Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Great Show Global Co., Ltd.

Shih-Wei Chou

Ming-Hsing Tsai

Hung-Wen Su

Shau-Lin Shue

Winston Shue

Mong-Song Liang

Chii-Ming M Wu

Minghsing Tsai

Jing-Cheng Lin

Ching-Hua Hsieh

Chih-Wei Chang

Cheng-Tung Lin

Hsien-Ming Lee

Shing-Chyang Pan

Ting-Chu Ko

Chien-Hsueh Shih

Ming-Wei Lin

Gin Jei Wang

Kuo-Wei Cheng

Minghsng Tsai

A balancing pressure bearing apparatus including a connecting base and bearing components is provided. Inside the connecting base is any material selected from a volume-incompressibe fluid, semifluid and elastic element, and arranged thereabove is each bearing component. The bearing components have bearing surfaces for supporting any pressing-down human body part and pressure reduction. When the connecting base is pressed down, a Pascal phenomenon is generated for a pressure applied to the fluid, semifluid or elastic element inside the connecting base to be transmitted equally in all directions. Each portion thereof has the same pressure for balancing pressure of the supportive bearing surfaces pressed by any two human body parts, thereby reducing and balancing pressures thereon to achieve a more comfortable contact sensation of pressure release and a correct posture effect. Hence, the invention can serve as a cushion, seat, backrest, mattress or pillow product.

Balancing pressure bearing apparatus

Semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same in which damages to a low-k dielectric layer therein can be reduced or even prevented are provided. A semiconductor device is provided, comprising a substrate. A dielectric layer with at least one conductive feature therein overlies the substrate. An insulating cap layer overlies the top surface of the low-k dielectric layer adjacent to the conductive feature, wherein the insulating cap layer includes metal ions.

Semiconductor device

Semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same in which damages to a low-k dielectric layer therein can be reduced or even prevented are provided. A semiconductor device is provided, comprising a substrate. A dielectric layer with at least one conductive feature therein overlies the substrate. An insulating cap layer overlies the top surface of the low-k dielectric layer adjacent to the conductive feature, wherein the insulating cap layer comprises metal ions.

Semiconductor device and method for forming the same

A method for forming nickel silicide includes degassing a semiconductor substrate that includes a silicon surface. After the degassing operation, the substrate is cooled prior to a metal deposition process, during a metal deposition process, or both. The cooling suppresses the temperature of the substrate to a temperature less than the temperature required for the formation of nickel silicide. Nickel diffusion is minimized during the deposition process. After deposition, an annealing process is used to urge the formation of a uniform silicide film. In various embodiments, the metal film may include a binary phase alloy containing nickel and a further element.

Method for silicide formation on semiconductor devices

A method of forming a semiconductor device comprising: forming a gate dielectric layer over a channel region; forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer; forming source/drain regions substantially aligned with respective edges of the gate electrode with the channel region therebetween; forming a thin metal layer on the source/drain regions; forming a metal alloy layer on the thin metal layer; and transforming the thin metal layer into a low resistance metal silicide.

Silicide structure for ultra-shallow junction for MOS devices

A method of electrochemical deposition (ECD) provides a barrier and a seed layer on a substrate. The surfaces of the substrate are pre-treated before a metal layer is electrochemically deposited thereon in an electrochemical plating cell with a physical or a chemical surface treatment process. The electrochemical plating cell is covered by a cap to prevent evaporation of the electrolyte solution. The electrochemical plating cell includes a substrate holder assembly with a lift seal, e.g., with a contact angle &#x3b8; less than 90&#xb0; between the lift seal and the substrate. The substrate holder assembly includes a substrate chuck at the rear side of the substrate.

Method and apparatus for fabricating metal layer

Narrow trenches in a substrate tend to fill more rapidly than wide trenches This results in a non-planar surface once all trenches have been filled. The present invention solves this problem by performing the electro-deposition in two steps. The plating bath used during the first step, is optimized for filling narrow trenches while the plating bath used during the second step, is optimized for filling wide trenches. The net result is a final layer having a planar surface, with all trenches being properly filled.

Method to improve planarity of electroplated copper

A new method is provided that allows for the application of electropolish for removal of copper and that is independent of pattern density of the removed copper. Electropolish of the copper is first accomplished by reversing current in the HSOor HPOsolution. After identifying the endpoint of the electropolish, chemical etching of the copper in a HSOor HPOsolution is continued, in this manner avoiding effects of high current density introduced by pattern density.

Method to remove copper without pattern density effect

A cleaning apparatus for an ECMD anode pad including a vacuum head which applies vacuum pressure to the surface of the anode pad between ECMD operations in order to remove particles precipitated onto the surface of the anode pad and prevent or minimize inadvertent scratching or peeling of a wafer supported by the pad during the process. The particles are dislodged from the anode pad and removed from the ECMD system by flow of electrolyte solution into the vacuum head. The electrolyte solution is typically filtered before returning to the electrolyte tank for ultimate redistribution to the ECMD system.

Cleaning apparatus for ECMD anode pad

Method for depositing an adhesion/barrier layer to improve adhesion and contact resistance

A method for in-situ cleaning an electrodeposition surface following an electroplating process including providing a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly; applying a first current density across the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly for carrying out the electrodeposition process; carrying out the electrodeposition process to electrodeposit a metal onto an electrodeposition surface of the second electrode assembly; and, applying a second current density having a second polarity reversed with reference to the first polarity across the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly the second current density having a relatively lower current density compared to the first current density.

Method for reducing surface defects in an electrodeposition process

A method for alternately electrodepositing and electro-mechanically polishing to selectively fill a semiconductor feature with metal including a) providing an anode assembly and a semiconductor wafer disposed in spaced apart relation including an electrolyte there between the semiconductor wafer including a process surface including anisotropically etched features arranged for an electrodeposition process; b) applying an electric potential across the anode assembly and the semiconductor wafer to induce an electrolyte flow at a first current density to electrodeposit a metal filling portion onto the process surface; c) reversing the electric potential to reverse the electrolyte flow at a second current density to electropolish the process surface in an electropolishing process; and, d) sequentially repeating the steps b and c to electrodeposit at least a second metal filling portion to substantially fill the anisotropically etched features.

Method for integrating an electrodeposition and electro-mechanical polishing process

A method for improving an electrodeposited metal film uniformity and preventing metal deposition and peeling of deposited metal from an electrode during an electrodeposition and electropolishing process including providing a first anode electrode assembly and a semiconductor wafer plating surface disposed in an electrolyte bath including a plating metal for deposition onto the semiconductor wafer plating surface; providing at least one additional anode electrode assembly including the plating metal disposed peripheral to the first anode electrode assembly for selectively applying the cathodic electrical potential during an electropolishing process; and, periodically alternating between an electrodeposition process and electropolishing process with respect to the semiconductor wafer plating surface such that the plating metal is preferentially plated onto the at least one additional electrode assembly.

Method for improving an electrodeposition process through use of a multi-electrode assembly

A method for reducing or avoiding semiconductor wafer peripheral defects and contamination during and following electrodeposition including providing a wafer chuck assembly sealably attached to a back side of a semiconductor wafer leaving an exposed peripheral portion of the back side of the semiconductor wafer the backside parallel to a front side of the semiconductor wafer comprising a process surface; contacting at least the semiconductor process surface with a process solution; and, simultaneously directing a pressurized flow of gas onto the exposed peripheral portion such that the pressurized flow of gas covers the exposed peripheral portion including being radially directed outward toward the periphery of the semiconductor wafer.

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Taipei, Taiwan

Shih-Wei Chou