Texas Instruments Corporation

Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Thomson Licensing

Sgs-thomson Microelectronics Limited

Other

Sematech, Inc.

Gregory C Smith

Tsiu Chiu Chan

James Jay Leftwich

Robert O Miller

Thomas J Quinn

Anthony M Chiu

Robert M Boysel

Thomas Dyer Bonifield

Kuei-Wu Huang

Andrew J Purdes

Flynn K Smith

Thomas S Quinn

Daniel Keith Smith

Gavin C Smith

A high density interactive media guide interface () provides for the selection of a source from a dense array of available sources () by displaying an array of available sources () in a dense format that illustrates the availability of a high number of sources and expanding the display of selected sources () to provide additional information regarding that source. 'Clickless selection' is provided by either positioning the cursor over the desired selection or positioning the desired selection under a pre-designated position.

High density interactive media guide

A user interface for multimedia centers advantageously utilizes hand-held inertial-sensing user input devices to select channels and quickly navigate the dense menus of options. Extensive use of the high resolution and bandwidth of such user input devices is combined with strategies to avoid unintentional inputs and with dense and intuitive interactive graphical displays.

Multimedia user interface

Systems and methods for controlling the effective dielectric constant of materials used in a semiconductor device are shown and described. In one embodiment, a method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate with a plurality of pillars formed thereon, depositing a first layer of dielectric material over a plurality of pillars, removing a portion of the first layer deposited over the plurality of pillars, and depositing a second layer of dielectric material over the plurality of pillars, where the second layer leaves a plurality of voids between the plurality of pillars.

Systems and methods for controlling the effective dielectric constant of materials used in a semiconductor device

Acoustic emissions are detected by reflecting microwave radar signals off of an object, receiving reflected radar signals, generating an intermediate frequency, and filtering the intermediate frequency to remove low frequency signals associated with object movement and not acoustic emissions. A microwave Doppler radar detector provides the signals, a band-pass filter filters the intermediate frequency signal, and resulting signal is collected and analyzed to establish a relationship between the acoustic emission and the filtered signal. One application described is detecting tool wear using a microwave Doppler-based acoustic emission sensor and predicting tool wear based on the detected acoustic emission.

Method for detecting acoustic emission using a microwave Doppler radar detector

The contact opening through an insulating layer is formed having a straight sidewall portion and a bowl shaped sidewall portion. The bowl shaped sidewall portion is near the top of the insulation layer to provide an enlarged diameter of the contact opening at the top relative to the bottom. A conductive material is then formed in the contact opening in electrical contact with a lower conductive layer. The conductive material forms a plug having an enlarged head, such as a nail head or a flat heat screw shape. The enlarged head protects the silicon and a barrier layer, if present, within the contact from being etched by any subsequent anisotropic etches. Thus, when an electrical interconnection layer such as aluminum is formed overlying the contact plug, the plug acts as an etch stop to prevent etching of a barrier layer of the barrier layer within the contact opening.

Structure and method of forming an enlarged head on a plug to eliminate the enclosure requirement

Silver interconnects are formed by etching deep grooves into an insulating layer over the contact regions, exposing portions of the contact regions and defining the interconnects. The grooves are etched with a truncated V- or U-shape, wider at the top than at any other vertical location, and have a minimum width of 0.25 &mgr;m or less. An optional adhesion layer and a barrier layer are sputtered onto surfaces of the groove, including the sidewalls, followed by sputter deposition of a seed layer. Where aluminum is employed as the seed layer, a zincating process may then be optionally employed to promote adhesion of silver to the seed layer. The groove is then filled with silver by plating in a silver solution, or with silver and copper by plating in a copper solution followed by plating in a silver solution. The filled groove which results does not exhibit voids ordinarily resulting from sputter deposition of metal into such narrow, deep grooves, although seams may be intermittently present in portions of the filled groove where metal plated from the opposing sidewalls did not fuse flawlessly at the point of convergence. Portions of the silver and other layers above the insulating material are then removed by chemical-mechanical polishing, leaving a silver interconnect connected to the exposed portion of the contact region and extending over adjacent insulating regions to another contact region or a bond pad. Silver interconnects thus formed may have smaller cross-sections, and thus a greater density in a given area, than conventional metallic interconnects.

Silver metallization by damascene method

A workpiece holding device for a T-slotted machine table includes a locator block having a planar bottom surface, a mounting hole that intersects the bottom surface to define a center point, at least one workpiece locating surface disposed a predetermined distance from the center point, and a key protruding from the bottom surface at a second point offset a predetermined distance from the center point. The protruding portion of the key has a width substantially the same as the T-slot opening so as to slidably mount in the T-slot. A fastener extends through the mounting hole and secures the locator block to a T-nut slidably mounted in the T-slot. A clamp secured to the locator block clamps the workpiece to the locating surface of the locator block. A method of using the device is also disclosed.

Workpiece holding device

A process for forming a smooth conformal refractory metal film on an insulating layer having a via formed therein. This process provides extremely good planarity and step coverage when used to form contacts in semiconductor circuits and, in addition, offers improved wafer alignment capability as well as enhanced reliability which result from the smooth surface morphology. The process includes forming contact openings through an insulating layer to a semiconductor substrate; depositing a first blanket layer of titanium using deposition conditions that provide a conformal film that exhibits good step coverage at the contact opening; and forming a second blanket layer of titanium using deposition conditions that provide reduced surface asperity height. The process is ideally suited to forming an electrical interconnection system for semiconductor integrated circuit devices such as static or dynamic random access memories and is particularly useful in VLSI devices that incorporate multiple levels of interconnect.

Composite metal films for severe topology interconnects

Silver interconnects are formed by etching deep grooves into an insulating layer over the contact regions, exposing portions of the contact regions and defining the interconnects. The grooves are etched with a truncated V- or U-shape, wider at the top than at any other vertical location, and have a minimum width of 0.25 .mu.m or less. An optional adhesion layer and a barrier layer are sputtered onto surfaces of the groove, including the sidewalls, followed by sputter deposition of a seed layer. Where aluminum is employed as the seed layer, a zincating process may then be optionally employed to promote adhesion of silver to the seed layer. The groove is then filled with silver by plating in a silver solution, or with silver and copper by plating in a copper solution followed by plating in a silver solution. The filled groove which results does not exhibit voids ordinarily resulting from sputter deposition of metal into such narrow, deep grooves, although seams may be intermittently present in portions of the filled groove where metal plated from the opposing sidewalls did not fuse flawlessly at the point of convergence. Portions of the silver and other layers above the insulating material are then removed by chemical-mechanical polishing, leaving a silver interconnect connected to the exposed portion of the contact region; and extending over adjacent insulating regions to another contact region or a bond pad. Silver interconnects thus formed may have smaller cross-sections, and thus a greater density in a given area, than conventional metallic interconnects.

A method is provided for forming a landing pad of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and an integrated circuit formed according to the same. A plurality of conductive regions are formed over a substrate. A polysilicon landing pad is formed over at least one of the plurality of conductive regions. After the polysilicon is patterned and etched to form the landing pad, tungsten is then selectively deposited over the polysilicon to form a composite polysilicon/tungsten landing pad which is a good etch stop, a good barrier to aluminum/silicon interdiffusion and a good conductor.

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Carrollton, TX, United States of America

Gregory C Smith