Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Other

Globalfoundries Inc.

Daniel Kadosh

Mark I Gardner

Michael P Duane

Jon D Cheek

Fred N Hause

Derick J Wristers

Robert Louis Dawson

Frederick N Hause

H Jim Fulford

Mark W Michael

James F Buller

Mark I Garnder

Scott D Luning

Gregory A Cherry

Brad T Moore

Mark C Gilmer

Bradley T Moore

David Donggang Wu

Thomas E Spikes, Jr

Bin Yu

Qi Xiang

Basab Bandyopadhyay

Akif Sultan

David E Brown

Scott Luning

Robert Paiz

Rajesh Vijayaraghavan

Kevin Andrew Chamness

Thomas E Spikes

Tom E Spikes

Jason Williams

Carl I Bowen

Luis De La Fuente

Alan Grosvenor Ranft

Sey Ping Sun

A method includes receiving a first set of parameters associated with a plurality of die. A first die performance metric associated with a selected die is determined based on the first set of parameters. At least one neighborhood die performance metric associated with a set comprised of a plurality of die that neighbor the selected die is determined based on the first set of parameters. A second die performance metric is determined for the selected die based on the first die performance metric and the neighborhood die performance metric.

Determining die performance by incorporating neighboring die performance metrics

A method, apparatus, and a system for performing post processing modeling is provided. A predicted end of line parameter relating to a workpiece is determined. The predicted end of line parameter is stored. An interface for accessing the end of line parameters provided.

End of line performance prediction

A method, apparatus, and a system for determining a control thread based upon a process result are provided. At least one post-process parameter is received. The post parameter relates to a first workpiece upon which a plurality of processes have been performed by a plurality of processing tools. A combination of at least a portion of the plurality of processing tools is selected based upon the post-process parameter.

Automated control thread determination based upon post-process consideration

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for multivariate fault identification and classification. The method includes accessing data indicative of a plurality of physical parameters associated with a plurality of processed semiconductor wafers and providing at least one summary report including information indicative of at least one univariate representation of the accessed data and at least one multivariate representation of the accessed data.

Method and apparatus for multivariate fault detection and classification

A method for identifying faults in a semiconductor fabrication process includes storing measurements for a plurality of parameters of a wafer in the semiconductor fabrication process. A first subset of the parameters is selected. The subset is associated with a feature formed on the wafer. A principal component analysis model is applied to the first subset to generate a performance metric. A fault condition with the wafer is identified based on the performance metric. A system includes a data store and a fault monitor. The data store is adapted to store measurements for a plurality of parameters of a wafer in a semiconductor fabrication process. The fault monitor is adapted to select a first subset of the parameters, the subset being associated with a feature formed on the wafer, apply a principal component analysis model to the first subset to generate a performance metric, and identify a fault condition with the wafer based on the performance metric.

Method and apparatus for detecting faults using principal component analysis parameter groupings

Semiconductor devices with improved transistor performance are fabricated by forming a composite oxide/nitride liner under a gate electrode sidewall spacer. Embodiments include depositing a conformal oxide layer by decoupled plasma deposition, depositing a conformal nitride layer by decoupled plasma deposition, depositing a spacer layer and then etching.

Composite spacer liner for improved transistor performance

Maintaining LDD series resistance of MOS transistors by retarding dopant segregation

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises steps of: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper, tensilely strained lattice semiconductor layer and a lower, unstressed semiconductor layer; and (b) forming at least one MOS transistor on or within the tensilely strained lattice semiconductor layer, wherein the forming comprises a step of regulating the drive current of the at least one MOS transistor by adjusting the thickness of the tensilely strained lattice semiconductor layer. Embodiments include CMOS devices formed in substrates including a strained Si layer lattice-matched to a graded composition Si&mdash;Ge layer, wherein the thickness of the strained Si layer of each of the PMOS and NMOS transistors is adjusted to provide each transistor type with maximum drive current.

Narrow width CMOS devices fabricated on strained lattice semiconductor substrates with maximized NMOS and PMOS drive currents

A method of forming source/drain regions in a semiconductor device is provided. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises forming a gate electrode above a semiconducting substrate, forming source/drain regions in the substrate adjacent the gate electrode by performing at least the following steps: performing two ion implantation processes to form source/drain extensions for the device and performing a third ion implantation process to further form source/drain regions for the device. Various N-type and P-type dopant atoms such as arsenic, phosphorous, boron and boron difluoride may be used with the present invention.

Method of forming source/drain regions in a semiconductor device

The present invention is directed to a method of forming halo implant regions in a semiconductor device. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises forming a gate electrode above a semiconducting substrate, the substrate being doped with a first type of dopant material, and forming halo implant regions in the substrate adjacent the gate electrode by performing at least the following steps: performing a first angled implant process using a dopant material that is of a type opposite to the first type of dopant material and performing a second angled implant using a dopant material that is of the same type as the first type of dopant material. The method concludes with performing at least one additional implantation process to further form source/drain regions for the device.

Tilted counter-doped implant to sharpen halo profile

Submicron-dimensioned MOS and/or CMOS transistors are fabricated utilizing a simplified removable sidewall spacer technique, enabling effective tailoring of individual transistors to optimize their respective functionality. Embodiments include forming a first sidewall spacer having a first thickness on the side surfaces of a plurality of gate electrodes of transistors, selectively removing the first sidewall spacers from the gate electrodes of certain transistors, and then depositing second sidewall spacers on remaining first sidewall spacers and on the side surfaces of the gate electrodes from which the first sidewall spacers have been removed. Embodiments enable separately tailoring n- and p-MOS transistors as well as individual n- or p-MOS transistors having different functionality, e.g., different drive current and voltage leakage requirements.

Removable spacer technique

An asymmetrical N-channel IGFET and an asymmetrical P-channel IGFET are disclosed. One or both IGFETs include a lightly doped drain region, heavily doped source and drain regions, and an ultra-heavily doped source region. Preferably, the heavily doped source region and lightly doped drain region provide channel junctions. Forming a first asymmetrical IGFET includes forming a gate with first and second opposing sidewalls over a first active region, applying a first ion implantation to implant lightly doped source and drain regions into the first active region, applying a second ion implantation to convert substantially all of the lightly doped source region into a heavily doped source region without doping the lightly doped drain region, forming first and second spacers adjacent to the first and second sidewalls, respectively, and applying a third ion implantation to convert a portion of the heavily doped source region outside the first spacer into an ultra-heavily doped source region without doping a portion of the heavily doped source region beneath the first spacer, and to convert a portion of the lightly doped drain region outside the second spacer into a heavily doped drain region without doping a portion of the lightly doped drain region beneath the second spacer. A second asymmetrical IGFET is formed in a related manner. Advantageously, one or both IGFETs have low source-drain series resistance and reduce hot carrier effects.

Asymmetrical N-channel and P-channel devices

A second transistor is formed a spaced distance above a first transistor. An interlevel dielectric is first deposited upon the upper surface of the first semiconductor substrate and the first transistor. A second semiconductor substrate, preferably comprising polysilicon, is then formed into the interlevel dielectric. A second transistor is then formed on the upper surface of the second semiconductor substrate. The second transistor is a spaced distance above the first transistor. The two transistors are a lateral distance apart which is smaller than the distance that can be achieved by conventional fabrication of transistors on the upper surface of the wafer. Transistors are more closely packed which results in an increase in the number of devices produced per wafer.

Elevated transistor fabrication technique

A test structure for use in determining an effective channel length of a transistor is disclosed herein. The test structure comprises a first resistor comprised of a first doped region formed in a semiconducting substrate between a first pair of spaced-apart structures positioned above the substrate, the first resistor having a first width defined by the spacing between the first pair of structures, a second resistor comprised of a second doped region formed in the substrate between a second pair of spaced-apart structures positioned above the substrate, the second resistor having a second width defined by the spacing between the second pair of structures, the second width being greater than the first width, and a plurality of conductive contacts electrically coupled to each of the first and second doped regions. The method disclosed herein comprises determining the extent of lateral encroachment of the doped regions under the structures based upon the following formula: &Dgr;w&equals;(R W W )/(R &minus;R ). The effective channel length of the transistor may be determined by subtracting the &Dgr;w value from the length of the gate electrode.

Test structure for measuring effective channel length of a transistor

An improved series and/or parallel connection of transistors within a logic gate is presented. The improved connection is brought about by a sacrificial structure on which gate conductors are formed adjacent sidewall surfaces of the sacrificial structure. The sacrificial structure thereby provides spacing between the series-connected or parallel-connected transistors. Upon removal of each sacrificial structure, a pair of transistors can be formed by implanting dopant species into the substrate on opposite sides of the spaced conductors. Beneath what was once a sacrificial structure is a shared implant area to which two transistors are coupled either in series or in parallel. By depositing the gate conductor material and then anisotropically removing the material except adjacent the vertical sidewall surfaces, an ultra short gate conductor can be formed concurrent with other gate conductors within a logic gate.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Daniel Kadosh