Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120028430 | METHOD AND STRUCTURE TO IMPROVE FORMATION OF SILICIDE - A method begins with a structure having: a gate insulator on a silicon substrate between a gate conductor and a channel region within the substrate; insulating sidewall spacers on sidewalls of the gate conductor; and source and drain regions within the substrate adjacent the channel region. To silicide the gate and source and drain regions, the method deposits a metallic material over the substrate, the gate conductor, and the sidewalls, and performs a first heating process to change the metallic material into a metal-rich silicide at locations where the metallic material contacts silicon. The method removes the sidewall spacers, and performs a second heating process to change the metal-rich silicide into silicide having a lower metallic concentration than the metal-rich silicide. The silicide thus formed avoids being damaged by the spacer removal process. | 02-02-2012 |
20120098042 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH REDUCED JUNCTION LEAKAGE AND AN ASSOCIATED METHOD OF FORMING SUCH A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a p-n junction with reduced junction leakage in the presence of metal silicide defects that extend to the junction and a method of forming the device. Specifically, a semiconductor layer having a p-n junction is formed. A metal silicide layer is formed on the semiconductor layer and a dopant is implanted into the metal silicide layer. An anneal process is performed causing the dopant to migrate toward the metal silicide-semiconductor layer interface such that the peak concentration of the dopant will be within a portion of the metal silicide layer bordering the metal silicide-semiconductor layer interface and encompassing the defects. As a result, the silicide to silicon contact is effectively engineered to increase the Schottky barrier height at the defect, which in turn drastically reduces any leakage that would otherwise occur, when the p-n junction is in reverse polarity. | 04-26-2012 |
20120104500 | SHALLOW TRENCH ISOLATION RECESS REPAIR USING SPACER FORMATION PROCESS - A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a spacer layer over a plurality of transistor gate structures, the transistor gate structures being formed over both active and shallow trench isolation (STI) regions of a substrate. The spacer layer is subjected to a directional etch so as to form sidewall spacers adjacent the plurality of transistor gate structures, and a horizontal fill portion of the spacer layer remains in one more recesses present in the STI regions so as to substantially planarize the STI region prior to subsequent material deposition thereon. | 05-03-2012 |
20120220114 | TENSILE STRESS ENHANCEMENT OF NITRIDE FILM FOR STRESSED CHANNEL FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR FABRICATION - A method for inducing a tensile stress in a channel of a field effect transistor (FET) includes forming a nitride film over the FET; forming a contact hole to the FET through the nitride film; and performing ultraviolet (UV) curing of the nitride film after forming the contact hole to the FET through the nitride film, wherein the UV cured nitride film induces the tensile stress in the channel of the FET. | 08-30-2012 |
20120235247 | FIN FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR WITH VARIABLE CHANNEL THICKNESS FOR THRESHOLD VOLTAGE TUNING - A method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) includes forming a first and second plurality of spacers on a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a silicon layer, and wherein the first plurality of spacers have a thickness that is different from a thickness of the second plurality of spacers; and etching the silicon layer in the substrate using the first and second plurality of spacers as a mask, wherein the etched silicon layer forms a first plurality and a second plurality of fin field effect transistor (FINFET) channel regions, and wherein the first plurality of FINFET channel regions each have a respective thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the first plurality of spacers, and wherein the second plurality of FINFET channel regions each have a respective thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the second plurality of spacers. | 09-20-2012 |
20120286375 | PRESERVING STRESS BENEFITS OF UV CURING IN REPLACEMENT GATE TRANSISTOR FABRICATION - A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a stress inducing layer over one or more partially completed field effect transistor (FET) devices disposed over a substrate, the one or more partially completed FET devices including sacrificial dummy gate structures; planarizing the stress inducing layer and removing the sacrificial dummy gate structures; and following the planarizing the stress inducing layer and removing the sacrificial dummy gate structures, performing an ultraviolet (UV) cure of the stress inducing layer so as to enhance a value of an initial applied stress by the stress inducing layer on channel regions of the one or more partially completed FET devices. | 11-15-2012 |
20120292670 | Post-Silicide Process and Structure For Stressed Liner Integration - A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a corresponding semiconductor device are provided. The method can include implanting a species into a silicide region, the silicide region contacting a semiconductor region of a substrate. A stressed liner may then be formed overlying the silicide region having the implanted species therein. In a particular example, prior to forming the stressed liner, a step of annealing can be performed within an interval less than one second to elevate at least a portion of the silicide region to a peak temperature ranging from 800 to 950° C. The method may reduce the chance of deterioration in the silicide region, e.g., the risk of void formation, due to processing used to form the stressed liner. | 11-22-2012 |
20130029488 | Single Liner Process to Achieve Dual Stress - Methods for imparting a dual stress property in a stress liner layer of a semiconductor device. The methods include depositing a metal layer over a compressive stress liner layer, applying a masking agent to a portion of the metal layer to produce a masked and unmasked region of the metal layer, etching the unmasked region of the metal layer to remove the metal layer in the unmasked region to thereby expose a corresponding portion of the compressive stress liner layer, removing the mask to expose the metal layer from the masked region, and irradiating the compressive stress liner layer to impart a tensile stress property to the exposed portion of the compressive stress liner layer. Methods are also provided for imparting a compressive-neutral dual stress property in a stress liner layer, as well as for imparting a neutral-tensile dual stress property in a stress liner layer. | 01-31-2013 |
20130082348 | Structure and Method to Form Passive Devices in ETSOI Process Flow - Techniques for fabricating passive devices in an extremely-thin silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) wafer are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating one or more passive devices in an ETSOI wafer is provided. The method includes the following steps. The ETSOI wafer having a substrate and an ETSOI layer separated from the substrate by a buried oxide (BOX) is provided. The ETSOI layer is coated with a protective layer. At least one trench is formed that extends through the protective layer, the ETSOI layer and the BOX, and wherein a portion of the substrate is exposed within the trench. Spacers are formed lining sidewalls of the trench. Epitaxial silicon templated from the substrate is grown in the trench. The protective layer is removed from the ETSOI layer. The passive devices are formed in the epitaxial silicon. | 04-04-2013 |
20130105894 | THRESHOLD VOLTAGE ADJUSTMENT FOR THIN BODY MOSFETS | 05-02-2013 |
20130105896 | Threshold Voltage Adjustment For Thin Body Mosfets | 05-02-2013 |
20130175620 | FINFET WITH FULLY SILICIDED GATE - A method is provided for fabricating a finFET device. Multiple fin structures are formed over a BOX layer, and a gate stack is formed on the BOX layer. The fin structures each include a semiconductor layer and extend in a first direction, and the gate stack is formed over the fin structures and extends in a second direction. The gate stack includes dielectric and polysilicon layers. Gate spacers are formed on vertical sidewalls of the gate stack, and an epi layer is deposited over the fin structures. Ions are implanted to form source and drain regions, and the gate spacers are etched so that their upper surface is below an upper surface of the gate stack. After etching the gate spacers, silicidation is performed to fully silicide the polysilicon layer of the gate stack and to form silicide regions in an upper surface of the source and drain regions. | 07-11-2013 |
20130175632 | REDUCTION OF CONTACT RESISTANCE AND JUNCTION LEAKAGE - A time clock clearly identifies where a user should position a time card therein. The clock and a printer platen are fixed relative to a base, and has the time card rests thereon. A printing mechanism moves relative to the base and has a target area, it is traversable between a print position and an idle position, and it impresses the time indicia onto the time card while in the print position. A ribbon shield is fixed relative to the base. A focused illuminated guide is fixed relative to the base, and in combination with the ribbon shield, guides the time card with respect to the printing mechanism to clearly identify where the user should position the time card in the time clock. | 07-11-2013 |
20130178020 | FINFET WITH FULLY SILICIDED GATE - A method is provided for fabricating a finFET device. Multiple fin structures are formed over a BOX layer, and a gate stack is formed on the BOX layer. The fin structures each include a semiconductor layer and extend in a first direction, and the gate stack is formed over the fin structures and extends in a second direction. The gate stack includes dielectric and polysilicon layers. Gate spacers are formed on vertical sidewalls of the gate stack, and an epi layer is deposited over the fin structures. Ions are implanted to form source and drain regions, and the gate spacers are etched so that their upper surface is below an upper surface of the gate stack. After etching the gate spacers, silicidation is performed to fully silicide the polysilicon layer of the gate stack and to form silicide regions in an upper surface of the source and drain regions. | 07-11-2013 |
20130200468 | Integration of SMT in Replacement Gate FINFET Process Flow - A method of fabricating a FINFET includes the following steps. A plurality of fins is patterned in a wafer. A dummy gate is formed covering a portion of the fins which serves as a channel region. Spacers are formed on opposite sides of the dummy gate. The dummy gate is removed thus forming a trench between the spacers that exposes the fins in the channel region. A nitride material is deposited into the trench so as to cover a top and sidewalls of each of the fins in the channel region. The wafer is annealed to induce strain in the nitride material thus forming a stressed nitride film that covers and induces strain in the top and the sidewalls of each of the fins in the channel region of the device. The stressed nitride film is removed. A replacement gate is formed covering the fins in the channel region. | 08-08-2013 |
20130207194 | TRANSISTORS WITH UNIAXIAL STRESS CHANNELS - A method for fabricating a transistor with uniaxial stress channels includes depositing an insulating layer onto a substrate, defining bars within the insulating layer, recessing a channel into the substrate, growing a first semiconducting material in the channel, defining a gate stack over the bars and semiconducting material, defining source and drain recesses and embedding a second semiconducting material into the source and drain recesses. | 08-15-2013 |
20130264653 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE EXTREMELY THIN SILICON ON INSULATOR COMPLEMENTARY METAL-OXIDE-SEMICONDUCTOR TRANSISTORS WITH DUAL STRESS BURIED INSULATORS - A method of forming a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device including an n-type field effect transistor (NFET) and an p-type field effect transistor (PFET) having fully silicided gates electrode in which an improved dual stress buried insulator is employed to incorporate and advantageous mechanical stress into the device channel of the NFET and PFET. The method can be imposed on a bulk substrate or extremely thin silicon on insulator (ETSOI) substrate. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of shallow trench isolations structures formed in the ETSOI layer, NFET having a source and drain region and a gate formation, a PFET having a source and drain region, and a gate formation, an insulator layer, including a stressed oxide or nitride, deposited inside the substrate of the NFET, and a second insulator layer, including either an stressed oxide or nitride, deposited inside the substrate of the PFET. | 10-10-2013 |
20130285156 | FIN FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR WITH VARIABLE CHANNEL THICKNESS FOR THRESHOLD VOLTAGE TUNING - A method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) includes forming a first and second plurality of spacers on a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a silicon layer, and wherein the first plurality of spacers have a thickness that is different from a thickness of the second plurality of spacers; and etching the silicon layer in the substrate using the first and second plurality of spacers as a mask, wherein the etched silicon layer forms a first plurality and a second plurality of fin field effect transistor (FINFET) channel regions, and wherein the first plurality of FINFET channel regions each have a respective thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the first plurality of spacers, and wherein the second plurality of FINFET channel regions each have a respective thickness that corresponds to the thickness of the second plurality of spacers. | 10-31-2013 |
20130328135 | PREVENTING FULLY SILICIDED FORMATION IN HIGH-K METAL GATE PROCESSING - A gate stack structure for a transistor device includes a gate dielectric layer formed over a substrate; a first silicon gate layer formed over the gate dielectric layer; a dopant-rich monolayer formed over the first silicon gate layer; and a second silicon gate layer formed over the dopant-rich monolayer, wherein the dopant-rich monolayer prevents silicidation of the first silicon gate layer during silicidation of the second silicon gate layer. | 12-12-2013 |
20130330899 | PREVENTING FULLY SILICIDED FORMATION IN HIGH-K METAL GATE PROCESSING - A method of forming gate stack structure for a transistor device includes forming a gate dielectric layer over a substrate; forming a first silicon gate layer over the gate dielectric layer; forming a dopant-rich monolayer over the first silicon gate layer; and forming a second silicon gate layer over the dopant-rich monolayer, wherein the dopant-rich monolayer prevents silicidation of the first silicon gate layer during silicidation of the second silicon gate layer. | 12-12-2013 |
20140124861 | TRANSISTORS WITH UNIAXIAL STRESS CHANNELS - A method for fabricating a transistor with uniaxial stress channels includes depositing an insulating layer onto a substrate, defining bars within the insulating layer, recessing a channel into the substrate, growing a first semiconducting material in the channel, defining a gate stack over the bars and semiconducting material, defining source and drain recesses and embedding a second semiconducting material into the source and drain recesses. | 05-08-2014 |
20140131802 | Structure and Method to Form Passive Devices in ETSOI Process Flow - Techniques for fabricating passive devices in an extremely-thin silicon-on-insulator (ETSOI) wafer are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating one or more passive devices in an ETSOI wafer is provided. The method includes the following steps. The ETSOI wafer having a substrate and an ETSOI layer separated from the substrate by a buried oxide (BOX) is provided. The ETSOI layer is coated with a protective layer. At least one trench is formed that extends through the protective layer, the ETSOI layer and the BOX, and wherein a portion of the substrate is exposed within the trench. Spacers are formed lining sidewalls of the trench. Epitaxial silicon templated from the substrate is grown in the trench. The protective layer is removed from the ETSOI layer. The passive devices are formed in the epitaxial silicon. | 05-15-2014 |