Abstract: Methods for forming single crystal silicon ingots with improved resistivity control and, in particular, methods that involve gallium or indium doping are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ingots are characterized by a relatively high resistivity.

Abstract: An optically active material is used to create power devices and circuits having significant performance advantages over conventional methods for affecting optical control of power electronics devices and circuits. A silicon-carbide optically active material is formed by compensating shallow donors with the boron related D-center. The resulting material can be n-type or p-type but it is distinguished from other materials by the ability to induce persistent photoconductivity in it when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation with a photon energy in excess of the threshold energy required to photoexcite electrons from the D-center to allowed states close to the conduction band edge, which varies from polytype to polytype.

Abstract: A silicon/germanium material and a silicon/carbon material may be provided in transistors of different conductivity type on the basis of an appropriate manufacturing regime without unduly contributing to overall process complexity. Furthermore, appropriate implantation species may be provided through exposed surface areas of the cavities prior to forming the corresponding strained semiconductor alloy, thereby additionally contributing to enhanced overall transistor performance. In other embodiments a silicon/carbon material may be formed in a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor, while the corresponding tensile strain component may be overcompensated for by means of a stress memorization technique in the P-channel transistor. Thus, the advantageous effects of the carbon species, such as enhancing overall dopant profile of P-channel transistors, may be combined with an efficient strain component while enhanced overall process uniformity may also be accomplished.

Abstract: An optically active material is used to create power devices and circuits having significant performance advantages over conventional methods for affecting optical control of power electronics devices and circuits. A silicon-carbide optically active material is formed by compensating shallow donors with the boron related D-center. The resulting material can be n-type or p-type but it is distinguished from other materials by the ability to induce persistent photoconductivity in it when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation with a photon energy in excess of the threshold energy required to photoexcite electrons from the D-center to allowed states close to the conduction band edge, which varies from polytype to polytype.

Abstract: An optically active material is used to create power devices and circuits having significant performance advantages over conventional methods for affecting optical control of power electronics devices and circuits. A silicon-carbide optically active material is formed by compensating shallow donors with the boron related D-center. The resulting material can be n-type or p-type but it is distinguished from other materials by the ability to induce persistent photoconductivity in it when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation with a photon energy in excess of the threshold energy required to photoexcite electrons from the D-center to allowed states close to the conduction band edge, which varies from polytype to polytype.

Abstract: A method of forming semiconductor structures comprises following steps. A gate dielectric layer is formed over a substrate in an active region. A gate electrode layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. A first photo resist is formed over the gate electrode layer. The gate electrode layer and dielectric layer are etched thereby forming gate structures and dummy patterns, wherein at least one of the dummy patterns has at least a portion in the active region. The first photo resist is removed. A second photo resist is formed covering the gate structures. The dummy patterns unprotected by the second photo resist are removed. The second photo resist is then removed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and monitoring Nickel-silicide process and induced failures. In a first method embodiment, a method of characterizing a Nickel-silicide semiconductor manufacturing process includes accessing a test chip including a parallel coupled chain of transistors, wherein the transistors are designed for inducing stress into Nickel-silicide features of the transistors, and for increasing a probability of a manufacturing failure of the Nickel-silicide features. A biasing voltage is applied to one terminal of the parallel coupled chain, all other terminals of the parallel coupled chain and grounded, and current is measured at each of the all other terminals of the parallel coupled chain. This process is repeated for each terminal of the parallel coupled chain. The measured currents from all possible conduction paths are compared to determine a manufacturing defect in the parallel coupled chain of transistors.

Abstract: An interconnect and method of making the interconnect. The method includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; forming a first wire and a second wire in the dielectric layer, the first wire separated from the second wire by a region of the dielectric layer; and forming metallic nanoparticles in or on the top surface of the dielectric layer between the first and second wires, the metallic nanoparticles capable of electrically connecting the first wire and the second wire only while the nanoparticles are heated to a temperature greater than room temperature and a voltage is applied between the first and second wires.

Abstract: An interconnect and method of making the interconnect. The method includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; forming a first wire and a second wire in the dielectric layer, the first wire separated from the second wire by a region of the dielectric layer; and forming metallic nanoparticles in or on the top surface of the dielectric layer between the first and second wires, the metallic nanoparticles capable of electrically connecting the first wire and the second wire only while the nanoparticles are heated to a temperature greater than room temperature and a voltage is applied between the first and second wires.

Abstract: A silicon carbide semi-insulating epitaxy layer is used to create power devices and integrated circuits having significant performance advantages over conventional devices. A silicon carbide semi-insulating layer is formed on a substrate, such as a conducting substrate, and one or more semiconducting devices are formed on the silicon carbide semi-insulating layer. The silicon carbide semi-insulating layer, which includes, for example, 4H or 6H silicon carbide, is formed using a compensating material, the compensating material being selected depending on preferred characteristics for the semi-insulating layer. The compensating material includes, for example, boron, vanadium, chromium, or germanium. Use of a silicon carbide semi-insulating layer provides insulating advantages and improved thermal performance for high power and high frequency semiconductor applications.

Abstract: A method of the production of a nanoparticle dispersed composite material capable of controlling a particle size and a three dimensional arrangement of the nanoparticles is provided. The method of the production of a nanoparticle dispersed composite material of the present invention includes a step (a) of arranging a plurality of core fine particle-protein complexes having a core fine particle, which comprises an inorganic material, internally included within a protein on the top surface of a substrate, a step (b) of removing the protein, a step (c) of conducting ion implantation from the top surface of the substrate, and a step (d) of forming nanoparticles including the ion implanted by the ion implantation as a raw material, inside of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabrication of laser gain material and utilization of such media includes the steps of introducing a transitional metal, preferably Cr2+ thin film of controllable thickness on the ZnS crystal facets after crystal growth by means of pulse laser deposition or plasma sputtering, thermal annealing of the crystals for effective thermal diffusion of the dopant into the crystal volume with a temperature and exposition time providing the highest concentration of the dopant in the volume without degrading laser performance due to scattering and concentration quenching, and formation of a microchip laser either by means of direct deposition of mirrors on flat and parallel polished facets of a thin Cr:ZnS wafer or by relying on the internal reflectance of such facets.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for depositing a barrier film on a substrate is disclosed. In particular, deposition of the barrier film is carried out on the substrate having an applied pressure. This applied pressure flexes the substrate to reduce in-plane stresses, wherein removal of the applied pressure after deposition of the barrier film modifies the in-film stress for the thin-film. With the above-described arrangement, it is possible to minimize the deterioration of electric characteristics of a semiconductor device and the occurrence of defects, such as film delamination, substrate cracks, and the like.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention includes a first conductive type semiconductor region; a gate electrode formed on the first conductive type semiconductor region; a channel region formed immediately below the gate electrode in the first conductive type semiconductor region; and a second conductive type first diffusion layer constituting source/drain regions formed at opposite sides of the channel region in the first conductive type semiconductor region, the gate electrode being formed of polycrystalline silicon-germanium, in which a germanium concentration is continuously increased from a drain region side to a source region side, and an impurity concentration immediately below the gate electrode in the first conductive type semiconductor region being continuously increased from the source region side to the drain region side in accordance with the germanium concentration in the gate electrode.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having multiple power/ground connections to a single external terminal and method for manufacturing an integrated circuit provides an integrated circuit having a reduced number of external power/ground terminals. The multiple connections may be made by conductive circuit paths on one side of the substrate and a terminal pad on the same side of the substrate, with the conductive circuit paths leading from die terminals terminating at the terminal pad, or a via may be formed either directly above the terminal pad or contacting its circumference to provide a connection through from the opposite side of the substrate. Multiple vias may be formed above the terminal pad and within its circumference to provide connection of multiple die terminals to the terminal pad.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward the formation of implanted thermally and electrically conductive structures in a dielectric. An electrically conductive structure, such as an interconnect is formed through ion implantation into several levels within a dielectric layer to penetrate into an electrically conductive region beneath the dielectric layer, such as a semiconductor substrate. Ion implantation continues in discreet, overlapping implantations of the ions from the electrical conductive region up to the top of the dielectric layer so as to form a continuous interconnect. Structural qualities achieved by the method of the present invention include a low interconnect-conductive region resistivity and a low thermal-cycle stress between the interconnect and the dielectric layer in which the interconnect has been implanted.

Abstract: A method in the manufacture of ultra-large scale integrated circuit semiconductor devices suppresses boron loss due to segregation into the screen oxide during the boron activation rapid thermal anneal. A nitridation of the screen oxide is used to incorporate nitrogen into the screen oxide layer prior to boron implantation for ultra-shallow, source and drain extension junctions. A second nitridation of a second screen oxide is used prior to boron implantation for deeper, source and drain junctions. This method significantly suppresses boron diffusion and segregation away from the silicon substrate which reduces series resistance of the complete source and drain junctions.