Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Energy Management System Co., Ltd.

Chih-Hsun Lin

Ling-Sung Wang

Mei-Hsuan Lin

Chih-Kang Chao

Yung-Lung Hsu

Chia-Yi Tseng

Kun-Tsang Chuang

Kuan-Chi Tsai

Yen-Hsung Ho

Kuan-Wei Su

Ching-Hua Chu

Yu-Lung Yeh

Jen-Pan Wang

Chiang-Ming Chuang

Ping-Pang Hsieh

Kun-Mao Wu

Chun Yu Huang

Chih-Chan Lu

Sheng-Wen Su

Shaw-Jang Liou

Tzu Kai Lin

Kun-tsang Chuang

Chung-Ming Yang

Wen-Tzu Wu

Cheng-Hsien Su

Chung-Wei Li

Mei-Ling Tseng

Wei-Cheng Chen

A method includes following steps. An image of a wafer is captured. A first contact region in the captured image at which the first conductive contact is rendered is identified. A second contact region in the captured image at which the second conductive contact is rendered is identified. The second conductive contact is determined as not shorted to the first conductive contact, in response to the identified second contact region in the captured image is darker than the identified first contact region in the captured image.

Method of testing wafer

A method includes capturing an image of a wafer, the wafer comprising a first conductive contact over an active region of the wafer and a second conductive contact over a shallow trench isolation (STI) region abutting the active region; identifying a brightness of a first contact region in the captured image at which the first conductive contact is rendered; identifying a brightness of a second contact region in the captured image at which the second conductive contact is rendered; and in response to the identified brightness of the first contact region in the captured image being substantially the same as the identified brightness of the second contact region in the captured image, determining that the second conductive contact is shorted to the first conductive contact.

Integrated circuit devices having improved interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer topography and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary integrated circuit device includes a first gate structure having a first height disposed over a substrate in a first region and a second gate structure having a second height disposed over the substrate in a second region. The second height is less than the first height. A first contact etch stop layer is disposed over the first gate structure. A second contact etch stop layer disposed over the second gate structure. The first contact etch stop layer has a first thickness, the second contact etch stop layer has a second thickness, and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness. An interlayer dielectric layer is disposed over the first contact etch stop layer and the second contact etch stop layer. A difference between a first sum of the first height and the first thickness and a second sum of the second height and the second thickness is less than or equal to about 10%.

Methods for improving interlayer dielectric layer topography

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming first and second features in a scribe region of a semiconductor substrate in which the first feature has a first electrical resistance, the second feature has a second electrical resistance, and the first electrical resistance is different form the second electrical resistance; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over the first and second features; and forming a first contact in the interlayer dielectric layer and connected to the first feature and a second contact in the interlayer dielectric layer and connected to the second feature.

Semiconductor structure, testing and fabricating methods thereof

Methods for improving interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer topography and resulting integrated circuit devices are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes forming a first contact etch stop layer having a first thickness over a first region of a wafer, forming a second contact etch stop layer having a second thickness over a second region of the wafer, and forming an ILD layer over the first contact etch stop layer and the second contact etch stop layer. A first topography variation exists between the first region and the second region. The second thickness is different than the first thickness to achieve a second topography variation that is less than the first topography variation. The first topography variation can be caused by a height difference between a first gate structure disposed over the wafer in the first region and a second gate structure disposed over the wafer in the second region.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a multi-height structure is provided. The semiconductor device having a multi-height structure includes a silicon substrate. A first structure and a second structure are respectively formed on the silicon substrate and connected to each other. A limiting block is formed on the second structure and near an edge of the second structure beside the first structure. A bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC) layer is formed to blanketly cover the first structure, the second structure and the limiting block, in which the BARC layer includes a low-viscosity material, and the BARC layer overlying the top surface of the second structure has an external surface substantially parallel to the top surface of the second structure. Control gates are formed on the external surface of the BARC layer.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device having multi-height structure

A semiconductor device having semiconductor device having a multi-height structure is provided. The semiconductor device having a multi-height structure includes a silicon substrate. A first structure and a second structure are respectively disposed on the silicon substrate and connected to each other. A limiting block is disposed on the second structure and near an edge of the second structure beside the first structure. A bottom anti-reflection coating (BARC) layer blanketly covering the first structure, the second structure and the limiting block, in which the BARC layer comprises a low-viscosity material, and the BARC layer overlying the top surface of the second structure has an external surface substantially parallel to the top surface of the second structure. Control gates are disposed on the external surface of the BARC layer.

Semiconductor device having milti-height structure and method of manufacturing the same

A method of cleaning and drying a semiconductor wafer including inserting a semiconductor wafer into a chamber of a cleaning tool, spinning the semiconductor wafer in a range of about 300 revolutions per minute to about 1600 revolutions per minute, and simultaneously spraying the semiconductor wafer with de-ionized water and a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and nitrogen.

Maranagoni dry with low spin speed for charging release

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes forming first and second features in a scribe region of a semiconductor substrate in which the first and second features are electrically isolated from each other; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over the first and second features; and forming a first contact in the interlayer dielectric layer and connected to the first feature and a second contact in the interlayer dielectric layer and connected to the second feature.

Semiconductor structure, testing and fabricating method thereof

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack over a first portion of a source and a first portion of a drain. The method includes depositing a first cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the source and depositing a second cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the drain. The method includes depositing a metal layer over the gate stack, the first cap layer and the second cap layer. The method includes annealing the semiconductor device until all of the silicon in the first and second cap layers reacts with metal from the metal layer, wherein the annealing causes metal from the metal layer to react with silicon in the first cap layer, the second cap layer, the source, and the drain. Annealing the semiconductor device includes forming a salicide layer having a germanium concentration less than 3% by weight.

Salicide formation using a cap layer

The present invention relates to a non-contact continuous type sensing device for a flowmeter and a sensing method thereof. The flowmeter includes a movable member that is connected to an operating member and that is driven by a fluid to move, thereby moving the operating member. A projector is mounted above the operating member and projects signals onto the operating member. At least two regions are defined in a side of the operating member facing the projector. At least one of the at least two regions includes metal material to reflect the signals projected thereon. A signal density in a space between the projector and the operating member is changed when the operating member is passing through the space, such that the projection power of the projector is affected to thereby sense a movement condition of the operating member and to thereby continuously know a flowing condition of the fluid.

Non-contact continuous type sensing device for a flowmeter and sensing method thereof

A semiconductor device having a source feature and a drain feature formed in a substrate. The semiconductor device having a gate stack over a portion of the source feature and over a portion of the drain feature. The semiconductor device further having a first cap layer formed over substantially the entire source feature not covered by the gate stack, and a second cap layer formed over substantially the entire drain feature not covered by the gate stack. A method of forming a semiconductor device including forming a source feature and drain feature in a substrate. The method further includes forming a gate stack over a portion of the source feature and over a portion of the drain feature. The method further includes depositing a first cap layer over substantially the entire source feature not covered by the gate stack and a second cap layer over substantially the entire drain feature not covered by the gate stack.

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, and a stressor region having at least a portion in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the gate stack. The stressor region includes a first stressor region having a first p-type impurity concentration, a second stressor region over the first stressor region, wherein the second stressor region has a second p-type impurity concentration, and a third stressor region over the second stressor region. The third stressor region has a third p-type impurity concentration. The second p-type impurity concentration is lower than the first and the third p-type impurity concentrations.

MOS devices having non-uniform stressor doping

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure embedded in the substrate, a stressor embedded in the substrate, and a conductive plug over and electrically coupled with the stressor. A same-material region is sandwiched by the STI structure and an entire sidewall of the stressor, and the same-material region is a continuous portion of the substrate.

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Tainan, Taiwan

Chih-Hsun Lin