Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Intel Corporation

Gary William Ray

Jeremy Alfred Theil

Min Cao

Dietrich Werner Vook

Shawming Ma

Nerissa Sue Draeger

Frederick A Perner

Raashina Humayun

Richard S Hill

Willibrordus Gerardus Maria Van Den Hoek

Xin Sun

Jianing Sun

Chien Chiang

David B Fraser

Chuanbin Pan

Sychyi Fang

Vicky M Ochoa

Joyce C Sum

Jeremy A Theil

Karen L Seaward

Kit M Cham

Florence Eschbach

Donald R Bradbury

Wayne M Greene

Steven A Lupi

Francoise F Mertz

Kristen Brigham

Jane Mei-Jech Lin

Porous dielectric layers are produced by embedding and removing nanoparticles in composite dielectric layers. The pores may be produced after the barrier material, the metal or other conductive material is deposited to form a metallization layer. In this manner, the conductive material is provided with a relatively smooth continuous surface on which to deposit.

Creation of porosity in low-k films by photo-disassociation of imbedded nanoparticles

Porous dielectric layers are produced by introducing pores in pre-formed composite dielectric layers. The pores may be produced after the barrier material, the metal or other conductive material is deposited to form a metallization layer. In this manner, the conductive material is provided with a relatively smooth continuous surface on which to deposit.

VLSI fabrication processes for introducing pores into dielectric materials

An image sensor. The image sensor array includes a substrate. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. An amorphous silicon electrode layer is adjacent to the interconnect structure. The amorphous silicon electrode layer includes electrode ion implantation regions between pixel electrode regions. The pixel electrode regions define cathodes of an array of image sensors. The electrode ion implantation regions provide physical isolation between the pixel electrode regions. The cathodes are electrically connected to the interconnect structure. An amorphous silicon I-layer is adjacent to the amorphous silicon electrode layer. The amorphous silicon I-layer forms an inner layer of each of the image sensors. A transparent electrode layer is formed adjacent to the image sensors. An inner surface of the transparent electrode is electrically connected to anodes of the image sensors and the interconnect structure. The amorphous silicon I-layer region can further include I-layer ion implantation regions that provide physical isolation between the inner layers of the image sensors. The I-layer ion implantation regions align with the electrode ion implantation regions. An amorphous silicon P-layer can be formed adjacent to the amorphous silicon I-layer. The amorphous silicon P-layer forms an outer layer of each of the image sensors. The amorphous silicon P-layer region can include P-layer ion implantation regions that provide physical isolation between the outer layers of the image sensors.

Isolation of alpha silicon diode sensors through ion implantation

An array of image sensors that includes ion implantation regions that provide physical isolation between the pixel electrode regions. The physical isolation reduces coupling and cross-talk between the image sensors. The array of isolated image sensors can be formed by a simple fabrication process.

An array of active pixel sensors includes a substrate. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of conductive vias. A plurality of photo sensors are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo sensor includes a pixel electrode. Each pixel electrode is electrically connected to the substrate through a corresponding conductive yet. A I-layer is formed over each of the pixel electrodes. The array of active pixel sensors further includes a conductive mesh formed adjacent to the photo sensors. An inner surface of the conductive mesh is electrically and physically connected to the photo sensors, and electrically connected to the substrate through a conductive via. The conductive mesh providing light shielding between photo sensors thereby reducing cross-talk between the photo sensors. The conductive mesh includes apertures that align with at least one of the pixel electrodes of the photo sensors.

Conductive mesh bias connection for an array of elevated active pixel sensors

A structure and a method for providing structural stability at an interface between two poorly adhering layers in a semiconductor device involve providing anchoring channels in one of the poorly adhering layers through which the other poorly adhering layer can be anchored to a third layer. Specifically, the structure and method are applicable to a three-layer stack having a top layer of amorphous silicon, a middle layer of titanium nitride, and a bottom layer of oxide. In order to reduce susceptibility to delamination between the amorphous silicon layer and the titanium nitride layer, the anchoring channels are created in the titanium nitride layer to allow the amorphous silicon to attach to the oxide layer. Because the amorphous silicon layer and the oxide layer exhibit good adhesion between each other, delamination between the amorphous silicon layer and the titanium nitride layer is minimized.

Method and structure for bonding layers in a semiconductor device

A capacitor structure or an array of capacitors and a method of fabricating the structure utilize the contours of a cavity created in a layer stack to form two three-dimensional electrode plates. The three-dimensional electrode plates reduce the lateral size of the capacitor structure. The fabrication of the capacitor structure is compatible to conventional CMOS processing technology, in which the resulting capacitor structure may become embedded in a CMOS device. As an example, the capacitor structure may be fabricated along with a MOS transistor to produce a one-transistor-one-capacitor nonvolatile memory cell. Preferably, the three-dimensional electrode plates are made of platinum (Pt) or iridium (Ir) and the capacitor dielectric is a ferrous-electric material, such as lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) or barium-strontium-titanate (BST). The electrode plates and the capacitor dielectric are formed by depositing layers of appropriate materials within the cavity, which has been formed to include tapering walls in a dielectric layer of the layer stack. Next, portions of the deposited layers, or a &ldquo;capacitor stack,&rdquo; are removed down to the surface of the dielectric layer such that only the materials that were deposited within the cavity of the dielectric layer are left. The remaining materials form the electrode plates, as well as the capacitor dielectric. In the preferred embodiment, the selective removal of the capacitor stack portions is accomplished by planarizing the capacitor stack using a Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) process. Alternatively, a sputter etch-back process may be utilized to remove the capacitor stack portions.

Three-dimensional ferroelectric capacitor structure for nonvolatile random access memory cell

An image pixel sensor array. The image pixel sensor array includes a substrate. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. A plurality of image pixel sensors are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each image pixel sensor includes a pixel electrode, and an I-layer formed adjacent to the pixel electrode. The I-layer includes a first surface adjacent to the pixel electrode, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface includes a first surface area which is less than a second surface area of the second surface. The image pixel sensor array further includes an insulating material between each image pixel sensor, and a transparent electrode formed over the image pixel sensors. The transparent electrode electrically connects the image pixel sensors and the interconnect structure.

Elevated image sensor array which includes isolation between uniquely shaped image sensors

An active pixel sensor. The active pixel sensor includes a substrate, an interconnect structure adjacent to the substrate, and at least one photo sensor adjacent to the interconnect structure. At least one photo sensor is formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo sensor includes a pixel electrode which includes a patterned doped semiconductor layer. An I-layer is formed adjacent to the patterned doped semiconductor layer. A transparent electrode is formed adjacent to the I-layer. A method of forming the active pixel sensor includes forming an interconnect structure over a substrate. Next, a doped semiconductor layer is deposited over the interconnect structure. The doped semiconductor layer is etched forming pixel electrode. An I-layer is deposited over the pixel electrodes. Finally, a transparent conductive layer is deposited over the I-layer.

Elevated pin diode active pixel sensor which includes a patterned doped

A method of forming a low-dielectric constant film on a substrate. The method includes placing the substrate within a plasma processing chamber. Gas within the chamber is removed. A combination of hydrocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon gasses are flowed into the chamber. A high density plasma is created in the chamber. The high density plasma is extinguished. Finally, all gas is removed from the chamber. The method can additionally include a heating step after the film has been formed.

Organic low-dielectric constant films deposited by plasma enhanced

An integrated circuit sensor structure. The integrated circuit sensor structure includes a substrate which includes electronic circuitry. An interconnect structure is adjacent to the substrate. The interconnect structure includes conductive interconnect vias which pass through the interconnect structure. A dielectric layer is adjacent to the interconnect structure. The dielectric layer includes a planar surface, and conductive dielectric vias which pass through the dielectric layer and are electrically connected to the interconnect vias. The dielectric layer further includes an interlayer planarization dielectric layer adjacent to the interconnect structure, and a passivating layer adjacent to the interlayer planarization dielectric layer. The integrated circuit sensor structure further includes sensors adjacent to the dielectric layer. The interconnect vias and the dielectric vias electrically connect the electronic circuitry to the sensors.

Interlayer dielectric for passivation of an elevated integrated circuit

An interconnect system is provided. The interconnect system includes a silicon substrate and a first dielectric layer formed upon the silicon substrate. The interconnect system also includes a first level of at least two electrically conductive lines formed upon the first dielectric layer. The interconnect system further includes a region of low dielectric constant material formed between the at least two electrically conductive lines. The interconnect system also includes a first hard mask formed upon the polymer region.

Method for fabricating an interconnect structure with hard mask and low

An active pixel sensor. The active pixel sensor includes a substrate, an interconnect structure adjacent to the substrate, and at least one photo sensor adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo sensor includes an individual pixel electrode. An I-layer is formed over all of the pixel electrodes. A transparent electrode is formed over the I-layer. An inner surface of the transparent electrode is electrically connected to the I-layer and the interconnect structure.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Gary William Ray