Abstract:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises forming a nitride layer on a stack, and etching the nitride layer to form spacers in contact with sides of the stack. The stack is on a semiconductor substrate, the stack comprises (i) a gate layer, comprising silicon, (ii) a metallic layer, on the gate layer, and (iii) an etch-stop layer, on the metallic layer. The forming is by CVD with a gas comprising SixL2x, L is an amino group, and X is 1 or 2.
Abstract:
A semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate, an isolation trench in the semiconductor substrate, and an alignment trench in the semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The structure also includes a dielectric layer and a metallic layer. The dielectric layer is on the semiconductor substrate and in both the isolation trench and the alignment trench. The dielectric layer fills the isolation trench and does not fill the alignment trench. The metallic layer is on the dielectric layer.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, a transistor is fabricated by forming gate materials, such as a gate oxide layer and a gate polysilicon layer, prior to forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure. Forming the gate materials early in the process minimizes exposure of the STI structure to processing steps that may expose its corners. Also, to minimize cross-diffusion of dopants and to help lower gate resistance, a metal stack comprising a barrier layer and a metal layer may be employed as a conductive line between gates. In one embodiment, the metal stack comprises a barrier layer of tungsten-nitride and a metal layer of tungsten.
Abstract:
A semiconductor structure, comprises a semiconductor substrate, a gate layer on the semiconductor substrate, a metallic layer on the gate layer, and an etch-stop layer on the metallic layer. A distance between the substrate and a top of the etch-stop layer is a gate stack height, and the gate stack height is at most 2700 angstroms. In addition, the etch-stop layer has a thickness of at least 800 angstroms.
Abstract:
An embodiment of a method of integration of a non-volatile memory device into a logic MOS flow is described. Generally, the method includes: forming a pad dielectric layer of a MOS device above a first region of a substrate; forming a channel of the memory device from a thin film of semiconducting material overlying a surface above a second region of the substrate, the channel connecting a source and drain of the memory device; forming a patterned dielectric stack overlying the channel above the second region, the patterned dielectric stack comprising a tunnel layer, a charge-trapping layer, and a sacrificial top layer; simultaneously removing the sacrificial top layer from the second region of the substrate, and the pad dielectric layer from the first region of the substrate; and simultaneously forming a gate dielectric layer above the first region of the substrate and a blocking dielectric layer above the charge-trapping layer.
Abstract:
Embodiments of a method of integration of a non-volatile memory device into a MOS flow are described. Generally, the method includes: forming a dielectric stack on a surface of a substrate, the dielectric stack including a tunneling dielectric overlying the surface of the substrate and a charge-trapping layer overlying the tunneling dielectric; forming a cap layer overlying the dielectric stack; patterning the cap layer and the dielectric stack to form a gate stack of a memory device in a first region of the substrate and to remove the cap layer and the charge-trapping layer from a second region of the substrate; and performing an oxidation process to form a gate oxide of a MOS device overlying the surface of the substrate in the second region while simultaneously oxidizing the cap layer to form a blocking oxide overlying the charge-trapping layer. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate layer containing silicon on the semiconductor substrate, a metallic layer on the gate layer, and a nitride layer on the metallic layer. The gate layer contains a P+ region and an N+ region.
Abstract:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes oxidizing a gate stack at a temperature of at most 600° C. with a plasma prepared from a gas mixture. The gas mixture includes an oxygen-containing gas and ammonia, and the gate stack is on a semiconductor substrate. The gate stack contains a gate layer, a conductive layer on the gate layer, a metal layer on the conductive layer, and a capping layer on the metal layer.
Abstract:
A method is provided which includes forming a hardmask feature adjacent to a patterned sacrificial structure of a semiconductor topography, selectively removing the patterned sacrificial structure to expose a lower layer and etching exposed portions of the lower layer in alignment with the hardmask feature. In some embodiments, forming the hardmask feature may include conformably depositing a hardmask material above the patterned sacrificial structure and lower layer as well as blanket etching the hardmask material such that upper surfaces of the patterned sacrificial structure and portions of the lower layer are exposed and portions of the hardmask material remain along sidewalls of the patterned sacrificial structure. The method may be applied to produce an exemplary semiconductor topography including a plurality of gate structures each having a width less than approximately 70 nm, wherein a variation of the widths among the plurality of gate structures is less than approximately 10%.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, a self-aligned contact (SAC) trench structure is formed through a dielectric layer to expose an active region of a MOS transistor. The SAC trench structure not only exposes the active region for electrical connection but also removes portions of a stress liner over the active region. This leaves the stress liner mostly on the sidewall and top of the gate of the MOS transistor. Removing portions of the stress liner over the active region substantially removes the lateral component of the strain imparted by the stress liner on the substrate, allowing for improved drive current without substantially degrading a complementary MOS transistor.