV exposure or chemical repair treatment which steps improve the reliability of the interconnect structure formed. The present invention also relates to an interconnect structure which include a porous ultra low k dielectric of the SiCOH type in which the surface layer thereof has been modified so as to form a gradient layer that has both a density gradient and a C content gradient.

Abstract: Methods are provided that enable the ability to use a less aggressive liner processes, while producing structures known to give a desired high stress migration and electro-migration reliability. The present invention circumvents the issue of sputter damage of low k (on the order of 3.2 or less) dielectric by creating the via “anchors” (interlocked and interpenetrated vias) through chemical means. This allows the elimination or significant reduction of the sputter-etching process used to create the via penetration (“drilling, gouging”) into the line below in the barrier/seed metallization step. The present invention achieves the above, while maintaining a reliable copper fill and device structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hardmask that is located on a surface of a low k dielectric material having at least one conductive feature embedded therein. The hardmask includes a lower region of a hermetic oxide material located adjacent to the low k dielectric material and an upper region comprising atoms of Si, C and H located above the hermetic oxide material. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the inventive hardmask as well as a method to form an interconnect structure containing the same.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microelectronic structure includes forming a via aperture through a dielectric layer located over a substrate having a conductor layer therein, to expose the conductor layer. The conductor layer typically comprises a copper containing material. The method also includes etching the conductor layer to form a recessed conductor layer prior to etching a trench aperture within the dielectric layer. The trench aperture is typically contiguous with the via aperture to form a dual damascene aperture. By etching the conductor layer after forming the via aperture and before forming the trench aperture, such a dual damascene aperture is formed with enhanced dimensional integrity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hardmask that is located on a surface of a low k dielectric material having at least one conductive feature embedded therein. The hardmask includes a lower region of a hermetic oxide material located adjacent to the low k dielectric material and an upper region comprising atoms of Si, C and H located above the hermetic oxide material. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the inventive hardmask as well as a method to form an interconnect structure containing the same.