Abstract: A pair of semiconductor structures and a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure each utilize a semiconductor substrate having a first crystallographic orientation, and a dielectric layer located thereupon. The method provides for epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate to encapsulate the dielectric layer. The method also provides for patterning the semiconductor layer to yield a semiconductor structure that comprises a bulk semiconductor structure and a semiconductor-on-insulator structure, or alternatively a patterned semiconductor layer that straddles the dielectric layer and contacts the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: This invention provides a hybrid orientation (HOT) semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure having an isolation region, e.g. a shallow trench isolation region (STI), and a method for forming the STI structure that is easy to control. The method of forming the isolation region includes an etch of the insulating material, selective to the semiconductor material, followed by an etch of the semiconductor material, selective to the insulating material, and then filling any high aspect ratio gaps with a CVD oxide, and filling the remainder of the STI with an HDP oxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides an STI bounded transistor structure having enhanced performance which is not diminished due to embedded stressor facets that can be present at the edge of the source/drain regions that contacts an embedded stressor material. Considering that the facet in the prior art is due to an STI divot formed during several necessary wet etching processes, the MOSFET source/drain edge of the inventive structure is surrounded by a liner to prevent facet growth during the epitaxial growth of the stressor material. As such, a part of the semiconductor substrate edge is preserved. The liner employed in the present invention is a stress engineering material such as, for example, silicon nitride.

Abstract: This invention provides a hybrid orientation (HOT) semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure having an isolation region, e.g. a shallow trench isolation region (STI), and a method for forming the STI structure that is easy to control. The method of forming the isolation region includes an etch of the insulating material, selective to the semiconductor material, followed by an etch of the semiconductor material, selective to the insulating material, and then filling any high aspect ratio gaps with a CVD oxide, and filling the remainder of the STI with an HDP oxide.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a structure and method of forming a structure having a sealed gate oxide layer. The structure includes a gate oxide layer formed on a substrate and a gate formed on the gate oxide layer. The structure further includes a material abutting walls of the gate and formed within an undercut underneath the gate to protect regions of the gate oxide layer exposed by the undercut. Source and drain regions are isolated from the gate by the material.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods for fabrication thereof are predicated upon epitaxial growth of an epitaxial surface semiconductor layer upon a semiconductor substrate having a first crystallographic orientation. The semiconductor substrate is exposed within an aperture within a semiconductor-on-insulator structure. The epitaxial surface semiconductor layer alternatively contacts or is isolated from a surface semiconductor layer having a second crystallographic orientation within the semiconductor-on-insulator structure. A recess of the semiconductor surface layer with respect to a buried dielectric layer thereunder and a hard mask layer thereover provides for inhibited second crystallographic phase growth within the epitaxial surface semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to complementary devices, such as n-FETs and p-FETs, which have hybrid channel orientations and are connected by conductive connectors that are embedded in a semiconductor substrate. Specifically, the semiconductor substrate has at least first and second device regions of different surface crystal orientations (i.e., hybrid orientations). An n-FET is formed at one of the first and second device regions, and a p-FET is formed at the other of the first and second device regions. The n-FET and the p-FET are electrically connected by a conductive connector that is located between the first and second device regions and embedded in the semiconductor substrate. Preferably, a dielectric spacer is first provided between the first and second device regions and recessed to form a gap therebetween. The conductive connector is then formed in the gap above the recessed dielectric spacer.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a structure and method of forming a structure having a sealed gate oxide layer. The structure includes a gate oxide layer formed on a substrate and a gate formed on the gate oxide layer. The structure further includes a material abutting walls of the gate and formed within an undercut underneath the gate to protect regions of the gate oxide layer exposed by the undercut. Source and drain regions are isolated from the gate by the material.

Abstract: Method for reducing resist poisoning. The method includes the steps of forming a first structure in a dielectric on a substrate, reducing amine related contaminants from the dielectric and the substrate prior to a formation of a second structure on the substrate such that the amine related contaminates will not diffuse out from either the substrate or the dielectric, wherein the reducing utilizes a plasma treatment which one of chemically ties up the amine related contaminates and binds, traps, or consumes the amine related contaminates during subsequent processing steps, forming the second structure on the substrate, and after the forming of the first structure, preventing poisoning of a resist layer in subsequent processing by the reducing.

Abstract: A method for reducing resist poisoning is provided. The method includes forming a first structure in a dielectric on a substrate and reducing amine related contaminants from the dielectric and the substrate created after the formation of the first structure. The method further includes forming a second structure in the dielectric. A first organic film may be formed on the substrate which is then heated and removed from the substrate to reduce the contaminant. Alternatively, a plasma treatment or cap may be provided. A second organic film is formed on the substrate and patterned to define a second structure in the dielectric.

Abstract: A method for reducing resist poisoning is provided. The method includes forming a first structure in a dielectric on a substrate and reducing amine related contaminants from the dielectric and the substrate created after the formation of the first structure. The method further includes forming a second structure in the dielectric. A first organic film may be formed on the substrate which is then heated and removed from the substrate to reduce the contaminant. Alternatively, a plasma treatment or cap may be provided. A second organic film is formed on the substrate and patterned to define a second structure in the dielectric.

Abstract: A method for reducing resist poisoning is provided. The method includes forming a first structure in a dielectric on a substrate and reducing amine related contaminants from the dielectric and the substrate created after the formation of the first structure. The method further includes forming a second structure in the dielectric. A first organic film may be formed on the substrate which is then heated and removed from the substrate to reduce the contaminant. Alternatively, a plasma treatment or cap may be provided. A second organic film is formed on the substrate and patterned to define a second structure in the dielectric.

Abstract: An advanced back-end-of-line (BEOL) integration scheme for semiconductor devices using very low-k dielectric materials is disclosed. The disclosed method for forming a metal interconnect structure in a semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises forming the metal interconnects using a through-mask plating (TMP) process, and encapsulating the interconnects with a barrier layer by selectively depositing a barrier layer material using an electroless liner plating process or by non-selectively depositing a blanket insulator diffusion barrier layer using PVD or CVD techniques.

Abstract: In the invention an electrically isolated copper interconnect structural interface is provided involving a single, about 50-300 A thick, alloy capping layer, that controls diffusion and electromigration of the interconnection components and reduces the overall effective dielectric constant of the interconnect; the capping layer being surrounded by a material referred to in the art as hard mask material that can provide a resist for subsequent reactive ion etching operations, and there is also provided the interdependent process steps involving electroless deposition in the fabrication of the structural interface. The single layer alloy metal barrier in the invention is an alloy of the general type A—X—Y, where A is a metal taken from the group of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni), X is a member taken from the group of tungsten (W), tin (Sn), and silicon (Si), and Y is a member taken from the group of phosphorous (P) and boron (B); having a thickness in the range of 50 to 300 Angstroms.

Abstract: The invention provides a process to increase the reliability of BEOL interconnects. The process comprises forming an array of conductors on a dielectric layer on a wafer substrate, polishing the upper surface so that the surfaces of the conductors are substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the dielectric layer, forming an alloy film on the upper surfaces of the conductors, and brush cleaning the upper surfaces of the conductors and the dielectric layer.

Abstract: In the invention an electrically isolated copper interconnect structural interface is provided involving a single, about 50-300 A thick, alloy capping layer, that controls diffusion and electromigration of the interconnection components and reduces the overall effective dielectric constant of the interconnect; the capping layer being surrounded by a material referred to in the art as hard mask material that can provide a resist for subsequent reactive ion etching operations, and there is also provided the interdependent process steps involving electroless deposition in the fabrication of the structural interface. The single layer alloy metal barrier in the invention is an alloy of the general type A-X-Y, where A is a metal taken from the group of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni), X is a member taken from the group of tungsten (W), tin (Sn), and silicon (Si), and Y is a member taken from the group of phosphorous (P) and boron (B); having a thickness in the range of 50 to 300 Angstroms.