Abstract: The present invention relates to growth of III-V semiconductor nanowires (2) on a Si substrate (3). Controlled vertical nanowire growth is achieved by a step, to be taken prior to the growing of the nanowire, of providing group III or group V atoms to a (111) surface of the Si substrate to provide a group III or group V 5 surface termination (4). A nanostructured device including a plurality of aligned III-V semiconductor nanowires (2) grown on, and protruding from, a (111) surface of a Si substrate (3) in an ordered pattern in compliance with a predetermined device layout is also presented.

Abstract: Single spacer processes for multiplying pitch by a factor greater than two are provided. In one embodiment, n, where n?2, tiers of stacked mandrels are formed over a substrate, each of the n tiers comprising a plurality of mandrels substantially parallel to one another. Mandrels at tier n are over and parallel to mandrels at tier n?1, and the distance between adjoining mandrels at tier n is greater than the distance between adjoining mandrels at tier n?1. Spacers are simultaneously formed on sidewalls of the mandrels. Exposed portions of the mandrels are etched away and a pattern of lines defined by the spacers is transferred to the substrate.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a mandrel layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and patterning the mandrel layer into mandrel structures. The method further includes forming a protective layer between the mandrel structures. Spacers are formed around each of the mandrel structures and overlying the protective layer to define exposed regions of the protective layer and covered regions of the protective layer. The exposed regions of the protective layer are etched using the spacers and the mandrel structures as a mask. The spacers are removed from the covered regions of the protective layer. The covered regions of the protective layer form mask segments for etching the semiconductor substrate. The method removes the mandrel structures and etches the semiconductor substrate exposed between mask segments to form semiconductor fin structures.

Abstract: A process for producing two interleaved patterns on a substrate uses photolithography and etching to produce, on the substrate, a first pattern of first material protruding regions separated by recessed regions. A non-conformal deposition of a second material on the first pattern forms cavities in the recessed regions of the first pattern. These cavities are opened and filled with a third material. The second material is then removed, and the remaining third material forms a second pattern of third material protruding regions, wherein the second pattern is interleaved with the first pattern.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is formed with sub-resolution features and at least one additional feature having a relatively larger critical dimension using only two masks. An embodiment includes forming a plurality of first mandrels, having a first width, and at least one second mandrel, having a second width greater than the first width, overlying a target layer using a first mask, forming sidewall spacers along the length and width of the first and second mandrels, forming a filler adjacent each sidewall spacer, the filler having the first width, removing the filler adjacent sidewall spacers along the widths of the first and second mandrels using a second mask, removing the sidewall spacers, and etching the target layer between the filler and the first and second mandrels, thereby forming at least two target features with different critical dimensions.

Abstract: A method for realizing a nanometric circuit architecture includes: realizing plural active areas on a semiconductor substrate; realizing on the substrate a seed layer of a first material; realizing a mask-spacer of a second material on the seed layer in a region comprised between the active areas; realizing a mask overlapping the mask-spacer and extending in a substantially perpendicular direction thereto; selectively removing the seed layer exposed on the substrate; selectively removing the mask and the mask-spacer obtaining a seed-spacer comprising a linear portion extending in that region and a portion substantially orthogonal thereto; realizing by MSPT from the seed-spacer an insulating spacer reproducing at least part of the profile of the seed-spacer; realizing by MSPT a nano-wire of conductive material from the seed-spacer or insulating spacer, the nano-wire comprising a first portion at least partially extending in the region and a second portion contacting a respective active area.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method can include forming a stacked body by alternately stacking a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of conductive layers above a substrate and forming a resist film above the stacked body. The method can include plasma-etching the insulating layers and the conductive layers by using the resist film as a mask. The method can include forming a hardened layer in an upper surface of the resist film by plasma treatment using a gas containing at least one selected from a group consisting of boron, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, silicon, germanium, aluminum, gallium, and indium. The method can include slimming a plane size of the resist film by plasma treatment using an oxygen-containing gas in a state where the hardened layer is formed in the upper surface of the resist film.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor laser device includes an n-type AlGaN clad layer, a GaN layer, a first InGaN light guide layer, a light-emitting layer, a second InGaN light guide layer, a nitride semiconductor inter mediate layer, a p-type AlGaN layer, and a p-type AlGaN clad layer stacked in this order on a nitride semiconductor substrate, wherein the n-type AlGaN clad layer has an Al composition ratio of 3-5% and a thickness of 1.8-2.5 ?m; the first and second InGaN light guide layers have an In composition ratio of 3-6%; the first light guide layer has a thickness of 120-160 nm and greater than that of the second light guide layer; and the p-type AlGaN layer is in contact with the p-type clad layer and has an Al composition ratio of 10-35% and greater than that of the p-type clad layer.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of semiconductor device comprises: sequentially laminating a third mask layer, a second mask layer, and a first mask layer on a processed layer; forming a fourth mask layer on the first mask layer; processing the first mask layer so as to have a line pattern form using the fourth mask layer as a mask; removing the first mask layer; processing the second mask layer so as to have a pair of line pattern forms using the pair of sidewall layers as a mask; forming a fifth mask layer on the third mask layer; forming a pair of opening portions in the third mask layer using the fifth mask layer as a mask; and forming a pair of groove portions on the processed layer using the third mask layer as a mask.

Abstract: A method realizes a multispacer structure including an array of spacers having same height. The method includes realizing, on a substrate, a sacrificial layer of a first material; b) realizing, on the sacrificial layer, a sequence of mask spacers obtained by SnPT, which are alternately obtained in at least two different materials; c) chemically etching one of the two different materials with selective removal of the mask spacers of this etched material and partial exposure of the sacrificial layer; d) chemically and/or anisotropically etching the first material with selective removal of the exposed portions of the sacrificial layer; e) chemically etching the other one of the two different materials with selective removal of the mask spacers of this etched material and obtainment of the multispacer structure.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using double patterning. The method includes: forming a first material layer pattern having recesses in a first direction on an object layer and a second material layer pattern formed on the first material layer pattern; selectively etching the second material layer pattern and the first material layer pattern in a direction perpendicular to the first direction to form an etching mask; and etching the object layer to form minute patterns.

Abstract: An EL element capable of: preventing the state in which number of excessive layers are laminated on each light emitting part formed in a pattern at the time of forming the light emitting parts using the photolithography method; executing the peeling treatment easily and quickly in the excessive layer peeling process; and preventing generation of color mixture or pixel narrowing derived from the elution of the patterned light emitting part into the light emitting layer coating solution to be coated later, at the end part thereof, at the time of coating a light emitting layer coating solution. In order to achieve the above mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electroluminescent element using a photolithography method.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a first photosensitive material pattern having an opening hole on a work target layer formed on an active surface of a substrate; performing a first etching by performing an etching treatment to the work target layer using the first photosensitive material pattern as a mask, and forming one of a concave and a groove in a tapered shape with a wide opening to the work target layer while enlarging the opening hole, by performing the etching treatment so as to enlarge the opening hole; and filling a metal film into one of the concave and the groove.

Abstract: A second substrate, e.g. a III/V compound semiconductor, is placed on a first substrate, e.g. a wafer, in the vicinity of placement marks on the first substrate. The second substrate is exposed to patterned radiation, e.g. for the manufacture of integrated circuits.

Abstract: A method is presented for repairing damaged photomasks for electronic component fabrication processes, particularly for fabrication of the ABS of a disk drive slider. The method includes applying an overcoat of material having index of fraction which is close to the index of refraction of the photoresist material of the damaged photomask to produce a non-scattering boundary surface. The overcoat material preferably includes an overcoat base material which is a polymer having an index of refraction which is in the range of plus or minus 0.1 from the index of refraction of said photoresist material.

Abstract: A method for forming a multilevel structure on a surface by depositing a curable liquid layer on the surface; pressing a stamp having a multilevel pattern therein into the liquid layer to produce in the liquid layer a multilevel structure defined by the pattern; and, curing the liquid layer to produce a solid layer having the multilevel structure therein. Mechanical alignment may be employed to enhance optical alignment of the stamp relative to the substrate via spaced protrusions on the substrate on which the structure is to be formed and complementary recesses in the patterning of the stamp.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device, including: a gate line on a substrate; a data line crossing the gate line with a gate insulating film therebetween to define a pixel area; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a semiconductor pattern which forms a channel of the thin film transistor and overlaps along the data line; a passivation film covering the data line and the thin film transistor; and a pixel electrode on the gate insulating film in a pixel hole of the pixel area that penetrates the passivation film and connected to the thin film transistor, the pixel electrode on an inclined side surface of the passivation film to encompass the pixel hole, to form a border with the passivation film and having a thickness that decreases as it goes up the side surface of the passivation film.

Abstract: Variations in the pitch of features formed using pitch multiplication are minimized by separately forming at least two sets of spacers. Mandrels are formed and the positions of their sidewalls are measured. A first set of spacers is formed on the sideswalls. The critical dimension of the spacers is selected based upon the sidewall positions, so that the spacers are centered at desired positions. The mandrels are removed and the spacers are used as mandrels for a subsequent spacer formation. A second material is then deposited on the first set of spacers, with the critical dimensions of the second set of spacers chosen so that these spacers are also centered at their desired positions. The first set of spacers is removed and the second set is used as a mask for etching a substrate. By selecting the critical dimensions of spacers based partly on the measured position of mandrels, the pitch of the spacers can be finely controlled.

Abstract: Productivity of a semiconductor integrated circuit device is improved. According to how many times the photomask is used, a photomask having an opaque pattern made of metal and a photomask having an opaque pattern made of a resist film are properly used, and thereby an exposure treatment is performed.

Abstract: In a fabrication method of a thin film transistor, a gate electrode is patterned with a first mask and an active pattern and a photoresist pattern are formed with a second mask. The photoresist pattern is ashed based on a predetermined width of an etch stopper. An insulating layer underlying the ashed photoresist pattern is patterned to form the etch stopper. In the fabrication method, the etch stopper may function as a passivation layer and is formed on an active layer of a thin film transistor part.

Abstract: The controlled etch into a substrate or thick homogeneous film is accomplished by introducing a sacrificial film to gauge the depth to which the substrate/thick film has been etched. Optical endpointing the etch of the sacrificial film on the etch stop layer allows another element of process control over the depth of the primary trench or via.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to various methods of using ion implantation techniques to control various metal formation processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises forming a metal seed layer above a patterned layer of insulating material, the patterned layer of insulating material defining a plurality of field areas, deactivating at least a portion of the metal seed layer in areas where the metal seed layer is positioned above at least some of the field areas, and performing a deposition process to deposit a metal layer above the metal seed layer. In some embodiments, the metal may be comprised of copper, platinum, nickel, tantalum, tungsten, cobalt, etc. Portions of the metal seed layer may be deactivated by implanting ions into portions of the metal seed layer positioned above at least some of the field areas. The implanted ions may be comprised of nitrogen, carbon, silicon, hydrogen, etc.

Abstract: Productivity of a semiconductor integrated circuit device is improved. According to how many times the photomask is used, a photomask having an opaque pattern made of metal and a photomask having an opaque pattern made of a resist film are properly used, and thereby an exposure treatment is performed.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is a method for forming a plurality of thin-film devices. The method includes coarsely patterning at least one thin-film material on a flexible substrate and forming a plurality of thin-film elements on the flexible substrate with a self-aligned imprint lithography (SAIL) process.

Abstract: A patterned mask can be formed as follows. A first patterned photoresist is formed over a masking layer and utilized during a first etch into the masking layer. The first etch extends to a depth in the masking layer that is less than entirely through the masking layer. A second patterned photoresist is subsequently formed over the masking layer and utilized during a second etch into the masking layer. The combined first and second etches form openings extending entirely through the masking layer and thus form the masking layer into the patterned mask. The patterned mask can be utilized to form a pattern in a substrate underlying the mask. The pattern formed in the substrate can correspond to an array of capacitor container openings. Capacitor structure can be formed within the openings. The capacitor structures can be incorporated within a DRAM array.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device includes the consecutive steps of consecutively depositing metallic, nitride and oxide films on an underlying insulating film, patterning the nitride and oxide films to allow the oxide film to have a patterned area smaller than the patterned area of the nitride film, patterning the metallic film by using the nitride and oxide films as a mask, forming a side-wall film having a tapered mesa structure on the oxide, nitride and metallic films, embedding the side-wall oxide film by an interlayer dielectric film, and forming a contact hole in the interlayer dielectric film and the underlying oxide film while using the side-wall oxide film as an etch stopper.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to semiconductor devices, for example lasers and more particularly to single frequency lasers and is directed at overcoming problems associated with the manufacture of these devices. In particular, a laser device is provided formed on a substrate having a plurality of layers (1,2,3,4,5), the laser device comprising at least one waveguide (for example a ridge) established by the selective removal of sections of at least one of the layers. Wherein alignment features are provided on the device to facilitate subsequent placement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a pattern on a substrate and a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel using the same. In order to decrease stitch defect, the shot boundary lines for respective layers of patterns do not overlap each other to be dispersed. Specifically, according to a method of forming patterns of the present invention, after a first material layer is first formed on a substrate, a first pattern is formed by performing a first photo etching including divisional light exposure with at least two areas across at least one shot boundary line on the first material layer. Subsequently, after a second material layer is formed on the first pattern, a second pattern is formed by performing a second photo etching including divisional light exposure with at least two areas across at least one shot boundary line on the second material layer. The shot boundary line in the second photo etching is spaced apart from the shot boundary line in the first photo etching.

Abstract: A method for exposing a semiconductor wafer compensates for the effects of process inhomogeneities, e.g. in semiconductor etching or deposition processes, by individually adjusting sets of exposure parameters of an exposure tool for any exposure field. The exposure parameters are preferably the dose and the focus, which are varied across the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Productivity of a semiconductor integrated circuit device is improved. According to how many times the photomask is used, a photomask having an opaque pattern made of metal and a photomask having an opaque pattern made of a resist film are properly used, and thereby an exposure treatment is performed.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to various methods of using ion implantation techniques to control various metal formation processes. In one illustrative embodiment, the method includes forming a metal seed layer above a patterned layer of insulating material, the patterned layer of insulating material defining a plurality of field areas, deactivating at least a portion of the metal seed layer in areas where the metal seed layer is positioned above at least some of the field areas, and performing a deposition process to deposit a metal layer above the metal seed layer. In some embodiments, the metal may includes copper, platinum, nickel, tantalum, tungsten, cobalt, etc. Portions of the metal seed layer may be deactivated by implanting ions into portions of the metal seed layer positioned above at least some of the field areas. The implanted ions may includes nitrogen, carbon, silicon, hydrogen, etc.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method and system include providing a semiconductor substrate and providing a plurality of lines separated by a plurality of spaces. Each of the plurality of spaces preferably has a first width that is less than a minimum feature size. In one aspect, the method and system include providing a reverse mask having a plurality of apertures on an insulating layer. In this aspect, the method and system also include trimming the reverse mask to increase a size of each of the plurality of apertures, removing a portion of the insulating layer exposed by the plurality of trimmed apertures to provide a plurality of trenches and providing a plurality of lines in the plurality of trenches. In a second aspect, the method and system include providing a reverse mask on the insulating layer and removing a first portion of the insulating layer exposed by the plurality of apertures to provide a plurality of trenches.

Abstract: A pattern is transferred to a resist film on a wafer by a reduction projection exposure method using a half-tone phase-shift mask in which is formed a half-tone phase-shifter pattern including a thin-film pattern functioning as an attenuator and a resist pattern functioning as the photosensitive composition for phase adjustment. This method improves the accuracy of dimensions of the pattern transferred to the wafer.

Abstract: A method for pitch reduction is disclosed. The method can form a pattern with a pitch ⅓ the original pitch formed by available photolithography technologies by only using one photo mask or one pattern transfer process, self-aligned etching back processes, and conventional deposition processes. By choosing appropriate layers to be deposited and etched, the pattern can be an etching mask or it can be a device structure itself.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus for using a latency time period as a control input parameter. A manufacturing run of semiconductor devices is processed. Metrology data from the processed semiconductor devices is acquired. A latency analysis process is performed using the acquired metrology data. A feedback/feed-forward modification process is performed in response to the latency analysis process.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (101) includes a first semiconductor die (103) having a first alignment mark (165) disposed in an alignment region (163) to align the first semiconductor die on the wafer. A second semiconductor die (181) has a second alignment mark (167) disposed in the alignment region such that the second alignment mark overlaps the first alignment mark. The area occupied by the overlapping alignment marks is shared between the first and second semiconductor dice to reduce the area and the cost of each die.

Abstract: A method of forming a dual damascene line structure suitable for forming a fine pattern is disclosed in the present invention. The method for forming a dual damascene line structure on a substrate includes sequentially depositing an inter-metal dielectric and a first hard mask over the substrate, partially removing the first hard mask to have a positive trench pattern using a first photoresist pattern as a mask, forming a second hard mask having a substantially different etch selectivity from the first hard mask on the partially removed portion of the first hard mask, selectively removing the first hard mask to have a negative via hole pattern using a second photoresist pattern as a mask, partially removing the inter-metal dielectric to have a via hole pattern using the first hard mask as a mask, and forming a trench and a via hole by removing the exposed first hard mask and selectively etching the inter-metal dielectric using the second hard mask.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for etching a tapered trench in a layer of material with a highly controllable wall profile. The layer of material has a mask adjacent a surface thereof having an opening which defines a location on the layer of material at which the trench is to be formed. Vertical etch process steps and opening enlarging process steps are then performed in an alternating manner until the trench has been etched to a desired depth. The method permits very deep tapered trenches of up to 80-100 um or more to be formed in a silicon substrate or other layer of material in a highly controllable manner. The method can be incorporated into processes for manufacturing numerous devices including MEMS devices and high power RF devices such as LDMOS and VDMOS devices.

Abstract: When a through hole 17 is transferred on a pair of contact holes 10 putting a data line DL therebetween, even if a pair of through holes 17 putting the data line DL therebetween are deviated, the pair of through holes are connected to the contact hole 10b and not connected to the data line DL. By this manner, a mask pattern formed by a photomask is use so as to be deviated and disposed in a direction separately from the data line DL at a design stage. This results in improvement of an alignment tolerance of the pattern.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern image of an illuminated mask onto a substrate. The optical path can be divided into a plurality of hermetic blocks each having an inert gas sealed therein by a plurality of partition devices. According a one aspect of the invention, a hermetic sealing member is disposed in the space between the substrate-side of the projection optical system and the substrate for replacing the atmosphere existing in the optical path of the illuminating light in that space by a substance other than oxygen. According to another aspect of the invention, a plurality of independent chambers are formed in a frame. Lids, piping, and valves in the chambers are opened or closed in response to the value detected by oxygen density sensors.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a lead frame, a semiconductor chip, a resin-encapsulated portion, and tie bars. The semiconductor chip is mounted on a die pad of the lead frame. The resin-encapsulated portion resin-encapsulates the semiconductor chip. The tie bars are provided to outer lead portions of the lead frame to prevent resin leakage during resin encapsulation, and are cut and removed in a finishing step of resin encapsulation. A plating surface is formed on a sectional surface of each of the tie bars. A semiconductor device manufacturing method and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (101) includes a first semiconductor die (103) having a first alignment mark (165) disposed in an alignment region (163) to align the first semiconductor die on the wafer. A second semiconductor die (181) has a second alignment mark (167) disposed in the alignment region such that the second alignment mark overlaps the first alignment mark. The area occupied by the overlapping alignment marks is shared between the first and second semiconductor dice to reduce the area and the cost of each die.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming reduced feature size spacers. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having an area region; patterning a first spacer over a portion of the area region of the substrate, the first spacer having a first thickness and opposing side portions; patterning a pair of second spacers, each second spacer adjacent to a side portion of the first spacer, each second spacer having a second thickness in opposing side portions, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness; removing the first spacer; patterning a plurality of third spacers, each third spacer adjacent to one of the side portions of one of the second spacers, each one of the third spacers having a third thickness, wherein the third thickness is less than the second thickness; and removing the second spacers. The invention also relates to a field of effect transistor.

Abstract: Each region of multiple regions on a semiconductor substrate is imaged in an exposure field defined by a reticle. The regions are separated and electrically isolated within the semiconductor substrate by an isolation such as a field oxide or trench isolation. The regions are interconnected by imaging using a stitching reticle having an exposure field overlapping a plurality of the regions. The combination of reticle-imaged fields effectively increases the size of a field formed using a step and repeat technique while achieving high imaging resolution within the combined regions. Similarly, a plurality of integrated chip sets, including microprocessor, memory, and support chips, are constructed on a single semiconductor wafer using separate reticle imaging of each of the plurality of integrated chip sets. The different circuits are interconnected using a stitch mask and etch operation that combines the regions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate, a chip region and a scribe region, includes a step of forming a first hole in an insulating film on the chip region by using a step-and-repeat lithography system using a half-tone phase shift mask, and forming a conductive film on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate. The conductive film is patterned such that the conductive film remains at least at a second hole and its peripheral portion, the second hole resulting in being formed at a four-fold exposure portion which is a portion where a plurality of shots have overlapped at the scribe region during the step of forming the first hole. Since the conductive film remains at the second hole and its peripheral portion, it is possible to prevent the formation of residue of the conductive film at sidewalls of the second hole when the conductive film is etched away from the scribe region.

Abstract: A reference sample for the calibration of a device for characterizing doses implanted on a wafer, consisting in defining a succession of at least two parallel strips on the wafer. The reference sample is produced by depositing a first implant mask on the wafer according to a pattern leaving a first strip accessible, performing a first ionic implant of a first dose, removing the first implant mask and depositing a second implant mask on the wafer according to a pattern leaving accessible the first strip as well as a second contiguous strip, performing a second ionic implant of a second dose, and removing the second implant mask.

Abstract: A shot region includes a device region for forming a semiconductor device therein and a dicing region used for dicing. A portion of the peripheral edge portion of the shot region is defined by a portion of the peripheral edge portion of the device region. An alignment mark is arranged within the device region, and additional alignment marks are arranged within the dicing region. Thus, the number of the devices manufactured per wafer can be increased without degrading precision of alignment.

Abstract: An object of the technology of our invention is to solve a luminance defect viewed as a "seam" or the like and to provide a liquid crystal display device having a screen for equally displaying an image. For example, when an exposing process is performed for one conductor layer or a dielectric layer, a total of four photomasks are used corresponding to four shot areas. A light insulation layer of a photomask used for the exposing process for patterning for example a signal line is formed so that it becomes a projection pattern of the signal line. The photomasks corresponding to adjacent shot areas are formed so that patterns of the light insulation layers of the boundary portion are engaged with each other on the plane.