摘要:
A flexible cable safety system for a fixed ladder is mounted adjacent to and independent of the ladder. This arrangement is useful for ladders which are not designed to withstand the loads imposed when a safety system arrests the fall of a workman.
摘要:
A method of forming an integrated circuit with a semiconductor substrate is provided. A gate dielectric is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a gate is formed on the gate dielectric. A sidewall spacer is formed around the gate. Source/drain junctions are formed in the semiconductor substrate. An intermediate phase silicide is formed on the source/drain regions and on the gate. The sidewall spacer is removed. A final phase silicide is formed from the intermediate phase silicide. An interlayer dielectric is deposited above the semiconductor substrate, and contacts are then formed in the interlayer dielectric to the final phase silicide.
摘要:
A method for preventing the thermal decomposition of a high-K dielectric layer of a gate electrode during the formation of a metal silicide on the gate electrode by using nickel as the metal component of the silicide.
摘要:
The present invention is directed to a method of controlling the formation of metal layers. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises depositing a layer of metal above a structure, irradiating at least one area of the layer of metal, and analyzing an x-ray spectrum of x-rays leaving the irradiated area to determine a thickness of the layer of metal. In further embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of areas, and in some cases at least five areas, of the layer of metal are irradiated. The layer of metal may be comprised of, for example, titanium, cobalt, nickel, copper, tantalum, etc.
摘要:
A method of reducing electromigration in a dual-inlaid copper interconnect line (3) by filling a via (6) with a Cu-rich Cu—Zn alloy (30) electroplated on a Cu surface (200 from a stable chemical solution, and by controlling the Zn-doping thereof, which also improves interconnect reliability and corrosion resistance, and a semiconductor device thereby formed. The method involves using a reduced-oxygen Cu—Zn alloy as fill (30) for the via (6) in forming the dual-inlaid interconnect structure (35). The alloy fill (30) is formed by electroplating the Cu surface (20) in a unique chemical solution containing salts of Zn and Cu, their complexing agents, a pH adjuster, and surfactants, thereby electroplating the fill (30) on the Cu surface (20); and annealing the electroplated Cu—Zn alloy fill (30); and planarizing the Cu—Zn alloy fill (30), thereby forming the dual-inlaid copper interconnect line (35).
摘要:
High quality dielectric layers, e.g., high-k dielectric layers comprised of at least one refractory or lanthanum series transition metal oxide or silicate, for use as gate insulator layers in in-laid metal gate MOS transistors and CMOS devices, are formed by electrolessly plating a metal or metal-based dielectric precursor layer comprising at least one refractory or lanthanum series transition metal, such as of Zr and/or Hf, on a silicon-based semiconductor substrate and then reacting the precursor layer with oxygen or with oxygen and the Si-based semiconductor substrate to form the at least one metal oxide or silicate. The inventive methodology prevents, or at least substantially reduces, oxygen access to the substrate surface during at least the initial stage(s) of formation of the gate insulator layer, thereby minimizing deleterious formation of oxygen-induced surface states at the semiconductor substrate/gate insulator interface.
摘要:
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having contaminant-reduced Ca-doped Cu surfaces formed on Cu interconnects by cost-effectively depositing a Cu—Ca—X surface and subsequently removing the contaminant layer contained therein; and a device thereby formed. In the Cu—Ca—X surface, where contaminant X=C, S, and O, removal of the contaminant from such surface is achieved by (a) immersing the Cu interconnect surface into an electroless plating solution comprising Cu salts, Ca salts, their complexing agents, a reducing agent, a pH adjuster, and at least one surfactant for facilitating Ca-doping of the Cu interconnect material; and (b) annealing of the Cu—Ca—X surface under vacuum onto the underlying Cu interconnect material to form a Cu—Ca film on Cu interconnect structure, thereby producing a uniform Cu—Ca film (i.e., Cu-rich with 0.2-5% Ca) on the Cu surface of an interconnect for maximizing Ca—Cu/Cu interconnect structure reliability, electromigration resistance, and corrosion prevention. The annealing step primarily removes O and secondarily removes C and S, especially when performed under vacuum, an inert gas, or a reducing ambient such as ammonia (NH3) plasma. Thus, the resultant device then comprises a distinctive contaminant-reduced Ca—Cu/Cu interconnect structure.
摘要:
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having contaminant-reduced calcium-copper (Ca—Cu) alloy surfaces formed on Cu interconnects by cost-effectively removing the contaminant layer and a device thereby formed. Contaminant removal from a Cu—Ca—X surface, where contaminant X=C, S, or O, is achieved by sputtering the Cu—Ca—X surface in an argon (Ar) atmosphere between the steps of (a) immersing the Cu interconnect surface into an electroless plating solution comprising Cu salts, Ca salts, their complexing agents, a reducing agent, a pH adjuster, and at least one surfactant for facilitating Ca-doping of the Cu interconnect material; and (b) annealing of the Ca—Cu alloy surface onto the underlying Cu interconnect material to form a Ca—Cu/Cu interconnect structure, whereby the sputtering step, under Ar, selectively and effectively removes contaminants from the Cu—Ca—X layer containing higher concentrations of C, S, or O, thereby minimizing the post-annealed contaminant level, and thereby producing a uniform Ca—Cu alloy surface (i.e., Cu-rich with 0.2-5% Ca) on the Cu interconnect material for maximizing Ca—Cu/Cu interconnect structure reliability, electromigration resistance, and corrosion prevention. The annealing step primarily removes O and secondarily removes C and S, especially when performed under vacuum, an inert gas, or a reducing ambient such as ammonia (NH3) plasma. Thus, the resultant device then comprises a distinctive contaminant-reduced Ca—Cu/Cu interconnect structure.
摘要:
Nickel salicide processing is implemented by implanting nickel into the active regions, prior to depositing Ni, to catalyze the reaction of Ni and Si during annealing to form a NiSi layer on the polysilicon gate electrodes and source/drain regions without the formation of rough interfaces between the nickel silicide layers and underlying silicon and without conductive bridging between the metal silicide layer on the gate electrode and the metal silicide layers on associated source/drain regions, particularly in the presence of silicon nitride sidewall spacers.
摘要:
A method of reducing electromigration in a graded reduced-oxygen dual-inlaid copper interconnect line by filling a via with a graded Cu-rich Cu—Zn alloy fill electroplated on a Cu surface using a stable chemical solution, and by controlling and ordering the Zn-doping thereof, which also improves interconnect reliability and corrosion resistance, and a semiconductor device thereby formed. The method involves using a graded reduced-oxygen Cu—Zn alloy as fill for the via in forming the dual-inlaid interconnect structure. The graded alloy fill is formed by electroplating, while varying electroplating parameters, the Cu surface in a unique chemical solution containing salts of Zn and Cu, their complexing agents, a pH adjuster, and surfactants, thereby electroplating the graded fill on the Cu surface; and annealing the electroplated graded Cu—Zn alloy fill; and planarizing the Cu—Zn alloy fill, thereby forming the graded reduced-oxygen dual-inlaid copper interconnect line.