Abstract: Disclosed is an SOI device on a bulk silicon layer which has an FET region, a body contact region and an STI region. The FET region is made of an SOI layer and an overlying gate. The STI region includes a first STI layer separating the SOI device from an adjacent SOI device. The body contact region includes an extension of the SOI layer, a second STI layer on the extension and a body contact in contact with the extension. The first and second STI layers are contiguous and of different thicknesses so as to form a split level STI.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a memory device including a substrate including at least one device region; a first field effect transistor having a first threshold voltage and a second field effect transistor having a second threshold voltage, the second field effect transistor including a second active region present in the at least one device region of the substrate, the second active region including a second drain and a second source separated by a second channel region, wherein the second channel region includes a second trap that stores holes produced when the first field effect transistor is in the on state, wherein the holes stored in the second trap increase the second threshold voltage to be greater than the first threshold voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming asymmetric field-effect-transistors.

Abstract: A method of forming a field effect transistor creates shallower and sharper junctions, while maximizing dopant activation in processes that are consistent with current manufacturing techniques. More specifically, the invention increases the oxygen content of the top surface of a silicon substrate. The top surface of the silicon substrate is preferably cleaned before increasing the oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate. The oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate is higher than other portions of the silicon substrate, but below an amount that would prevent epitaxial growth. This allows the invention to epitaxially grow a silicon layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate. Further, the increased oxygen content substantially limits dopants within the epitaxial silicon layer from moving into the silicon substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved CMOS diode structure with dual gate conductors. Specifically, a substrate comprising a first n-doped region and a second p-doped region is formed. A third region of either n-type or p-type conductivity is located between the first and second regions. A first gate conductor of n-type conductivity and a second gate conductor of p-type conductivity are located over the substrate and adjacent to the first and second regions, respectively. Further, the second gate conductor is spaced apart and isolated from the first gate conductor by a dielectric isolation structure. An accumulation region with an underlying depletion region can be formed in such a diode structure between the third region and the second or the first region, and such an accumulation region preferably has a width that is positively correlated with that of the second or the first gate conductor.

Abstract: A method for forming multiple self-aligned gate stacks, the method comprising, forming a first group of gate stack layers on a first portion of a substrate, forming a second group of gate stack layers on a second portion of the substrate adjacent to the first portion of the substrate, etching to form a trench disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the substrate, and filling the trench with an insulating material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved CMOS diode structure with dual gate conductors. Specifically, a substrate comprising a first n-doped region and a second p-doped region is formed. A third region of either n-type or p-type conductivity is located between the first and second regions. A first gate conductor of n-type conductivity and a second gate conductor of p-type conductivity are located over the substrate and adjacent to the first and second regions, respectively. Further, the second gate conductor is spaced apart and isolated from the first gate conductor by a dielectric isolation structure. An accumulation region with an underlying depletion region can be formed in such a diode structure between the third region and the second or the first region, and such an accumulation region preferably has a width that is positively correlated with that of the second or the first gate conductor.

Abstract: A method for forming a CMOS well structure including forming a plurality of first conductivity type wells over a substrate, each of the plurality of first conductivity type wells formed in a respective opening in a first mask. A cap is formed over each of the first conductivity type wells, and the first mask is removed. Sidewall spacers are formed on sidewalls of each of the first conductivity type wells. A plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed, each of the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed between respective first conductivity type wells. A plurality of shallow trench isolations are formed between the first conductivity type wells and second conductive type wells. The plurality of first conductivity type wells are formed by a first selective epitaxial growth process, and the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed by a second selective epitaxial growth process.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming an SOI MOSFET device with a silicon layer formed on a dielectric layer with a gate electrode stack, with sidewall spacers on sidewalls of the gate electrode stack and raised source/drain regions formed on the surface of the silicon layer. The gate electrode stack comprises a gate electrode formed of polysilicon over a gate dielectric layer formed on the surface of the silicon layer. A thin amorphous silicon cap layer is formed in the top surface of the gate electrode by implanting dopant into the surface thereof. A notch is etched into the periphery of the cap layer. A plug of dielectric material is formed in the notch. The sidewalls of the gate electrode are covered by the sidewall spacers which cover a portion of the plug for the purpose of eliminating the exposure of the gate polysilicon so that formation of spurious epitaxial growth during the formation of raised source/drain regions is avoided.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including at least one transistor is provided which has a stressed channel region that is a result of having a stressed layer present atop a gate conductor that includes a stack comprising a bottom polysilicon (polySi) layer and a top metal semiconductor alloy (i.e., metal silicide) layer. The stressed layer is self-aligned to the gate conductor. The inventive structure also has a reduced external parasitic S/D resistance as a result of having a metallic contact located atop source/drain regions that include a surface region comprised of a metal semiconductor alloy. The metallic contact is self-aligned to the gate conductor.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (“FET”) is provided which includes a gate stack overlying a single-crystal semiconductor region of a substrate, a pair of first spacers disposed over sidewalls of said gate stack, and a pair of regions consisting essentially of a single-crystal semiconductor alloy which are disposed on opposite sides of the gate stack. Each of the semiconductor alloy regions is spaced a first distance from the gate stack. The source region and drain region of the FET are at least partly disposed in respective ones of the semiconductor alloy regions, such that the source region and the drain region are each spaced a second distance from the gate stack by a first spacer of the pair of first spacers, the second distance being different from the first distance.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including at least one transistor is provided which has a stressed channel region that is a result of having a stressed layer present atop a gate conductor that includes a stack comprising a bottom polysilicon (polySi) layer and a top metal semiconductor alloy (i.e., metal silicide) layer. The stressed layer is self-aligned to the gate conductor. The inventive structure also has a reduced external parasitic S/D resistance as a result of having a metallic contact located atop source/drain regions that include a surface region comprised of a metal semiconductor alloy. The metallic contact is self-aligned to the gate conductor.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a memory device including a substrate including at least one device region; a first field effect transistor having a first threshold voltage and a second field effect transistor having a second threshold voltage, the second field effect transistor including a second active region present in the at least one device region of the substrate, the second active region including a second drain and a second source separated by a second channel region, wherein the second channel region includes a second trap that stores holes produced when the first field effect transistor is in the on state, wherein the holes stored in the second trap increase the second threshold voltage to be greater than the first threshold voltage.

Abstract: A method for forming multiple self-aligned gate stacks, the method comprising, forming a first group of gate stack layers on a first portion of a substrate, forming a second group of gate stack layers on a second portion of the substrate adjacent to the first portion of the substrate, etching to form a trench disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the substrate, and filling the trench with an insulating material.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including at least one transistor is provided which has a stressed channel region that is a result of having a stressed layer present atop a gate conductor that includes a stack comprising a bottom polysilicon (polySi) layer and a top metal semiconductor alloy (i.e., metal silicide) layer. The stressed layer is self-aligned to the gate conductor. The inventive structure also has a reduced external parasitic S/D resistance as a result of having a metallic contact located atop source/drain regions that include a surface region comprised of a metal semiconductor alloy. The metallic contact is self-aligned to the gate conductor.

Abstract: A dual stress liner structure having a substantially planar interface between liners and a related method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a dual stress liner structure may include a tensile stress liner over an NFET, the NFET including a PFET adjacent thereto; and a compressive stress liner over the PFET, wherein an upper surface of the compressive stress liner is substantially planar with an upper surface of the tensile stress liner at an interface therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention relates to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, as well as methods for forming such CMOS circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to CMOS circuits that contain passive elements, such as buried resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors, attenuators, power dividers, and antennas, etc., which are characterized by an end contact resistance of less than 90 ohm-microns. Such a low end resistance can be achieved either by reducing the spacer widths of the passive elements to a range of from about 10 nm to about 30 nm, or by masking the passive elements during a pre-amorphization implantation step, so that the passive elements are essentially free of pre-amorphization implants.

Abstract: A silicon containing fin is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A silicon oxide layer is formed around the bottom of the silicon containing fin. A gate dielectric is formed on the silicon containing fin followed by formation of a gate electrode. While protecting the portion of the semiconductor fin around the channel, a bottom portion of the silicon containing semiconductor fin is etched by a isotropic etch leaving a body strap between the channel of a finFET on the silicon containing fin and an underlying semiconductor layer underneath the silicon oxide layer. The fin may comprise a stack of inhomogeneous layers in which a bottom layer is etched selectively to a top semiconductor layer. Alternatively, the fin may comprise a homogeneous semiconductor material and the silicon containing fin may be protected by dielectric films on the sidewalls and top surfaces of the silicon containing fin.

Abstract: A method for modulating the stress caused by bird beak formation of small width devices by a nitrogen plasma treatment. The nitrogen plasma process forms a nitride liner about the trench walls that serves to prevent the formation of bird beaks in the isolation region during a subsequent oxidation step. In one embodiment, the plasma nitridation process occurs after trench etching, but prior to trench fill. In yet another embodiment, the plasma nitridation process occurs after trench fill. In yet another embodiment, a block mask is formed over predetermined active areas of the etched substrate prior to the plasma nitridation process. This embodiment is used in protecting the PFET device area from the plasma nitridation process thereby providing a means to form a PFET device area in which stress caused by bird beak formation increases the device performance of the PFET.

Abstract: A silicon containing fin is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A silicon oxide layer is formed around the bottom of the silicon containing fin. A gate dielectric is formed on the silicon containing fin followed by formation of a gate electrode. While protecting the portion of the semiconductor fin around the channel, a bottom portion of the silicon containing semiconductor fin is etched by a isotropic etch leaving a body strap between the channel of a finFET on the silicon containing fin and an underlying semiconductor layer underneath the silicon oxide layer. The fin may comprise a stack of inhomogeneous layers in which a bottom layer is etched selectively to a top semiconductor layer. Alternatively, the fin may comprise a homogeneous semiconductor material and the silicon containing fin may be protected by dielectric films on the sidewalls and top surfaces of the silicon containing fin.