Abstract: Semiconductor structures having improved dopant configurations are obtained by use of barrier layers containing silicon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms and having a thickness of about 5 to 50 Å. A doped semiconductor structure with controlled dopant configuration can be formed by: (a) providing a first semiconductor material region, (b) forming an interface layer comprising silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen on the first region, (c) forming a second semiconductor material region on the interface layer, the second semiconductor material region being on an opposite side of the interface layer from the first semiconductor material region, (d) providing a dopant in the second region, and (e) heating the first and second regions whereby at least a portion of the dopant diffuses from the second region through the interface layer to the first region.

Abstract: Improved reliability structures containing quantum conductive barrier layer structures are obtained by employing quantum conductive layers in combination with thin regions of amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor material. The quantum conductive structures are especially useful when incorporated into trench capacitors to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of low temperature fails and single cell fails in DRAM circuits.

Abstract: Reduced scale structures of improved reliability and/or increased composition options are enabled by the creation and use of quantum conductive recrystallization barrier layers. The quantum conductive layers are preferably used in trench capacitors to act as recrystallization barriers.

Abstract: In a manufacturing line having a plurality of production jobs performed on a plurality of production units in a plurality of processing areas, a method and related system for selecting a number of production units to be sent to a designated process area other than the plurality of processing areas.