Abstract:
A method for semiconductor fabrication includes providing (404) channel regions on a substrate including at least one Silicon Germanium (SiGe) channel region, the substrate including a plurality of regions including a first region and a second region. Gate structures are formed (406) for a first n-type field effect transistor (NFET) and a first p-type field effect transistor (PFET) in the first region and a second NFET and a second PFET in the second region, the gate structure for the first PFET being formed on the SiGe channel region. The gate structure for the first NFET includes a gate material having a first work function and the gate structures for the first PFET, second NFET and second PFET include a gate material having a second work function such that multi-threshold voltage devices are provided.
Abstract:
In semiconductor devices, integrity of a titanium nitride material (152) may be increased by exposing the material to an oxygen plasma (110) after forming a thin silicon nitride -based material. The oxygen plasma (110) may result in an additional passivation of any minute surface portions which may not be appropriately covered by the silicon nitride-based material. Consequently, efficient cleaning recipes, such as cleaning processes (111) based on SPM, may be performed after the additional passivation without undue material loss of the titanium nitride material (152). In this manner, sophisticated high-k metal gate stacks may be formed with a very thin protective liner material on the basis of efficient cleaning processes without unduly contributing to a pronounced yield loss in an early manufacturing stage.
Abstract:
Methods for fabricating FinFET structures with stress-inducing source/drain-forming spacers and FinFET structures having such spacers are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a FinFET structure comprises fabricating a plurality of parallel fins overlying a semiconductor substrate. Each of the fins has sidewalls. A gate structure is fabricated overlying a portion of each of the fins. The gate structure has sidewalls and overlies channels within the fins. Stress-inducing sidewall spacers are formed about the sidewalls of the fins and the sidewalls of the gate structure. The stress-inducing sidewall spacers induce a stress within the channels. First conductivity-determining ions are implanted into the fins using the stress-inducing sidewall spacers and the gate structure as an implantation mask to form source and drain regions within the fins.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device (50) having a device substrate (102) is provided The semiconductor device (50) comprises an electrically conductive pad (110) formed overlying the device substrate (102) an electrically conductive platform (160) formed overlying the electrically conductive pad (110) and a pillar interconnect (180) formed on the electrically conductive platform (160) the electrically conductive platform (160) having a perimeter portion (162) extending away from the electrically conductive pad (110) and a capping portion (170) atop the perimeter portion (162), wherein the electrically conductive platform (160) encloses a cavity located between the capping portion (170), the perimeter portion (162) and the electrically conductive pad (110), a cushioning material (140) being disposed in the cavity, the cushioning material (140) being intended to act as a resilient stress absorber upon application of force on the pillar interconnect (180).
Abstract:
A silicon/germanium material and a silicon/carbon material may be provided in transistors of different conductivity type (150P, 150N) 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 (103P, 103N) prior to forming the corresponding strained semiconductor alloy (153), thereby additionally contributing to enhanced overall transistor performance. In other embodiments a silicon/carbon material may be formed in a P-channel transistor (150P) and an N-channel transistor (150N), 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:
A test structure or a circuit element acting temporarily as a test structure may be provided within the die region (210) of sophisticated semiconductor devices, while probe pads (241A, 241B) may be located in the frame (230) in order to not unduly consume valuable die area. The electrical connection between the test structure and the probe pads (241A, 241B) may be established by a conductive path (245, 246) including a buried portion (245A, 246A), which extends from the die region (210) into the frame below a die seal (220), thereby maintaining the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the die seal (220).
Abstract:
The invention discloses a method for cleaning residues from a semiconductor substrate during a nickel platinum silicidation process. Embodiments of the invention provide a multi-step cleaning process, comprising exposing the substrate to a nitric acid solution after a first anneal, followed by an aqua regia solution after a second anneal. The substrate can be optionally exposed to a hydrochloric acid solution afterward to completely remove any remaining platinum residues.
Abstract:
In sophisticated manufacturing techniques, the work function and thus the threshold voltage of transistor elements may be adjusted in an early manufacturing stage by providing a work function adjusting species (254A) within the high-k dielectric material (253) with substantially the same spatial distribution in the gate dielectric materials of different thickness. After the incorporation of the work function adjusting species (254A), the final thickness of the gate dielectric materials may be adjusted by selectively forming an additional dielectric layer so that the further patterning of the gate electrode structures (250A, 250B) may be accomplished with a high degree of compatibility to conventional manufacturing techniques. Consequently, extremely complicated processes for re-adjusting the threshold voltages of transistors (260A, 260B) having a different thickness gate dielectric material may be avoided.
Abstract:
The wire bond structure of sophisticated metallization systems, for instance based on copper, may be provided without a terminal aluminum layer and without any passivation layers for exposed copper surfaces (212S) by providing a fill material (250) after the wire bonding process in order to encapsulate at least the sensitive metal surfaces (212S) and a portion of the bond wire (230). Hence, significant cost reduction, reduced cycle times and a reduction of the required process steps may be accomplished independently from the wire bond materials used. Thus, integrated circuits requiring a sophisticated metallization system may be connected by wire bonding to the corresponding package (260) or carrier substrate with a required degree of reliability based on a corresponding fill material (250) for encapsulating at least the sensitive metal surfaces (212S).
Abstract:
Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device (100) on and in a semiconductor substrate (110) having a first region (180) and a second region (200) are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method comprises forming a first gate stack (124) overlying the first region (180) and a second gate stack (128) overlying the second region (200), etching into the substrate (110) first recesses (142) and second recesses (142), the first recesses (142) aligned at least to the first gate stack (124) in the first region (180), and the second recesses (142) aligned at least to the second gate stack (128) in the second region (200), epitaxially growing a first stress-inducing monocrystalline material (150) in the first and second recesses (142), removing the first stress-inducing monocrystalline material (150) from the first recesses (142), and epitaxially growing a second stress-inducing monocrystalline material (170) in the first recesses (142), wherein the second stress-inducing monocrystalline material (170) has a composition different from the first stress-inducing monocrystalline material (150).