Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal gate structure includes providing a substrate (110) having formed thereon a gate dielectric (120), a work function metal (130) adjacent to the gate dielectric, and a gate metal (140) adjacent to the work function metal; selectively forming a sacrificial capping layer (310) centered over the gate metal; forming an electrically insulating layer (161) over the sacrificial capping layer such that the electrically insulating layer at least partially surrounds the sacrificial capping layer; selectively removing the sacrificial capping layer in order to form a trench (410) aligned to the gate metal in the electrically insulating layer; and filling the trench with an electrically insulating material in order to form an electrically insulating cap (150) centered on the gate metal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal gate structure includes providing a substrate (110) having formed thereon a gate dielectric (120), a work function metal (130) adjacent to the gate dielectric, and a gate metal (140) adjacent to the work function metal; selectively forming a sacrificial capping layer (310) centered over the gate metal; forming an electrically insulating layer (161) over the sacrificial capping layer such that the electrically insulating layer at least partially surrounds the sacrificial capping layer; selectively removing the sacrificial capping layer in order to form a trench (410) aligned to the gate metal in the electrically insulating layer; and filling the trench with an electrically insulating material in order to form an electrically insulating cap (150) centered on the gate metal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal gate structure includes providing a substrate (110) having formed thereon a gate dielectric (120), a work function metal (130) adjacent to the gate dielectric, and a gate metal (140) adjacent to the work function metal; selectively forming a sacrificial capping layer (310) centered over the gate metal; forming an electrically insulating layer (161) over the sacrificial capping layer such that the electrically insulating layer at least partially surrounds the sacrificial capping layer; selectively removing the sacrificial capping layer in order to form a trench (410) aligned to the gate metal in the electrically insulating layer; and filling the trench with an electrically insulating material in order to form an electrically insulating cap (150) centered on the gate metal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal gate structure includes providing a substrate (110) having formed thereon a gate dielectric (120), a work function metal (130) adjacent to the gate dielectric, and a gate metal (140) adjacent to the work function metal; selectively forming a sacrificial capping layer (310) centered over the gate metal; forming an electrically insulating layer (161) over the sacrificial capping layer such that the electrically insulating layer at least partially surrounds the sacrificial capping layer; selectively removing the sacrificial capping layer in order to form a trench (410) aligned to the gate metal in the electrically insulating layer; and filling the trench with an electrically insulating material in order to form an electrically insulating cap (150) centered on the gate metal.

Abstract: An electroless plating bath for filling high aspect ratio features with copper metal comprises water, a water soluble copper containing compound having an initial concentration of 0.5 to 50 g/L, a catalyst reducing agent having an initial concentration of 0.02 to 1.5 g/L, a bulk reducing agent having an initial concentration of 2.37 to 29.7 g/L, a buffering agent having an initial concentration of 25 to 100 g/L, a grain refining additive having an initial concentration of 0.25 to 5.0 g/L, a bath stabilizing agent having an initial concentration of 0.02 to 0.1 g/L, and a rate controlling additive having an initial concentration of 0.01 to 0.5 g/L. The catalyst reducing agent may comprise glyoxylic acid and the bulk reducing agent may comprise glycolic acid or hypophosphite.

Abstract: A method for performing a batch spray comprises providing a substrate mounted upon a turntable, rotating the turntable to revolve the substrate around a center axis of the turntable, rotating the substrate independently of the turntable, wherein the rotating of the substrate occurs simultaneously with the rotating of the turntable, and spraying a chemical onto the substrate from at least one fixed location. Rotating the substrate independently of the turntable allows the entire circumference of the substrate to be exposed to the chemical spray. In one implementation, the substrate may be loaded into a process cassette, the process cassette may be mounted on the turntable, and the process cassette may rotate independently of the turntable while the turntable is rotating.