Agere Systems Inc.

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Guardian Corp.

Sundar Srinivasan Chetlur

Pradip Kumar Roy

Samir Chaudhry

Hem M Vaidya

Sidhartha Sen

Sailesh Mansinh Merchant

Yuanning Chen

Anthony S Oates

Minesh Amrat Patel

Nace Layadi

Richard William Gregor

Carlos M Chacon

James Theodore Clemens

Steven M Anderson

Jonathan Z-n Zhou

Vivek Saxena

Jennifer M McKinley

Sidharta Sen

Brian E Harding

Johathan Z Zhou

Merlyne M De Souza

Jonathan Zhong-Ning Zhou

A reduced feature size MOS transistor and its method of manufacture is disclosed. The present invention reduces short channel effects but does not include an LDD structure In an illustrative embodiment, a MOS transistor has a gate length of 1.25 &#x3bc;m or less. The exemplary MOS transistor includes a gate oxide that forms a planar and substantially stress free interface with a substrate. As a result of the planarity and substantially stress free nature of the oxide/substrate interface, the incidence of hot carriers, and thereby, deleterious hot carrier effects are reduced. By eliminating the use of the LDD structure, fabrication complexity is reduced and series source-drain resistance is reduced resulting in improved drive current and switching speed.

MOS transistor and method of manufacture

A process for forming an oxide layer includes forming a first oxide portion over a substrate at a temperature below a threshold temperature. A second oxide portion is formed under the first oxide portion at a temperature above the threshold temperature. The substrate is illustratively oxidizable silicon and the threshold temperature is the viscoelastic temperature of silicon dioxide.

Process for oxide fabrication using oxidation steps below and above a threshold temperature

A reduced feature size MOS transistor and its method of manufacture is disclosed. The present invention reduces short channel effects but does not include an LDD structure In an illustrative embodiment, a MOS transistor has a gate length of 1.25 &mgr;m or less. The exemplary MOS transistor includes a gate oxide that forms a planar and substantially stress free interface with a substrate. As a result of the planarity and substantially stress free nature of the oxide/substrate interface, the incidence of hot carriers, and thereby, deleterious hot carrier effects are reduced. By eliminating the use of the LDD structure, fabrication complexity is reduced and series source-drain resistance is reduced resulting in improved drive current and switching speed.

Semiconductor device free of LLD regions

An automated system for, and method of estimating ring oscillator reliability and testing AC response of a device under test (DUT). In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a DUT board that accepts, and allows electrical communication with, a plurality of DUTs, (2) a power source, couplable to the DUT board, that provides AC power of controllable characteristics to the plurality of DUTs and (3) an automated switching matrix, couplable between the DUT board and a circuit analyzer, that allows the circuit analyzer to analyze ring oscillators and predetermined portions of the plurality of DUTs at predetermined times as the power source provides the power thereto.

Automated system for estimating ring oscillator reliability and testing AC response and method of operation thereof

A semiconductor device having trap sites passivated with deuterium has enhanced immunity to hot carrier effects. The trap sites which are passivated with deuterium are encapsulated beneath a barrier film and are therefore resistant to having the deuterium diffuse away from the trap sites during subsequent high temperature processing operations.

Deuterium passivated semiconductor device having enhanced immunity to hot carrier effects

A non-contact method for determining a quality of a semiconductor dielectric. The method includes depositing a charge on a dielectric to achieve a high voltage on the dielectric, measuring a voltage drop of the dielectric as a function of time, and determining a soft breakdown voltage of the dielectric from the voltage drop as a function of time. The amount of charge that is deposited may vary. For example, the charge may be deposited until a voltage that ranges from about 4 megavolts to about 16 megavolts is achieved on the dielectric. The amount of charge may also depend on the thickness of the dielectric. For example, applying a charge as a function of the thickness may include applying 4 megavolts when the thickness is about 1.2 nm or applying 16 megavolts when the thickness is about 5.0 nm.

Non-contact method for determining quality of semiconductor dielectrics

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that includes incorporation of a hydrogen isotope at a relatively high processing temperature during gate oxidation or polysilicon gate electrode deposition to maximize incorporation of hydrogen isotope at interfaces deliberately created during oxidation (such as graded oxidation) as multilayered poly/alpha-silicon deposition process.

Method of creating hydrogen isotope reservoirs in a semiconductor device

A NMOSFET semiconductor device is formed having an LDD structure by simultaneous co-implantation of arsenic and phosphorous to form an N&minus; layer. The co-implantation is performed subsequent to the formation of the gate structure and a thin (100 &angst;-300 &angst;) gate spacer but prior to the implantation of a highly doped N&plus; source/drain.

Method of forming semiconductor device with LDD structure

A method for deuterium sintering to improve the hot carrier aging of an integrated circuit includes (a) providing a partially fabricated integrated circuit structure comprising a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer formed on at least a portion of the substrate, the dielectric layer having at least one conductive material via plug formed therein and (b) sintering the structure in the presence of a gas comprising deuterium-containing components at high temperatures prior to a metallization layer being deposited on the structure.

Methods for deuterium sintering

TWO-STEP OXIDATION PROCESS FOR OXIDIZING A SILICON SUBSTRATE WHEREIN THE FIRST STEP IS CARRIED OUT AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE VISCOELASTIC TEMPERATURE OF SILICON DIOXIDE AND THE SECOND STEP IS CARRIED OUT AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE VISCOELASTIC TEMPERATURE

A tester for a circuit path includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for generating a controllable frequency oscillating test signal and having a controllable amplitude defined between first and second voltages, a multiplexer for selectively connecting one of the oscillating test signal, the first voltage, and the second voltage to the circuit path, and a selector for selectively connecting the multiplexer to the circuit path. Moreover, at least one of the first and second voltages may be controllable so that the VCO generates the oscillating test signal to selectively have one of an amplitude greater than, less than, and equal to an amplitude of an output of the circuit path. The circuit path may include a plurality of electronic circuit devices connected together.

Electrical parameter tester having decoupling means

An oxide for use in integrated circuits is substantially stress-free both in the bulk and at the interface between the substrate and the oxide. The interface is planar and has a low interface trap density (N ). The oxide has a low defect density and may have a thickness of less than 1.5 nm or less.

High quality oxide for use in integrated circuits

The present invention provides a method of determining a trap density of a semiconductor substrate/dielectric interface. In one embodiment, the method comprises measuring a current within a semiconductor substrate resulting from a flow of carriers from traps located near the interface, wherein the measured current is a function of the number of traps located at the interface, and determining the trap density as a function of the measured current.

Method of determining a trap density of a semiconductor/oxide interface by a contactless charge technique

An integrated circuit capacitor includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer adjacent the substrate and having a first trench therein, and a first metal plug extending upwardly into the first trench. An interconnection line overlies the first trench and contacts the first metal plug to define anchoring recesses on opposite sides of the first metal plug. A second dielectric layer is on the interconnection line and has a second trench therein. A second metal plug extends upwardly into the second trench. More particularly, the second metal plug includes a body portion extending upwardly into the second trench, and anchor portions connected to the body portion and engaging the anchoring recesses to anchor the second metal plug to the interconnection line. Because the second metal plug is anchored, a depth of the second trench can be greater without the metal plug becoming loose and separating from the underlying interconnection line.

Integrated circuit capacitor including anchored plugs

An integrated circuit capacitor includes a first dielectric layer adjacent a substrate and having a trench therein, and a metal plug comprising an upper portion extending upwardly into the trench, and a lower portion disposed in the first dielectric layer. The lower portion has a tapered width which increases in a direction toward the substrate to thereby secure the metal plug in the dielectric layer. Preferably, the upper portion is also tapered. Furthermore, a second dielectric layer is adjacent the metal plug with an upper electrode thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Orlando, FL, United States of America

Sundar Srinivasan Chetlur