Abstract: Stepped photoresist profiles provide various methods of forming profiles in an underlying substrate. The stepped photoresist profiles are formed in two layers of photoresist that are disposed over the substrate. The substrate is then etched twice using a respective opening in each photoresist layer to create a stepped profile in the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film transistor includes, a) forming a thin film transistor layer of semiconductive material; b) providing a gate operatively adjacent the thin film transistor layer; c) forming at least one electrically conductive sidewall spacer over at least one lateral edge of the gate, the spacer being electrically continuous therewith; and d) providing a source region, a drain region, a drain offset region, and a channel region in the thin film transistor layer; the drain offset region being positioned operatively adjacent the one electrically conductive sidewall spacer and being gated thereby. The spacer is formed by anisotropically etching a spacer forming layer.

Abstract: Impurities are added to a conductor layer in a semiconductor process to prevent formation of void spaces and encourage complete filling of contacts. The impurities reduce the melting point and surface tension of a conductor layer, thereby improving filling characteristics during a reflow step. The impurities may be added at any time during the process, including during conductor deposition and/or reflow.

Abstract: The invention is a method to form a localized oxide isolation region by implantation of oxygen and nitrogen ions prior to a thermal oxide growth. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a silicon substrate is selectively masked with silicon nitride and oxygen ions are implanted into the unmasked regions of the substrate at an energy necessary to form a buried oxygen rich layer close to the substrate surface. The nitrogen ions are implanted at an angle such that they underlie the masked regions adjacent to the unmasked regions. The substrate is then oxidized to form silicon oxide using the silicon nitride as an oxidation mask.

Abstract: The invention includes field effect transistors and methods of forming field effect transistors. In one implementation, a field effect transistor includes a semiconductive channel region and a gate construction operatively proximate the channel region. The gate construction includes a conductive gate region and a gate dielectric region intermediate the channel region and the conductive gate region. The gate dielectric region includes a Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 comprising layer and a SiO.sub.2 comprising layer intermediate the Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 comprising layer and the channel region. The conductive gate region includes at least two different material layers, with one of the at least two layers comprising a first conductive material and another of the at least two layers comprising a conductive metal nitride which is received intermediate the Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 comprising layer and the one layer. In one implementation in a field effect transistor gate, the gate dielectric region includes a Ta.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: A method of forming a bottom gated TFT includes, a) providing a transistor gate relative to a substrate which projects outward thereof; b) providing a dielectric layer over the gate; c) providing a TFT layer of semiconductive material over the dielectric layer; the thin film transistor layer comprising a source area, a channel area, a drain area, and a drain offset area; d) providing a masking layer over the TFT layer; e) anisotropically etching the masking layer to define a masking sidewall spacer laterally adjacent the transistor gate over the drain offset area and leave the channel area outwardly exposed; f) with the masking sidewall spacer in place, implanting a conductivity enhancing impurity of a first type into the thin film channel area to provide a thin film channel region; and g) masking the channel area and the drain offset area while implanting conductivity enhancing impurity of a second type into the thin film source and drain areas to define thin film source and channel regions.

Abstract: A method for forming a field effect transistor which includes providing a substrate having thin film source and drain regions formed thereon; forming a thin film channel region intermediate the thin film source and drain regions, the thin film channel region comprising a first layer of semiconductor material, an etch stop layer formed over the first layer semiconductor material, and a second layer of material formed over the etch stop layer; forming a masking layer over the source and drain regions while leaving the thin film channel region effectively exposed; and removing a portion of the second layer of material selectively relative to the etch stop layer in the exposed thin film channel region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating hemispherical grained (HSG) silicon layers. A surface seeding method is disclosed, wherein an amorphous silicon layer is doped with germanium. The silicon may be doped with germanium during deposition, or a previously formed silicon layer may be implanted with the germanium. The layer may also be in situ conductively doped. The Ge-doped amorphous silicon is then subjected to a vacuum anneal in which surface migration of silicon atoms causes a redistribution in the layer, and hemispherical grains or bumps result. A seeding source gas may flow during the anneal to aid in nucleation. The method permits HSG silicon formation at lower temperature and shorter duration anneals than prior art methods. Greater silicon mobility in the presence of germanium dopants also enables the growth of larger grains, thus enhancing surface area. At the same time, the germanium provides conductivity for memory cell charge storage.

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes, a) providing a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; b) providing a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; c) providing a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the resistor nodes; d) providing a pair of contact openings, with respective widths, through the first insulating layer to the pair of resistor nodes; e) providing a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths; f) anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating ann

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes: a) a thin film transistor layer comprising a source region, a channel region and a drain region; the thin film transistor layer further comprising a drain offset region positioned between the drain region and the channel region; b) the channel region being substantially polycrystalline and having a first average crystalline grain size; and c) the drain offset region being substantially polycrystalline and having a second average crystalline grain size, the second average crystalline grain size being larger than the first average crystalline grain size. A method for forming such a construction using polycrystalline materials, preferably polysilicon, and an amorphizing silicon implant with subsequent recrystallization is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film transistor of a first conductivity type includes, a) providing a thin film transistor layer of semiconductive material; b) first masking the thin film transistor layer to mask a desired drain offset region while leaving a desired channel region exposed; c) with the first masking in place, doping the exposed channel region with a conductivity enhancing impurity of a second type; d) second masking the thin film transistor layer to mask the channel region and the drain offset region and leave desired opposing source/drain regions exposed; and e) with the second masking in place, doping the exposed source/drain regions with a conductivity enhancing impurity of the first type.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film transistor relative to a substrate includes, a) providing a thin film transistor layer of polycrystalline material on a substrate, the polycrystalline material comprising grain boundaries; b) providing a fluorine containing layer adjacent the polycrystalline thin film layer; c) annealing the fluorine containing layer at a temperature and for a time period which in combination are effective to drive fluorine from the fluorine containing layer into the polycrystalline thin film layer and incorporate fluorine within the grain boundaries to passivate said grain boundaries; and d) providing a transistor gate operatively adjacent the thin film transistor layer. The thin film transistor can be fabricated to be bottom gated or top gated. A buffering layer can be provided intermediate the thin film transistor layer and the fluorine containing layer, with the buffering layer being transmissive of fluorine from the fluorine containing layer during the annealing.

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes, a) providing a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusiion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; b) providing a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; c) providing a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the reistor nodes; d) providing a pair of contact openings, with respective width, through the first insulating layer to the pair of resistor nodes; e) providing a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths; f) anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating annulus s

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes, a) providing a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; b) providing a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; c) providing a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the resistor nodes; d) providing a pair of contact openings, with respective widths, through the first insulating layer to the pair of resistor nodes; e) providing a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths; f) anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating ann

Abstract: An integrated circuit anti-fuse is described which is fabricated as a capacitor using a layer of oxide. The two plates of the anti-fuse are coupled to appropriate voltage levels to rupture the oxide and form a conductive short between the plates. One of the plates is formed as a diffused well which is coupled to an external voltage during programming. The well is biased to an internal voltage during normal operation of the circuit incorporating the anti-fuse.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes, a) a thin film source region; b) a thin film drain region; c) a polycrystalline thin film channel region intermediate the thin film source region and the thin film drain region; d) a transistor gate and gate dielectric operatively positioned adjacent the thin film channel region; and e) the thin film channel region comprising at least an inner layer, an outer layer and a middle layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer, the inner layer and the outer layer comprising polycrystalline silicon and having respective energy bandgaps, the middle sandwich layer comprising a polycrystalline material and having a lower energy bandgap than either of the inner and outer layers. Alternately, the channel region is homogeneous, comprising germanium or an alloy of polycrystalline silicon and germanium.

Abstract: A method of forming film transistor includes, a) forming a thin film transistor layer of semiconductive material; b) providing a gate operatively adjacent the thin film transistor layer; c) forming at least one electrically conductive sidewall spacer over at least one lateral edge of the gate, the spacer being electrically continuous therewith; and d) providing a source region, a drain region, a drain offset region, and a channel region in the thin film transistor layer; the drain offset region being positioned operatively adjacent the one electrically conductive sidewall spacer and being gated thereby. The spacer is formed by anisotropically etching a spacer forming layer.

Abstract: Integrated circuitry and methods of forming integrated circuitry are described. In one implementation, a common masking step is utilized to provide source/drain diffusion regions and halo ion implantation or dopant regions relative to the source/drain regions within one well region of a substrate; and well contact diffusion regions within another well region of the substrate. The common masking step preferably defines at least one mask opening over the substrate within which the well contact diffusion region is to be formed, and the mask opening is suitably dimensioned to reduce the amount of halo ion implantation dopant which ultimately reaches the substrate therebelow. According to one aspect, a plurality of mask openings are provided. According to another aspect, a suitably-dimensioned single mask opening is provided.

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes, a) providing a pair of pull-down gates having associated transistor diffusion regions operatively adjacent thereto, one of the diffusion regions of each pull-down gate being electrically connected to the other pull-down gate; b) providing a pair of pull-up resistor nodes for electrical connection with a pair of respective pull-up resistors, the pull-up nodes being in respective electrical connection with one of the pull-down gate diffusion regions and the other pull-down gate; c) providing a first electrical insulating layer outwardly of the resistor nodes; d) providing a pair of contact openings, with respective widths, through the first insulating layer to the pair of resistor nodes; e) providing a second electrical insulating layer over the first layer and to within the pair of contact openings to a thickness which is less than one-half the open widths; f) anisotropically etching the second electrical insulating layer to define respective electrical insulating ann

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes: a) a thin film transistor layer comprising a source region, a channel region and a drain region; the thin film transistor layer further comprising a drain offset region positioned between the drain region and the channel region; b) the channel region being substantially polycrystalline and having a first average crystalline grain size; and c) the drain offset region being substantially polycrystalline and having a second average crystalline grain size, the second average crystalline grain size being larger than the first average crystalline grain size. A method for forming such a construction using polycrystalline materials, preferably polysilicon, and an amorphizing silicon implant with subsequent recrystallization is also disclosed.