Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd (corporation)

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Chew Hoe Ang

Jia Zhen Zheng

Eng Hua Lim

Elgin Kiok Quek

Liang Choo Hsia

Wenhe Lin

Daniel Yen

Mei Sheng Zhou

Soh Yun Siah

Dong Kyun Sohn

Shyue Seng Tan

Randall Cher Liang Cha

Yun Ling Tan

Paul Proctor

Randall Cha

Subramanian Balakumar

Gang Chen

Purakh Raj Verma

Simon Yew-Meng Chooi

Srikanteswara Dakshina-Murthy

Yung Fu Chong

Jae Gon Lee

Guowei Zhang

Mei-Sheng Zhou

Zhao Lun

Liang-Choo Hsia

Eng-Hua Lim

Alan Lek

Dong Zhong

Various apparatus and methods of monitoring endcap pullback are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes a substrate that has a plurality of semiconductor regions. Each of the plurality of semiconductor regions has a border with an insulating structure. A transistor is positioned in each of the plurality of semiconductor regions. Each of the transistors includes a gate that has a first lateral dimension and an end that has a position relative to its border. A voltage source is electrically coupled to the transistors whereby levels of currents flowing through the transistors are indicative of the positions of the ends of the gates relative to their borders.

Method and apparatus for monitoring endcap pullback

The invention describes a novel test structure and process to create the structure for performing automatic dynamic stress testing of PMOS devices for Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NB TI). The invention consists of an integrated inverter, two integrated electronic switches for switching from stress mode to device DC characterization measurement mode, and a PMOS FET device under test (DUT). The inverter assures the proper 180 degree phase relationship between the test device source and gate voltage while the imbedded electronic switches provide isolation of the test device during DC characterization testing. Another embodiment of the invention enables the testing of multiple devices under test (DUTs).

Test structure for automatic dynamic negative-bias temperature instability testing

Structures and methods of fabricating of a floating gate non-volatile memory device. In a first example embodiment, We form a bottom tunnel layer comprised of a lower oxide tunnel layer and a upper hafnium oxide tunnel layer; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide and a top blocking layer preferably comprised of a lower hafnium oxide storage layer and an upper oxide storage layer. We form a gate electrode over the top blocking layer. We pattern the layers to form a gate structure and form source/drain regions to complete the memory device. In a second example embodiment, we form a floating gate non-volatile memory device comprised of: a bottom tunnel layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; a charge storage layer comprised of a tantalum oxide; a top blocking layer comprised essentially of silicon oxide; and a gate electrode. The embodiments also comprise anneals and nitridation steps.

Method for forming high-K charge storage device

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provides a substrate having a first region and a second region. A sacrificial first gate is formed in the first region. Source/drain are formed in the first region. A second region gate dielectric is formed in the second region. A second region gate is formed on the second region gate dielectric. A second region source/drain is formed in the second region. A sacrificial layer is formed over the sacrificial first gate, the source/drain, the first region, and the second region. The sacrificial first gate is exposed. A gate space is formed by removing the sacrificial first gate. A first region gate dielectric is formed in the gate space. A first region gate is formed on the first region gate dielectric. The sacrificial layer is removed.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method

A method for forming a semiconductor structure having devices formed on both sides. A first substrate and a second substrate are provided. The first substrate is preferably comprised of Ge. The second substrate is preferably comprised of silicon. We form a first dielectric layer over the first substrate. We form a first insulating layer over the second substrate. We bond the first dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer to form a first structure. The first structure comprised of the first substrate, an insulation layer (combined first dielectric and first insulating layers) and the second substrate. We reduce the thickness of the first substrate. We form via plugs through the first substrate and the insulation layer and at least partially through the second substrate. We form first active devices on the surface of the first substrate. We form a first capping layer over the first active devices and the first substrate. We reduce the thickness of the second substrate to expose the via plugs. We form second active devices on the second substrate.

Method to fabricate Ge and Si devices together for performance enhancement

DPN (decoupled plasma nitridation) is used to improve robustness of ultra thin gate oxides. Conventionally, this is followed by an anneal in pure helium to remove structural defects in the oxide. However, annealing under these conditions has been found to cause a deterioration of the electrical performance of devices. This problem has been overcome by annealing, in a 1:4 oxygen-nitrogen mixture (1,050&#xb0; C. at about 10 torr) instead of in helium or nitrogen oxide. This results in a gate oxide that is resistant to boron contamination without suffering any loss in its electrical properties.

Ultra-thin gate oxide through post decoupled plasma nitridation anneal

The invention describes a novel test structure and process to create the structure for performing automatic dynamic stress testing of PMOS devices for Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI). The invention consists of an integrated inverter, two integrated electronic switches for switching from stress mode to device DC characterization measurement mode, and a PMOS FET device under test (DUT). The inverter assures the proper 180 degree phase relationship between the test device source and gate voltage while the imbedded electronic switches provide isolation of the test device during DC characterization testing. Another embodiment of the invention enables the testing of multiple devices under test (DUT's).

An improved and new process of fabricating high dielectric constant MIM capacitors. These high dielectric constant MIM capacitor met all of the stringent requirements needed for both for both RF and analog circuit applications. For the high dielectric constant MIM capacitor, the metal is comprised of copper electrodes in a dual damascene process. The dielectric constant versus the total thickness of super lattices is controlled by the number of layers either 4/4, 2/2, and 1/1 artificial layers. Hence thickness of the film can be easily controlled. Enhancement of dielectric constant is because of interface. Dielectric constants near 900 can be easily achieved for 250 Angstrom thick super lattices. MBE, molecular beam epitaxy or ALCVD, atomic layer CVD techniques is used for this type layer growth process.

High K artificial lattices for capacitor applications to use in Cu or Al BEOL

A method of forming a silicon nitride-silicon dioxide, composite gate dielectric layer, offering reduced risk of boron penetration from an overlying boron doped polysilicon gate structure, has been developed. A porous, silicon rich silicon nitride layer is first deposited on a semiconductor substrate, allowing a subsequent thermal oxidation procedure to grow a thin silicon dioxide layer on the semiconductor substrate, underlying the porous, silicon rich silicon nitride layer. A two step anneal procedure is then employed with a first step performed in a nitrogen containing ambient to densify the porous, silicon rich silicon nitride layer, while a second step of the anneal procedure, performed in an inert ambient at a high temperature, reduces the foxed charge at the silicon dioxide-semiconductor interface.

Method of fabricating a gate dielectric layer with reduced gate tunnelling current and reduced boron penetration

A method of fabricating first and second gates comprising the following steps. A substrate having a gate dielectric layer formed thereover is provided. The substrate having a first gate region and a second gate region. A thin first gate layer is formed over the gate dielectric layer. The thin first gate layer within the second gate region is masked to expose a portion of the thin first gate layer within the first gate region. The exposed portion of the thin first gate layer is converted to a thin third gate layer portion. A second gate layer is formed over the thin first and third gate layer portions. The second gate layer and the first and third gate layer portions are patterned to form a first gate within first gate region and a second gate within second gate region.

Method to produce dual gates (one metal and one poly or metal silicide) for CMOS devices using sputtered metal deposition, metallic ion implantation, or silicon implantation, and laser annealing

A process of fabricating high dielectric constant MIM capacitors. The high dielectric constant MIM capacitors are for both RF and analog circuit applications. For the high dielectric constant MIM capacitors, the metal is comprised of copper electrodes in a dual damascene process. The dielectric constant versus the total thickness of super lattices is controlled by the number of artificial layers. Dielectric constants near 900 can be achieved for 250 Angstrom thick super lattices. MBE, molecular beam epitaxy or ALCVD, atomic layer CVD techniques are employed for the layer growth processes.

High K artificial lattices for capacitor applications to use in CU or AL BEOL

A method of fabricating a CMOS device with reduced processing costs as a result of a reduction in photolithographic masking procedures, has been developed. The method features formation of L shaped silicon oxide spacers on the sides of gate structures, with a vertical spacer component located on the sides of the gate structure, and with horizontal spacer components located on the surface of the semiconductor substrate with a thick horizontal spacer component located adjacent to the gate structures, while a thinner horizontal spacer component is located adjacent to the thicker horizontal spacer component. After formation of a block out shape in a PMOS region of the CMOS device, a high angle implantation procedure is used to form a P type halo region in a top portion of the NMOS region, followed by another implantation procedure performed at lower implant angles, resulting in an N type LDD region in a portion of the NMOS region underlying the thicker horizontal spacer component, and resulting in an N type heavily doped source/drain region in a portion of the NMOS underlying the thinner horizontal spacer component. Another block out shape, and another series of similar implantation procedures is performed to create the halo, LDD and source/drain regions in the PMOS region. After formation of a photoresist block out shape on specific CMOS regions, a composite insulator spacer is formed on the sides of gate structures not covered by the photoresist shape, followed by formation of metal silicide on the gate structures and source/drain regions not covered by the photoresist block out shape.

Method of forming a high performance and low cost CMOS device

A process of fabricating a CMOS device comprised with super-steep retrograde (SSR), twin well regions, has been developed. The process features the use of two, selective epitaxial growth (SEG), procedures, with the first SEG procedure resulting in the growth of bottom silicon shapes in the PMOS, as well as in the NMOS region of the CMOS device. After implantation of the ions needed for the twin well regions, into the bottom silicon shapes, a second SEG procedure is employed resulting in growth of top silicon shapes on the underlying, implanted bottom silicon shapes. An anneal procedure then distributes the implanted ions resulting in an SSR N well region in the composite silicon shape located in the PMOS region, and resulting in an SSR P well region in the composite silicon shape located in the NMOS region of the CMOS device.

Method of fabricating a CMOS device with integrated super-steep retrograde twin wells using double selective epitaxial growth

A process for forming a shallow trench isolation (STI), structure in a semiconductor substrate, featuring a group of insulator liner layers located on the surfaces of the shallow trench shape used to accommodate the STI structure, has been developed. After defining a shallow trench shape featuring rounded corners, a group of thin insulator liner layers, each comprised of either silicon oxide or silicon nitride, is deposited on the exposed surfaces of the shallow trench shape via atomic layer depositing (ALD), procedures. A high density plasma procedure is used for deposition of silicon oxide, filling the shallow trench shape which is lined with the group of thin insulator liner layers. The silicon nitride component of the insulator liner layers, prevents diffusion or segregation of P type dopants from an adjacent P well region to the silicon oxide of the STI structure.

Method of forming a shallow trench isolation structure featuring a group of insulator liner layers located on the surfaces of a shallow trench shape

A method for forming, on a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer having a variable thickness and composition. The dielectric layer so formed can be used to form electronic devices such as MOSFETS and CMOSFETS that require gate dielectrics of different thicknesses. On a silicon substrate in accord with the preferred embodiment, the method requires the formation of three regions, two with SiO layers of different thicknesses and a third region of substrate with no oxide. A final thin layer of high-k dielectric is formed covering the three regions, so that the region with no oxide has the thinnest dielectric layer of only high-k material and the other two regions have the high-k dielectric over SiO layers of different thickness. A final layer of gate electrode material can be formed and patterned to form the required device structure.

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Singapore, Singapore

Chew Hoe Ang