With Gate Insulator Containing Specified Permanent Charge Patents (Class 257/405)
  • Patent number: 7109131
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication. More particularly, the present invention relates to system and method of selectively oxidizing one material with respect to another material formed on a semiconductor substrate. A hydrogen-rich oxidation system for performing the process are provided in which innovative safety features are included to avoid the dangers to personnel and equipment that are inherent in working with hydrogen-rich atmospheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Aviza Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Herring, Cole Porter, Travis Dodwell, Ed Nazareno, Chris Ratliff, Anindita Chatterji
  • Patent number: 7094707
    Abstract: A method of nitriding a gate oxide layer by annealing a preformed oxide layer with nitric oxide (NO) gas in a hot wall, single wafer furnace is provided. The nitridation process can be carried out rapidly (i.e., at nitridation times of 30 seconds to 2 minutes) while providing acceptable levels of nitridation (i.e., up to 6 at. %) and desirable nitrogen/depth profiles. The nitrided gate oxide layer can optionally be reoxidized in a second oxidation step after the nitridation step. A gate electrode layer (e.g., boron doped polysilicon) can then be deposited on top of the nitrided gate oxide layer or on top of the reoxidized and nitrided gate oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Krishnaswamy Ramkumar, Sundar Narayanan
  • Patent number: 7087969
    Abstract: A complementary field effect transistor comprises: a semiconductor substrate; an n-type field effect transistor provided on the semiconductor substrate; and a p-type field effect transistor provided on the semiconductor substrate. The n-type field effect transistor has: a first gate insulating film containing an oxide including an element selected from the group consisting of group IV metals and Lanthanoid metals, and further containing a compound of the element and a group III element; a first gate electrode provided on the first gate insulating film; and n-type source and drain regions formed on both sides of the first gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akira Nishiyama, Mizuki Ono, Masato Koyama, Takamitsu Ishihara
  • Patent number: 7002224
    Abstract: A transistor and method of manufacture thereof. A semiconductor workpiece is doped before depositing a gate dielectric material. Using a separate anneal process or during subsequent anneal processes used to manufacture the transistor, dopant species from the doped region of the workpiece are outdiffused into the gate dielectric, creating a doped gate dielectric. The dopant species fill vacancies in the atomic structure of the gate dielectric, resulting in a transistor having increased speed, reduced power consumption, and improved voltage stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Hong-Jyh Li
  • Patent number: 6888204
    Abstract: Described are preferred processes for conditioning semiconductor devices with deuterium to improve operating characteristics and decrease depassivation which occurs during the course of device operation. Also described are semiconductor devices which can be prepared by such processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Joseph W. Lyding, Karl Hess
  • Patent number: 6882031
    Abstract: A passivation method includes disassociating ammonia so as to expose at least interfaces between silicon-containing and passivation structures to at least hydrogen species derived from the ammonia and forming an encapsulant layer that is positioned so as to substantially contain the hydrogen species in the presence of the interfaces. The hydrogen passivation reduces a concentration of dangling silicon bonds at the interfaces by as much as about two orders of magnitude or greater. The encapsulant layer, which may include silicon nitride, prevents hydrogen species from escaping therethrough as high temperature processes are subsequently conducted. Once high temperature processes have been completed, portions of the encapsulant layer may be removed, as needed, to provide access to features of the semiconductor device structure that underlie the encapsulant layer. Semiconductor device structures that have been passivated in such a manner are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Weimer, Fernando Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 6870180
    Abstract: An apparatus having a circuit coupled to the gate contact of field effect transistor wherein the transistor's gate includes a dielectric layer of which at least a portion is an organic dielectric. The circuit is configured to produce one or more storage voltage pulses that cause charge to be stored in the dielectric layer. The field effect transistor has a semiconductor layer with a conductive path whose conductivity changes for a given Vg in response to storing the charge. The circuit may produce one or more dissipation voltage pulses having a voltage of opposite sign to the one or more storage pulses, that cause dissipation of charge stored in the dielectric layer. Further disclosed are a memory and a method of electronically storing and reading information, both utilizing the organic-based polarizable gate transistor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ananth Dodabalapur, Howard E. Katz, Rahul Sarpeshkar
  • Patent number: 6852610
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor region via a gate insulative film and an extension high concentration diffusion layer of a first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor region beside the gate electrode. A dislocation loop defect layer is formed in a region of the semiconductor region beside the gate electrode and at a position shallower than an implantation projected range of the extension high concentration diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taiji Noda
  • Patent number: 6831336
    Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of accurately controlling the current value is provided. In a semiconductor integrated circuit having a constant current circuit, the constant current circuit includes a plurality of constant current elements having a gate terminal and a source terminal in common. Branched drain terminals of the constant current element arranged on one end of the gate terminal and the source terminal are arranged to both the gate terminal and the source terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiki Ishii
  • Publication number: 20040232516
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. Nitrogen is introduced into the gate insulating film, and the nitrogen concentration distribution thereof has a peak near the surface of the gate insulating film or near the center of the gate insulating film in the thickness direction. The peak value of nitrogen concentration in the gate insulating film is equal to or greater than 10 atm % and less than or equal to 40 atm %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Yoneda
  • Patent number: 6821868
    Abstract: A method of forming a gate dielectric includes the steps of forming a gate oxide layer on a substrate, forming a buffer layer over the gate oxide layer and incorporating nitrogen into the gate oxide layer through the buffer layer. A semiconductor device having a gate structure is also provided. The gate includes a nitrogen enriched gate oxide layer formed on a substrate, a silicon nitride or poly-silicon buffer layer formed on the gate oxide layer and a gate electrode formed over the buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juing-Yi Cheng, T. L. Lee, Chia Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 6821833
    Abstract: A method of forming CMOS semiconductor materials with PFET and NFET areas formed on a semiconductor substrate, covered respectively with a PFET and NFET gate dielectric layers composed of silicon oxide and different degrees of nitridation thereof. Provide a silicon substrate with a PFET area and an NFET area and form PFET and NFET gate oxide layers thereover. Provide nitridation of the PFET gate oxide layer above the PFET area to form the PFET gate dielectric layer above the PFET area with a first concentration level of nitrogen atoms in the PFET gate dielectric layer above the PFET area. Provide nitridation of the NFET gate oxide layer to form the NFET gate dielectric layer above the NFET area with a different concentration level of nitrogen atoms from the first concentration level. The NFET gate dielectric layer and the PFET gate dielectric layer can have the same thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony I-Chih Chou, Toshiharu Furukawa, Patrick R. Varekamp, Jeffrey W. Sleight, Akihisa Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6800909
    Abstract: There are provided a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate of one conductivity type via a gate insulating film, ion-implantation controlling films formed on both side surfaces of the gate electrode and having a space between the gate electrode and an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, first and second impurity diffusion regions of opposite conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode and serving as source/drain, a channel region of one conductivity type formed below the gate electrode between the first and second impurity diffusion regions of opposite conductivity type, and pocket regions of one conductivity type connected to end portions of the impurity diffusion regions of opposite conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate below the gate electrode and having an impurity concentration of one conductivity type higher than the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Yoshihiro Takao, Shinji Sugatani, Daisuke Matsunaga, Takayuki Wada, Tohru Fujita, Hikaru Kokura
  • Publication number: 20040145001
    Abstract: When polycrystalline silicon germanium film is used for gate electrodes in a MOS transistor apparatus, there have been problems of reduced reliability in the gate insulating film, due to stress in the silicon germanium grains. Therefore, a polysilicon germanium film is formed, after forming silicon fine particles of particle size 10 nm or less on an oxide film. As a result, it is possible to achieve a high-speed MOS transistor apparatus using an ultra-thin oxide film having a film thickness of 1.5 nm or less, wherein the Ge concentration of the polycrystalline silicon germanium at its interface with the oxide film is uniform, thereby reducing the stress in the film, and improving the reliability of the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd., Incorporation
    Inventors: Naoki Kanda, Arito Ogawa, Eisuke Nishitani, Miwako Nakahara, Tadanori Yoshida, Kiyoshi Ogata
  • Publication number: 20040129988
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to formation of a PMOS transistor wherein a layer of silicon or SiGe inhibits p-type dopant from entering into an underlying gate dielectric layer. The p-type dopant can be added to a gate electrode material that overlies the silicon or SiGe layer and can diffuse down toward the silicon or SiGe layer. The layer of silicon or SiGe may be formed to a thickness of about 5 to 120 nanometers and doped with a dopant, such as indium (In), for example, to deter the p-type dopant from passing through the silicon or SiGe layer. The dopant may have a peak concentration within the layer of silicon or SiGe near the interface of the silicon or SiGe layer with the underlying layer of gate dielectric material. Allowing the gate electrode to be doped with the p-type dopant (e.g., boron) facilitates forming the transistor with an associated work function having a desired value (e.g., coincident with a Fermi level of about 4.8 to about 5.6 electron volts).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, James J. Chambers, Amitabh Jain
  • Patent number: 6757208
    Abstract: Dual-bit nitride read only memory (NROM) cell with parasitic amplifier and method of fabricating and reading the same. A NROM cell comprises a semiconductor substrate with a first well region having a conductive type opposite that of the substrate disposed therein. A second well region having a conductive type opposite to the first well region is disposed in the first well region. A gate dielectric layer is disposed over portions of the second well region, wherein the gate dielectric layer comprises a nitride layer. A conductive layer is disposed on the gate dielectric layer to form a gate. And, a pair of first doped regions having a conductive type opposite to the second well region are symmetrically disposed in the second well region of both sides of the gate, wherein one of the first doped regions, the second well region and the first well region constitute a parasitic current amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chiu-Tsung Huang, Chih-Wei Hung
  • Patent number: 6740941
    Abstract: A metal target, at least the surface region of which has been oxidized, is prepared in a chamber. Then, a sputtering process is performed on the metal target with an inert gas ambient created in the chamber, thereby depositing a first metal oxide film as a lower part of a gate insulating film over a semiconductor substrate. Next, a reactive sputtering process is performed on the metal target with a mixed gas ambient, containing the inert gas and an oxygen gas, created in the chamber, thereby depositing a second metal oxide film as a middle or upper part of the gate insulating film over the first metal oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Moriwaki, Takayuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20040094808
    Abstract: An oxide interface and a method for fabricating an oxide interface are provided. The method comprises forming a silicon layer and an oxide layer overlying the silicon layer. The oxide layer is formed at a temperature of less than 400° C. using an inductively coupled plasma source. In some aspects of the method, the oxide layer is more than 20 nanometers (nm) thick and has a refractive index between 1.45 and 1.47. In some aspects of the method, the oxide layer is formed by plasma oxidizing the silicon layer, producing plasma oxide at a rate of up to approximately 4.4 nm per minute (after one minute). In some aspects of the method, a high-density plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HD-PECVD) process is used to form the oxide layer. In some aspects of the method, the silicon and oxide layers are incorporated into a thin film transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Pooran Chandra Joshi, John W. Hartzell, Masahiro Adachi, Yoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 6724056
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor (FET) includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, a gate dielectric, and a semiconductor layer that functions as an active channel of the transistor. The active channel is configured to carry a current between the source and drain electrodes and has a conductivity responsive to voltages applied the gate electrode. The gate dielectric is located between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer and includes a quasi-1D charge or spin density wave material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Girsh Blumberg, Peter B. Littlewood
  • Publication number: 20040046216
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device capable of preventing drawbacks from being caused by metal pollution and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. A region (NR) and a region (PR) are defined by a trench isolation oxide film (ST21), a polysilicon film (PS21) is selectively provided on the trench isolation oxide film (ST21), a silicon layer (S22) is provided on the polysilicon film (PS21), and a side wall spacer (SW2) is provided on a side surface of the polysilicon film (PS21). The polysilicon film (PS21) is provided in a position corresponding to a top of a PN junction portion JP of a P-type well region (WR11) and an N-type well region (WR12) in an SOI layer 3 across the two well regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiaki Iwamatsu, Takashi Ipposhi, Hideki Naruoka, Nobuyoshi Hattori, Shigeto Maegawa, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Takuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6670672
    Abstract: A discrete NROM cell, at least comprising: a substrate; a first ON stacking gate and a second ON stacking gate over the substrate, wherein the ON stacking gate is a structure having a nitride layer over a bottom oxide layer; an oxide layer formed over the substrate covering the first and second ON stacking gate; a polysilicon layer formed over the oxide layer; and the source/drain implanted in the substrate and next to the ON stacking gates. The structure of discrete NROM cell of the invention can solve the problem of the electrons being trapped in the nitride layer of NROM cell, and also control the source/drain implant and ON structure at precisely symmetrical positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kent Kuohua Chang, Erh-Kun Lai
  • Publication number: 20030201504
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device having a nitrided gate oxide includes flowing a gas including N2O into an external torch. The gas is decomposed in the external torch to provide NO. The decomposed gas having NO is flowed into a process chamber including a substrate to form a nitrided gate oxide over the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: Silterra
    Inventors: Kader Ibrahim, Umasangar V. Pillai
  • Patent number: 6576964
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices that utilize a silicon-containing dielectric layer are disclosed. In one embodiment, a silicon-containing material is deposited on a substrate. The deposited material is processed with a reactive agent to react with silicon atoms of the deposited material to form the dielectric layer. The silicon-containing dielectric layer provides for improved or smaller semiconductor devices by reducing leakage and increasing the dielectric constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Don Carl Powell, Garry Anthony Mercaldi
  • Patent number: 6563182
    Abstract: Second insulating films of gate insulating films each are composed of a high-permittivity dielectric film having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more and at least one of the high-permittivity dielectric films constituting the second insulating films is doped with at least one kind of impurity metal ions. The valence number of the impurity metal ions differs by 1 from that of metal ions constituting the high-permittivity dielectric films. Due to this doping, at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects in the high-permittivity dielectric films differs between the second insulating films. The threshold voltage of each MISFET is controlled independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20030067032
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a dual charge storage location electrically programmable memory cell that includes the steps of forming a central insulated gate over a semiconductor substrate; forming physically separated charge-confining layers stack portions of a dielectric-charge trapping material-dielectric layers stack at the sides of the central gate, the charge trapping material layer in each charge-confining layers stack portion forming a charge storage element; forming side control gates over each of the charge-confining layers stack portions; forming memory cell source/drain regions laterally to the side control gates; and electrically connecting the side control gates to the central gate. Each of the charge-confining layers stack portions at the sides of the central gate is formed with an “L” shape, with a base charge-confining layers stack portion lying on the substrate surface and an upright charge-confining layers stack portion lying against a respective side of the insulated gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Paolo Caprara, Claudio Brambilla, Manlio Sergio Cereda
  • Patent number: 6545314
    Abstract: A memory cell provides point defect trap sites in an insulator for storing data charges. Single electrons are stored on respective point defect trap sites and a resulting parameter, such as transistor drain current, is detected. By adjusting the density of the point defect trap sites, more uniform step changes in drain current are obtained as single electrons are stored on or removed from respective trap sites. By also adjusting the trapping energy of the point defect trap sites, the memory cell provides either volatile data storage, similar to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or nonvolatile data storage, similar to an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The memory cell is used for storing binary or multi-state data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Joseph E. Geusic
  • Patent number: 6521958
    Abstract: Structures and methods for PLA capability on a DRAM chip according to a DRAM optimized process flow are provided by the present invention. These structures and methods include using MOSFET devices as re-programmable elements in memory address decode circuits in a DRAM integrated circuit. The structures and methods use the existing process sequence for MOSFET's in DRAM technology. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention includes a non-volatile, reprogrammable circuit switch. The circuit switch includes a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) in a substrate. The MOSFET has a source region, a drain region, a channel region between the source and drain regions, and a gate separated from the channel region by a gate oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Wendell P. Noble, Eugene H. Cloud
  • Patent number: 6518635
    Abstract: A major object of the present invention is to provide an improved semiconductor device so as to be able to reduce gate electric field concentration at a channel edge, suppress decrease in the threshold during MOSFET operation and reduce the leakage current. A gate insulation film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate with the gate insulation film therebetween. The dielectric constant of the gate insulation film is not uniform in the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuomi Shiozawa, Toshiyuki Oishi, Yuji Abe, Yasunori Tokuda
  • Patent number: 6498374
    Abstract: Disclosed is a MOS semiconductor device, which comprises a semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, the gate insulating film containing nitrogen; a gate electrode selectively formed on the gate insulating film; and an oxide film formed on a surface of the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, wherein a thickness of a first portion of the gate insulating film which overlaps vertically the gate electrode is one third or less that of a second portion of the gate insulating film disposed at a corner portion of the gate electrode. According to such constitution of the MOS transistor device of the present invention, by allowing the gate insulating film to contain nitrogen, an increase in a thickness of the gate insulating film toward the semiconductor substrate than required can be suppressed, and hence lowering of a gate voltage can be prevented, resulting in preventing a controllability deterioration of the MOS transistor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazuya Ohuchi
  • Patent number: 6479862
    Abstract: A charge trapping structure for use with an n-channel metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MISFET) is disclosed. A dielectric layer is formed close to a channel region of the MISFET, and includes a number of trapping sites which are arranged and have a concentration sufficient to temporarily store energetic electrons induced by an electric field to move from the channel into the trapping sites. The trapped electrons set up a counter field that depletes the channel of carriers, and as a bias voltage across the channel increases, the device exhibits negative differential resistance (NDR). The charge trapping structure, as well as the rest of the device, are formed using conventional CMOS processing techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Progressant Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsu-Jae King, David K. Y. Liu
  • Publication number: 20020140043
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a silicon substrate, a gate insulator film formed on the silicon substrate and including silicon, deuterium, and at least one of oxygen and nitrogen, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulator film wherein a deuterium concentration in a vicinity of an interface of the gate insulator film with the gate electrode is at least 1×107 cm−3, and a deuterium concentration in a vicinity of an interface of the gate insulator film with the silicon substrate is higher than the deuterium concentration in the vicinity of the interface of the gate insulation film with the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yuichiro Mitani, Hideki Satake
  • Publication number: 20020135030
    Abstract: Second insulating films of gate insulating films each are composed of a high-permittivity dielectric film having a relative dielectric constant of 8 or more and at least one of the high-permittivity dielectric films constituting the second insulating films is doped with at least one kind of impurity metal ions. The valence number of the impurity metal ions differs by 1 from that of metal ions constituting the high-permittivity dielectric films. Due to this doping, at least one of the density and polarity of charged defects in the high-permittivity dielectric films differs between the second insulating films. The threshold voltage of each MISFET is controlled independently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20020135031
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating semiconductor devices are disclosed. The methods and devices utilize a silicon-containing dielectric layer. In one embodiment, a silicon-containing material is deposited on a substrate. The deposited material is processed with a reactive agent to react with silicon atoms of the deposited material to form the dielectric layer. The silicon-containing dielectric layer can allow for improved or smaller semiconductor devices. Improved or smaller semiconductor devices may be accomplished by reducing leakage and increasing the dielectric constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Don Carl Powell, Garry Anthony Mercaldi
  • Patent number: 6455883
    Abstract: A source region and a drain region are formed in a silicon substrate, a dielectric film is formed above a region of the silicon substrate between the source region and the drain region, a ferroelectric film is formed on the dielectric film, and a gate electrode is formed on the ferroelectric film. The ferroelectric film and the silicon substrate have a first conductivity type, and the source region and the drain region has a second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kato, Yasuhiro Shimada
  • Patent number: 6448630
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a polish preventing pattern that can improve the planarity of an element formation region after the CMP method polishing is provided. To the shape of an element formation region, a loop-shaped element formation region dummy is formed in a uniform width and at a uniform distance from the edge of the element formation region to have a loop shape. That can prevent formation of such a portion that is on a line extended from a gap between polish preventing patterns as well as a large gap between an element formation region and a polish preventing pattern. Accordingly, local application of large pressure to an end of an element formation region is suppressed which is caused when a polishing cloth bends. As a result, the semiconductor device does not have a locally substantially etched portion. The planarity of the surface of an element formation region is maintained in the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Komori
  • Publication number: 20020074622
    Abstract: A passivation method includes disassociating ammonia so as to expose at least interfaces between silicon-containing and passivation structures to at least hydrogen species derived from the ammonia and forming an encapsulant layer that is positioned so as to substantially contain the hydrogen species in the presence of the interfaces. The hydrogen passivation reduces a concentration of dangling silicon bonds at the interfaces by as much as about two orders of magnitude or greater. The encapsulant layer, which may include silicon nitride, prevents hydrogen species from escaping therethrough as high temperature processes are subsequently conducted. Once high temperature processes have been completed, portions of the encapsulant layer may be removed, as needed, to provide access to features of the semiconductor device structure that underlie the encapsulant layer. Semiconductor device structures that have been passivated in such a manner are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Ronald A. Weimer, Fernando Gonzales
  • Publication number: 20020008098
    Abstract: A process for the heat treatment of semiconductor wafers, preferably monocrystalline ultrapure silicon wafers, using an upper and a lower heat source, which can be a plurality of upper and a plurality of lower lamps or banks of lamps. In the process chamber of an RTP system, the heat treatment is carried out on at least two wafers which are arranged parallel above one another, spaced apart, and are identical in terms of geometrical dimensions and thermal material properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: ALFRED BUCHNER, THOMAS TEUSCHLER, JOHANN SPERL, THERESIA BAUER
  • Publication number: 20010038135
    Abstract: A memory cell provides point defect trap sites in an insulator for storing data charges. Single electrons are stored on respective point defect trap sites and a resulting parameter, such as transistor drain current, is detected. By adjusting the density of the point defect trap sites, more uniform step changes in drain current are obtained as single electrons are stored on or removed from respective trap sites. By also adjusting the trapping energy of the point defect trap sites, the memory cell provides either volatile data storage, similar to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or nonvolatile data storage, similar to an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The memory cell is used for storing binary or multi-state data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Joseph E. Geusic
  • Publication number: 20010019158
    Abstract: Provided is an improved fabrication process for a semiconductor device by means of which in fabrication of insulated gate semiconductor devices having gate insulating films including silicon oxide films of different thickness, no contamination from a photoresist is ensured in a silicon oxide film, generation of defects in the silicon oxide film to be otherwise caused by aqueous solution treatments is suppressed, and thereby variability of characteristics among the semiconductor devices is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Shimpei Tsujikawa, Masahiro Ushiyama, Toshiyuki Mine
  • Patent number: 6232643
    Abstract: A memory cell provides point defect trap sites in an insulator for storing data charges. Single electrons are stored on respective point defect trap sites and a resulting parameter, such as transistor drain current, is detected. By adjusting the density of the point defect trap sites, more uniform step changes in drain current are obtained as single electrons are stored on or removed from respective trap sites. By also adjusting the trapping energy of the point defect trap sites, the memory cell provides either volatile data storage, similar to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or nonvolatile data storage, similar to an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM). The memory cell is used for storing binary or multi-state data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Forbes, Joseph E. Geusic
  • Patent number: 6218700
    Abstract: A remanent, electrically programmable and erasable, memory device comprises of a MOS type transistor whose gate insulator contains charged mobile species is disclosed. The gate insulator is comprised transversely of a sandwich comprising at least five areas. Two intermediate areas have first band-gap values, and two endmost and a central areas have band gap values greater than the first values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Constantin Papadas
  • Patent number: 6117749
    Abstract: Reduction in the net charge at the interface of a dielectric and a semiconductor material is achieved by placing atomic species in the dielectric near the interface. Preferably, these species are selected from the group of alkaline earth metals. The presence of these atoms results in a redistribution of the electronic density near the interface. The placement of the atoms is effected by ion implantation followed by multiple annealing steps at alternating low and high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Sheldon Aronowitz, Kranti Anand, deceased
  • Patent number: 6104072
    Abstract: A threshold voltage or a channel potential of a MIS device can be set in an analogue fashion. A MIS device includes a multi-layer structure having a gate insulating film in which an oxide film, a nitride film and an oxide film are laminated in that order. The threshold voltage or channel potential of the MIS device can be controlled by an amount of electric charges injected into the nitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Isao Hirota
  • Patent number: 6078089
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a cobalt niobate-cobalt silicide gate electrode structure is provided. A semiconductor device, consistent with one embodiment of the invention, is formed by forming a cobalt niobate gate insulating layer over the substrate and forming a cobalt silicide layer over the cobalt niobate layer. The cobalt silicide layer and cobalt niobate gate insulating layer may, for example, be selectively removed to form at least one cobalt silicide-cobalt niobate gate electrode structure. The cobalt niobate-cobalt silicide gate electrode structure can, for example, increase the operating speed of the device as compared to conventional transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark I. Gardner, Mark C. Gilmer
  • Patent number: 6054357
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a structure including no LDD region while being structured in such a manner that fixed charges are charged in portions of a gate oxide film overlapping with side walls of a gate electrode formed on the gate oxide film so as to reduce the intensity of electric field between the source and drain of a transistor included in the semiconductor device. The charged-up positive or negative fixed charges serve to invert the conductivity of the channel region portion of a semiconductor substrate on which the gate oxide film is formed, thereby providing the same effect as the LDD region. The invention also provides a method for fabricating the semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Deuk Sung Choi
  • Patent number: 6023093
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The device includes: (1) a substrate composed at least in part of silicon and (2) a film located over the substrate and having a substantial concentration of an isotope of hydrogen located in the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Gregor, Isik C. Kizilyalli
  • Patent number: 6005274
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a new semiconductor device and a method for making same. The semiconductor device is comprised of a gate dielectric layer, a conductor layer, and a metal oxide layer positioned between the gate dielectric layer and the conductor layer. The method comprises forming a gate dielectric layer, a conductor layer, and a metal oxide layer between the gate dielectric layer and the conductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark I. Gardner, Mark C. Gilmer
  • Patent number: 5998828
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same according to the present invention, a trade-off relationship between threshold values and a diffusion layer leakage is eliminated and it is not necessary to form gate oxide films at more than one stages. Since doses of nitrogen are different from each other between gate electrodes (4A to 4C) of N-channel type MOS transistors (T41 to T43), concentrations of nitrogen in the nitrogen-introduced regions (N1 to N3) are accordingly different from each other. Concentrations of nitrogen in the gate electrodes are progressively lower in the order of expected higher threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Ueno, Yoshinori Okumura, Shigenobu Maeda, Shigeto Maegawa
  • Patent number: 5959329
    Abstract: The present invention provides an insulating film formed on a surface of a substrate and made of a material containing oxygen, wherein a charge correction is carried out at a 1s peak position of a carbon adsorbed on a surface of the insulating film, and relative amounts between first to fourth peaks obtained when an oxygen 1s peak of the insulating film is decomposed by a same half width of 1.208 eV into a first peak at the oxygen 1s peak site obtained from an .alpha.-quartz crystal charge corrected similarly, and second to fourth peaks at positions of +0.87 eV, -0.35 eV and -0.83 eV, respectively from the oxygen 1s peak position, have relationship of that the third peak is higher than the second and fourth peaks, and the first peak is higher than the third peak, when a portion about 1 nm thick from the surface of the substrate of the insulating film is analyzed by a photoelectronic spectral method for an photoelectron extracting angle of 15.degree. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tomita, Mamoru Takahashi, Yoshio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 5952700
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed, including: a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first gate insulating layer formed between the gate electrode and semiconductor substrate, and formed at a first region including one edge of the gate electrode; a second gate insulating layer formed between the gate electrode and semiconductor substrate, and formed at a second portion including the other edge of the gate electrode, the second gate insulating layer being thicker than the first gate insulating layer; a first impurity region formed in a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate, placed on both sides of the gate electrode; and a second impurity region formed in a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate, placed under the second gate insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: LG Semicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gyu Han Yoon