National Semiconductor Corporation

Denis Finbarr O'Connell

Prasad Chaparala

Douglas Brisbin

Sergei Drizlikh

Heather McCulloh

Ann Margaret Concannon

An insulating material interposed between two conductive materials can experience plasma process induced damage (PPID) when a plasma process is used to deposit a dielectric onto one of the conductive materials. This PPID can be reduced by reducing electric charge accumulation on the one conductive material during the plasma process dielectric deposition.

Method and apparatus for reducing plasma process induced damage in integrated circuits

A method of fabricating integrated circuit structures utilizes selective oxygen implantation to dielectrically isolate semiconductor structures using no extra masks. Existing masks are utilized to introduce oxygen into bulk silicon with subsequent thermal oxide growth. Since the method uses bulk silicon, it is cheaper than silicon-on-insulator (SOI) techniques. It also results in bulk-silicon that is latch-up immune.

Method of selective oxygen implantation to dielectrically isolate semiconductor devices using no extra masks

A MOS transistor is formed with a dual-layer silicon oxynitride (SiON) etch stop film that protects the transistor from plasma induced damage (PID) and hot carrier degradation, thereby improving the reliability of the transistors. The first SiON layer is formed with SiHat a first flow rate, and the second SiON layer is formed with SiHat a second higher flow rate.

MOS transistor and method of forming the MOS transistor with a SiON etch stop layer that protects the transistor from PID and hot carrier degradation

A metal-to-metal capacitor in a semiconductor integrated circuit is converted to a conductive structure by connecting the first metal plate of the capacitor to ground and the second metal plate of the capacitor to a programming voltage, thus causing the insulator material to breakdown and conduct current from the first plate to the second plate.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Denis Finbarr O'Connell