International Business Machines Corporation

Charles B Humphreys

Akella V Satya

Michael D Cowan

Barry N Casowitz

An electrical defect density monitor for semiconductor device fabrication utilizing a silicide of a formed transitional metal (such as platinum silicide) on a surface of a silicon substrate as a resistor in parallel with the resistance of the underlying substrate, including diffused regions, to improve measurement sensitivity of high sheet resistivity areas. The measurement can be employed for measuring the integrity of diffused regions and/or of dielectric coatings.

Monitor for semiconductor diffusion operations

In a semiconductor structure with multiple levels of metallization on the surface, each metallization pattern is inlaid in trenches formed in an insulating layer. The surface of the metallization is flush with or somewhat lower than the surface of its associated insulating layer. In a preferred embodiment, the different etching characteristics of glass and silicon nitride are utilized to form the trenches in the glass layer. The glass comprises the insulating layer and the nitride forms the bottom of the trench.

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Pleasant Valley, NY, United States of America

Charles B Humphreys