Abstract: A transistor device formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with a buried oxide (BOX) layer disposed thereon and an active layer disposed on the BOX layer having active regions defined by isolation trenches. The device includes a gate defining a channel interposed between a source and a drain formed within the active region of the SOI substrate. Further, the device includes a multi-thickness silicide layer formed on the main source and drain regions and source and drain extension regions wherein a portion of the multi-thickness silicide layer which is formed on the source and drain extension regions is thinner than a portion of the silicide layer which is formed on the main source and drain regions. The device further includes a second thin silicide layer formed on a polysilicon electrode of the gate.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip. The SOI chip has a substrate; a buried oxide (BOX) layer disposed on the substrate; and an active layer disposed on the BOX layer, the active layer divided into a first and a second tile, the first tile having a first thickness and the second tile having a second thickness, the second thickness being smaller than the first thickness. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip having an active layer with a non-uniform thickness. The method includes the steps of providing a substrate; providing a buried oxide layer (BOX) on the substrate; providing an active layer on the BOX layer, the active layer having an initially uniform thickness; dividing the active layer into at least a first and a second tile; and altering the thickness of the active layer in the area of the second tile.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. The method includes the steps of providing a first wafer, the first wafer having a silicon substrate and an oxide layer disposed thereon; providing a second wafer, the second wafer having a silicon substrate, the substrate of the second wafer having a silicon-germanium layer disposed thereon, a silicon layer disposed on the silicon-germanium layer and an oxide layer disposed on the silicon layer; wafer bonding the first and second wafers; and removing an undesired portion of the substrate from the second wafer to form an upper silicon layer. The resulting SOI wafer structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: At least one patterned dielectric layer is provided within a transistor arrangement to prevent a local interconnect from electrically contacting,the gate conductor due to misalignments during the damascene formation of etched openings used in forming local interconnects. By selectively etching through a plurality of dielectric layers during the local interconnect etching process, the patterned dielectric layer is left in place to prevent short-circuiting of the gate to an adjacent local interconnect that is slightly misaligned.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having both functional and non-functional or dummy lines, regions and/or patterns to create a topology that causes the subsequently formed spacers to be more predictable and uniform in shape and size.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for collecting, measuring and analyzing at least two specific wavelengths of optical emissions produced while etching a semiconductor wafer in a plasma chamber to determine an optimal endpoint for the etching process. The arrangement includes a sensor for gathering optical emissions, an interface for converting the intensity of optical emissions into corresponding electrical signals, and a controller for determining an optimal endpoint based on the corresponding electrical signals for the two specific wavelengths and other predetermined threshold data.

Abstract: An in-situ etching process for creating local interconnects in a semiconductor device includes using a single etching tool to: etch through a masked dielectric layer to a stop layer using a mixture of C4F8/CH3F/Ar gasses; etch away the mask layer using a mixture of O2/Ar gasses; and etch through the stop layer using a mixture of CH3F/O2 gasses. The semiconductor device is not removed from the etching tool between the different etchings. The method then includes depositing conductive material to form local interconnects within the openings that were etched.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having at least a first and second type of devices formed in the substrate of the semiconductor device and having a hydrogen free barrier layer formed by implanting nitrogen into a layer of amorphous silicon or polysilicon formed on the surface of the semiconductor device. A hydrogen getter layer is formed on the semiconductor device under the barrier layer. The hydrogen getter layer is removed from portions of the semiconductor device on which salicide layers are to be formed.

Abstract: At least one patterned dielectric layer is provided within a transistor arrangement to prevent a local interconnect from electrically contacting the gate conductor due to misalignments during the damascene formation of etched openings used in forming local interconnects. By selectively etching through a plurality of dielectric layers during the local interconnect etching process, the patterned dielectric layer is left in place to prevent short-circuiting of the gate to an adjacent local interconnect that is slightly misaligned.

Abstract: A multipurpose cap layer serves as a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) during the formation of a resist mask, a hardmask during subsequent etching processes, a hardened surface during subsequent deposition and planarization processes, and optionally as a diffusion barrier to mobile ions from subsequently deposited materials.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements are provided to increase the process control during the formation of spacers within a semiconductor device. The methods and arrangements include the use of non-functional or dummy lines, regions and/or patterns to create a topology that causes the subsequently formed spacers to be more predictable and uniform in shape and size.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing an bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) from a transistor gate following at least one etch back process associated with a spacer formation and/or subsequent resistor protect etching process or processes. The method eliminates the need to use HF acid in the stripping process by substantially reducing the thickness of the BARC during each of the etching back processes, such that, only a thin layer of BARC material remains that can be easily removed with phosphoric acid.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing an bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) from a transistor gate during the etch back process associated with a resistor protect etch process. The method includes removing a silicon oxynitride BARC, in-situ, during a resistor protect etching process using a plasma formed with CF.sub.4 gas, CHF.sub.3 gas, and Argon (Ar) gas.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for collecting, measuring and analyzing at least two specific wavelengths of optical emissions produced while etching a semiconductor wafer in a plasma chamber to determine an optimal endpoint for the etching process. The arrangement includes a sensor for gathering optical emissions, an interface for converting the intensity of optical emissions into corresponding electrical signals, and a controller for determining an optimal endpoint based on the corresponding electrical signals for the two specific wavelengths and other predetermined threshold data.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with first and second types of devices formed in a semiconductor substrate with a barrier layer formed over the surface of the semiconductor device including over the first and second types of devices with the barrier layer removed from over the first type of device. The first type of device is a positive charge sensitive device such as a nonvolatile memory device. The semiconductor device has a hydrogen getter layer formed under the barrier layer.

Abstract: A self-aligned protection diode is formed at the first polycrystalline silicon level, thereby enabling in-process charging damage protection while reducing the layout area. The self-aligned protection diode is formed by providing an etch stop layer having an arcuate portion with different etching characteristics than horizontal portions, isotropically etching the arcuate portion to form a through hole exposing a side surface of a polycrystalline silicon layer and the underlying semiconductor substrate, ion implanting impurities to form the protection diode, and filling the through hole with a metal interconnecting the side surface of the polycrystalline silicon layer with the vertically self-aligned protection diode.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing an bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) from a transistor gate during an etch back process associated with a nitride resistor protect etch process. The method includes removing a silicon oxynitride BARC, in-situ, during an oxide resistor protect etching process using a plasma formed with CF.sub.4 gas, CHF.sub.3 gas, O.sub.2 gas, and Argon (Ar) gas.

Abstract: During damascene formation of local interconnects in a semiconductor wafer, a punch-through region can be formed into the substrate as a result of exposing the oxide spacers that are adjacent to a transistor gate to one or more etching plasmas that are used to etch one or more overlying dielectric layers. A punch-through region can damage the transistor circuit. Improved, multipurpose spacers are provided to reduce the chances of over-etching. The multipurpose spacers are made of silicon oxime. The etching plasmas that are used to etch one or more overlying dielectric layers tend to have a higher selectivity ratio to the multipurpose spacers than to the conventional oxide spacers. Additionally, the multipurpose spacers do not tend to degrade the hot carrier injection (HCI) properties as would a typical nitride spacer.

Abstract: A self-aligned protection diode is formed at the first polycrystalline silicon level, thereby enabling in-process charging damage protection while reducing the layout area. The self-aligned protection diode is formed by providing an etch stop layer having an arcuate portion with different etching characteristics than horizontal portions, isotropically etching the arcuate portion to form a through hole exposing a side surface of a polycrystalline silicon layer and the underlying semiconductor substrate, ion implanting impurities to form the protection diode, and filling the through hole with a metal interconnecting the side surface of the polycrystalline silicon layer with the vertically self-aligned protection diode.

Abstract: During damascene formation of local interconnects in a semiconductor wafer, a punch-through region can be formed into the substrate as a result of exposing the oxide spacers that are adjacent to a transistor gate to one or more etching plasmas that are used to etch one or more overlying dielectric layers. A punch-through region can damage the transistor circuit. In order to prevent punch-through, the oxide spacers are removed prior to forming an overlying dielectric layer.