Imec Vzw

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Basoene Briggs

Juergen Boemmels

Boon Teik Chan

Zsolt Tokei

Christopher Wilson

Katia Devriendt

Vladimir Machkaoutsan

Geert Eneman

Zheng Tao

Anabela Veloso

Efrain Altamirano Sanchez

Anshul Gupta

An De Keersgieter

Ivan Zyulkov

Farid Sebaai

Paola Favia

A semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor substrate having a top layer and one or more semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructures. Each nanostructure has a first and a second extremity defining an axis parallel to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and separated therefrom by a distance, and a source structure epitaxially grown on the first extremity and a drain structure epitaxially grown on the second extremity. The source and drain structures are made of a p-doped (or alternatively n-doped) semiconductor monocrystalline material having a smaller (or alternatively larger) unstrained lattice constant than the unstrained lattice constant of the semiconductor monocrystalline material making the semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure on which they are grown, thereby creating compressive (or alternatively tensile) strain in that semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure.

Strained semiconductor monocrystalline nanostructure

A method for forming a buried metal line in a semiconductor substrate comprises forming, at a position between a pair of semiconductor structures, a metal line trench in the semiconductor substrate at a level below a base of each semiconductor structure of the pair, and forming the metal line in the metal line trench by means of area selective deposition of a metal line material, followed by embedding the pair of semiconductor structures in an insulating layer.

Method for forming a buried metal line in a semiconductor substrate

According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided a method for forming a first and a second transistor structure, wherein the first and second transistor structures are spaced apart by an insulating wall, and the method comprising:

Method for forming transistor structures

A method of forming a multi-level interconnect structure in a semiconductor device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a first interconnection level including a first dielectric layer and a first conductive structure; a second interconnection level including a second dielectric layer and a second conductive structure; and a third interconnection level including a third dielectric layer and a third conductive structure. The method includes forming a trench in the third dielectric layer; providing a first sacrificial material in the trench; and thereafter forming a via extending through the third interconnection level to the second conductive structure; providing a second sacrificial material in the via; forming a multi-level via extending through the third interconnection level to the first conductive structure; removing the first and second sacrificial materials; and depositing a conductive material at least partially filling: the trench; the via; and the multi-level via.

Method of forming a multi-level interconnect structure in a semiconductor device

A method is provided for forming a multi-level interconnect structure on a semiconductor substrate, e.g., for use in an integrated circuit, comprising forming on the substrate a first interconnection level comprising a first dielectric layer and a first set of conductive structures arranged in the first dielectric layer, forming on the first interconnection level a second interconnection level comprising a second dielectric layer and a second set of conductive structures arranged in the second dielectric layer, and forming on the second interconnection level a third interconnection level.

Method for forming a multi-level interconnect structure

The disclosed technology generally relates to patterning structures in semiconductor fabrication, and more particularly to patterning structures using mask structures having bridged lines. In one aspect, a method for patterning a target layer comprises: forming on the target layer a plurality of parallel material lines spaced apart such that longitudinal gaps exposing the target layer are formed between the material lines, filling the gaps with a sacrificial material, forming a hole by removing the sacrificial material along a portion of one of the gaps, the hole extending across the gap and exposing a surface portion of the target layer and sidewall surface portions of material lines on opposite sides of the one gap, performing a selective deposition process adapted to grow a fill material selectively on the one or more surface portions inside the hole, thereby forming a block mask extending across the gap, removing, selectively to the material lines and the block mask, the sacrificial material from the target layer to expose the gaps, the one gap being interrupted in the longitudinal direction by the block mask, and transferring a pattern including the material lines and the block mask into the target layer.

Method of patterning target layer

The disclosed technology generally relates to semiconductor processing, and more particularly to patterning a target layer using a sacrificial structure. According to an aspect of the disclosed technology, a method of patterning a target layer comprises forming on the target layer a plurality of parallel material lines spaced apart such that longitudinal gaps exposing the target layer are formed between the material lines. The method additionally includes filling the gaps with a sacrificial material and forming a hole by removing the sacrificial material along a portion of one of the gaps, where the hole extends across the gap. The hole exposes the target layer in the gap. The method additionally includes filling the hole with a fill material to form a block portion extending across the gap. The method additionally includes removing, selectively to the material lines and the block portion, the sacrificial material from the target layer to expose the gaps, where the one of the gaps is interrupted in the longitudinal direction by the block portion. The method further includes transferring a pattern including the material lines and the block portion into the target layer.

Growing community of inventors

Heverlee, Belgium

Basoene Briggs