Abstract: A 3D vertically integrated FET for CMOS cell circuits is disclosed. Vertically integrating FETs for a 3D cell circuit reduces the footprint size of an IC chip. To reduce a CMOS cell circuit footprint, a PFET and an NFET are vertically integrated by stacking a second semiconductor layer including a second FET above a first semiconductor layer including a first FET, such that the channel structure of the second FET overlaps the channel structure of the first FET. The first FET may be an NFET, and the second FET may be a PFET, or vice versa. The longitudinal axis of the first FET channel structure may extend in a first plane parallel to a second plane including the longitudinal axis of the second FET channel structure. The longitudinal axes may be parallel or at an angle to each other, such that the second channel structure overlaps the first channel structure.

Abstract: A 3D vertically integrated FET for CMOS cell circuits is disclosed. Vertically integrating FETs for a 3D cell circuit reduces the footprint size of an IC chip. To reduce a CMOS cell circuit footprint, a PFET and an NFET are vertically integrated by stacking a second semiconductor layer including a second FET above a first semiconductor layer including a first FET, such that the channel structure of the second FET overlaps the channel structure of the first FET. The first FET may be an NFET, and the second FET may be a PFET, or vice versa. The longitudinal axis of the first FET channel structure may extend in a first plane parallel to a second plane including the longitudinal axis of the second FET channel structure. The longitudinal axes may be parallel or at an angle to each other, such that the second channel structure overlaps the first channel structure.

Abstract: Aspects for reducing or avoiding mechanical stress in static random access memory (SRAM) strap cells are disclosed herein. An exemplary SRAM strap cell includes a P-type doped well (Pwell) tap electrically coupled to a first supply rail to distribute a first supply voltage to a Pwell region of corresponding SRAM bit cell rows. The SRAM strap cell also includes an N-type doped well (Nwell) tap electrically coupled to a second supply rail to distribute a second supply voltage to an Nwell region of corresponding SRAM bit cell rows. In one exemplary aspect, the Nwell tap can include multiple supply contacts used to couple the second supply rail to the SRAM strap cell to reduce mechanical stress in the Nwell tap. In another exemplary aspect, the Pwell tap can include non-active gates disposed across multiple Fins to stabilize the Fins and reduce or avoid mechanical stress in the Pwell tap.

Abstract: Selective epitaxial growth is used to form a hetero-structured source/drain region to fill an etched recess in a silicon fin for an n-type FinFET device.

Abstract: Aspects for reducing or avoiding mechanical stress in static random access memory (SRAM) strap cells are disclosed herein. An exemplary SRAM strap cell includes a P-type doped well (Pwell) tap electrically coupled to a first supply rail to distribute a first supply voltage to a Pwell region of corresponding SRAM bit cell rows. The SRAM strap cell also includes an N-type doped well (Nwell) tap electrically coupled to a second supply rail to distribute a second supply voltage to an Nwell region of corresponding SRAM bit cell rows. In one exemplary aspect, the Nwell tap can include multiple supply contacts used to couple the second supply rail to the SRAM strap cell to reduce mechanical stress in the Nwell tap. In another exemplary aspect, the Pwell tap can include non-active gates disposed across multiple Fins to stabilize the Fins and reduce or avoid mechanical stress in the Pwell tap.

Abstract: Field-Effect Transistor (FET) devices employing an adjacent asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout are disclosed. In an exemplary aspect, a FET cell is provided that includes a FET device having an active gate, a source region, and a drain region. The FET cell also includes an isolation structure comprising a dummy gate over a diffusion break located adjacent to one of the source region and the drain region. The FET cell has an asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout in that a width of the active gate is larger than a width of the adjacent dummy gate. The increased width of the active gate provides increased gate control and the decreased width of the dummy gate increases isolation from the dummy gate, thus reducing sub-threshold leakage through the dummy gate.

Abstract: A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: Selective epitaxial growth is used to form a hetero-structured source/drain region to fill an etched recess in a silicon fin for an n-type FinFET device.

Abstract: Field-Effect Transistor (FET) devices employing an adjacent asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout are disclosed. In an exemplary aspect, a FET cell is provided that includes a FET device having an active gate, a source region, and a drain region. The FET cell also includes an isolation structure comprising a dummy gate over a diffusion break located adjacent to one of the source region and the drain region. The FET cell has an asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout in that a width of the active gate is larger than a width of the adjacent dummy gate. The increased width of the active gate provides increased gate control and the decreased width of the dummy gate increases isolation from the dummy gate, thus reducing sub-threshold leakage through the dummy gate.

Abstract: Fin Field Effect transistors (FETs) (FinFETs) employing dielectric material layers to apply stress to channel regions are disclosed. In one aspect, a FinFET is provided that includes a substrate and a Fin disposed over the substrate. The Fin includes a source, a drain, and a channel region between the source and drain. A gate is disposed around the channel region. To apply stress to the channel region, a first dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to one side of the Fin. A second dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to another side of the Fin. The dielectric material layers apply stress along the Fin, including the channel region. The level of stress applied by the dielectric material layers is not dependent on the volume of each layer.

Abstract: Fin Field Effect transistors (FETs) (FinFETs) employing dielectric material layers to apply stress to channel regions are disclosed. In one aspect, a FinFET is provided that includes a substrate and a Fin disposed over the substrate. The Fin includes a source, a drain, and a channel region between the source and drain. A gate is disposed around the channel region. To apply stress to the channel region, a first dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to one side of the Fin. A second dielectric material layer is disposed over the substrate and adjacent to another side of the Fin. The dielectric material layers apply stress along the Fin, including the channel region. The level of stress applied by the dielectric material layers is not dependent on the volume of each layer.

Abstract: Field-Effect Transistor (FET) devices employing an adjacent asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout are disclosed. In an exemplary aspect, a FET cell is provided that includes a FET device having an active gate, a source region, and a drain region. The FET cell also includes an isolation structure comprising a dummy gate over a diffusion break located adjacent to one of the source region and the drain region. The FET cell has an asymmetric active gate/dummy gate width layout in that a width of the active gate is larger than a width of the adjacent dummy gate. The increased width of the active gate provides increased gate control and the decreased width of the dummy gate increases isolation from the dummy gate, thus reducing sub-threshold leakage through the dummy gate.

Abstract: A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A multigate transistor device such as a fin-shaped field effect transistor (FinFET) is fabricated by applying a self-aligned diffusion break (SADB) mask having an opening positioned to expose an area of at least one portion of at least one gate stripe designated as at least one tie-off gate in the multigate transistor device and removing the tie-off gate through the opening of the SADB mask to isolate transistors adjacent to the tie-off gate.

Abstract: A method for increasing the performance of an integrated circuit by reducing the number of dummy gate geometries next to transistors in the speed path of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit and integrated circuits therefrom includes the steps of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface, forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor surface and a polysilicon including layer on the gate dielectric. A portion of the polysilicon layer is masked, and pre-gate etch implant of a first dopant type into an unmasked portion of the polysilicon layer is performed, wherein masked portions of the polysilicon layer are protected from the first dopant. The polysilicon layer is patterned to form a plurality of polysilicon gates and a plurality of polysilicon lines, wherein the masked portion includes at least one of the polysilicon lines which couple a polysilicon gate of a PMOS device to a polysilicon gate of an NMOS device.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a method for forming a metal silicide layer. The method comprises providing a substrate comprising silicon and depositing a metal layer on the substrate. The metal layer is annealed within a first temperature range and for a first dwell time of about 10 milliseconds or less to react at least a portion of the metal with the silicon to form a silicide. An unreacted portion of the metal is removed from the substrate. The silicide is annealed within a second temperature range for a second dwell time of about 10 milliseconds or less.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a semiconductor substrate, a least one MOS transistor formed in or on the substrate, the MOS transistor including a source and drain doped with a first dopant type having a channel region of a second dopant type interposed between, and a gate electrode and a gate insulator over the channel region. A silicide layer forming a low resistance contact is at an interface region at a surface portion of the source and drain. At the interface region a chemical concentration of the first dopant is at least 5×1020 cm?3. Silicide interfaces according to the invention provide MOS transistor with a low silicide interface resistance, low pipe density, with an acceptably small impact on short channel behavior.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a CMOS integrated circuit includes the steps of providing a substrate having a semiconductor surface, forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor surface and a polysilicon layer on the gate dielectric layer. The polysilicon layer is patterned while being undoped to form a plurality of polysilicon comprising gates. A first pattern is used to protect a plurality of PMOS devices and a first n-type implant is performed to dope the gates and source/drain regions for a plurality of NMOS devices. A second pattern is used to protect the PMOS devices and the sources/drains and gates for a portion of the plurality of NMOS devices and a second n-type implant is performed to dope the gates of the other NMOS devices.