Abstract: To reduce the width of a MOSFET gate, the gate is formed with a hardmask formed thereupon. An isotropic etch is then performed to trim the gate in order to reduce the width of the gate. The resulting gate may be formed with a width that is narrower than a minimum width achievable solely through conventional projection lithography techniques.

Abstract: To reduce the width of a MOSFET gate, the gate is formed with a hardmask formed thereupon. An isotropic etch is then performed to trim the gate in order to reduce the width of the gate. The resulting gate may be formed with a width that is narrower than a minimum width achievable solely through conventional projection lithography techniques.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a fin on an insulating layer, where the fin includes a number of side surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface. The method also includes forming a gate on the insulating layer, where the gate has a substantially U-shaped cross-section at a channel region of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method of forming a fin for a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) includes defining a trench in a layer of first material, where a width of an opening of the trench is substantially smaller than a thickness of the layer. The method further includes growing a second material in the trench to form the fin and removing the layer of first material.

Abstract: A double-gate semiconductor device includes a substrate, an insulating layer, a fin and a gate. The insulating layer is formed on the substrate and the gate is formed on the insulating layer. The fin has a number of side surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface and at least a portion of the side surfaces of the fin are surrounded by the gate. The gate material surrounding the fin has a U-shaped cross-section at a channel region of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method of forming a fuse for use in an integrated circuit using an amorphous carbon mask includes providing a mask material layer comprising amorphous carbon over a conductive layer. The mask material layer is doped with nitrogen, and an anti-reflective coating (ARC) feature is formed over the mask layer. A portion of the mask material layer is removed according to the ARC feature to form a mask, and the ARC feature is removed to form a warped mask. The conductive layer is patterned according to the warped mask, the warped mask is removed, and a silicide layer is provided over the patterned conductive layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate in a FinFET device includes forming a fin on an insulating layer, forming source/drain regions and forming a gate oxide on the fin. The method also includes depositing a gate material over the insulating layer and the fin, depositing a barrier layer over the gate material and depositing a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer over the barrier layer. The method further includes forming a gate mask over the BARC layer, etching the BARC layer, where the etching terminates on the barrier layer, and etching the gate material to form the gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a fin and a layer formed on the fin. The fin includes a first crystalline material having a rectangular cross section and a number of surfaces. The layer is formed on the surfaces and includes a second crystalline material. The first crystalline material has a different lattice constant than the second crystalline material to induce tensile strain within the first layer.

Abstract: A narrow channel FinFET is described herein with a narrow channel width. A protective layer may be formed over the narrow channel, the protective layer being wider than the narrow channel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin and a layer formed on at least a portion of the fin. The fin includes a first crystalline material. The layer includes a second crystalline material, where the first crystalline material has a larger lattice constant than the second crystalline material to induce tensile strain within the layer.

Abstract: A layer of material is patterned anisotropically using a bi-layer hardmask structure. Residual photoresist from a photoresist mask used to pattern an upper layer of the bi-layer hardmask is removed prior to patterning of the polysilicon layer. Passivation agents are later introduced from an external source during patterning of the layer of material. This provides a substantially uniform supply of passivation agents to all parts of the layer of material as it is being etched, rather than relying on the generation of passivation agents from consumption of photoresist during etching, which can produce local non-uniformities of passivation agent availability owing to differences in photoresist thickness remaining on different sized features.

Abstract: A method for forming a fin structure on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer that includes a silicon layer on an insulating layer that is formed over a semiconductor substrate includes etching the silicon layer using a first etch procedure, etching, following the first etch procedure, the silicon layer using a second etch procedure, and etching, following the second etch procedure, the silicon layer using a third etch procedure to form a T-shaped fin structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a gate for a Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET) is provided. The method includes forming a first layer of material over a fin and forming a second layer over the first layer. The second layer includes either Ti or TiN. The method further includes forming a third layer over the second layer. The third layer includes an anti-reflective coating. The method also includes etching the first, second and third layers to form the gate for the FinFET.

Abstract: A method for an integrated circuit includes the use of an amorphous carbon ARC mask. A layer of amorphous carbon material is deposited above a layer of conductive material, and a layer of anti-reflective coating (ARC) material is deposited over the layer of amorphous carbon material. The layer of amorphous carbon material and the layer of ARC material are etched to form a mask comprising an ARC material portion and an amorphous carbon portion. A feature may then be formed in the layer of conductive material by etching the layer of conductive material in accordance with the mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a fin and a layer formed on the fin. The fin includes a first crystalline material having a rectangular cross section and a number of surfaces. The layer is formed on the surfaces and includes a second crystalline material. The first crystalline material has a different lattice constant than the second crystalline material to induce tensile strain within the first layer.

Abstract: A hardmask stack is comprised of alternating layers of doped amorphous carbon and undoped amorphous carbon. The undoped amorphous carbon layers serve as buffer layers that constrain the effects of compressive stress within the doped amorphous carbon layers to prevent delamination. The stack is provided with a top capping layer. The layer beneath the capping layer is preferably undoped amorphous carbon to reduce photoresist poisoning. An alternative hardmask stack is comprised of alternating layers of capping material and amorphous carbon. The amorphous carbon layers may be doped or undoped. The capping material layers serve as buffer layers that constrain the effects of compressive stress within the amorphous carbon layers to prevent delamination. The top layer of the stack is formed of a capping material. The layer beneath the top layer is preferably undoped amorphous carbon to reduce photoresist poisoning.

Abstract: A method of forming fins for a double-gate fin field effect transistor (FinFET) includes forming a second layer of semi-conducting material over a first layer of semi-conducting material and forming double caps in the second layer of semi-conducting material. The method further includes forming spacers adjacent sides of each of the double caps and forming double fins in the first semi-conducting material beneath the double caps. The method also includes thinning the double fins to produce narrow double fins.

Abstract: An amorphous carbon layer is implanted with one or more dopants that enhance the etch resistivity of the amorphous carbon to etchants such as chlorine and HBr that are typically used to etch polysilicon. Such a layer may be pattern to form a handmask for etching polysilicon that provides improved pattern transfer accuracy compared to conventional undoped amorphous carbon.

Abstract: A double-gate semiconductor device includes a substrate, an insulating layer, a fin and a gate. The insulating layer is formed on the substrate and the gate is formed on the insulating layer. The fin has a number of side surfaces, a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface and at least a portion of the side surfaces of the fin are surrounded by the gate. The gate material surrounding the fin has a U-shaped cross-section at a channel region of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method of determining overlay layers utilizing advanced lithographic materials utilizes a post-etch overlay metrology. After etching, a relatively opaque layer is removed so that registration markers such as trench isolation structures can be observed. Lithographic parameters associated with the process can be adjusted in accordance with the observations. In a preferred embodiment, an overlay error is determined and adjustments are made to the reduce the overlay error.