Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Tsung-Hsun Huang

Chia-Shiung Tsai

Yeur-Luen Tu

Chung-Yi Yu

Chih-Ta Wu

Yuan-Hung Liu

Kuo-Yin Lin

Min-Hsiung Chiang

Shih-Chang Chen

Kuo-Chi Tu

Chih-Wei Chang

Tzu-Hsuan Hsu

Hsing-Lien Lin

Tien-Lu Lin

Yuan-Chih Hsieh

Lan-Lin Chao

Kuo-Ching Huang

Wei-Jung Lin

Shing-Chyang Pan

Hsiao-Hui Tseng

Chi-Hsin Lo

Chun-Yao Chen

Chung-Wei Chang

Wen-Cheng Chen

Hsueh-Hung Fu

Huey-Chi Chu

Chin-Ta Wu

Hsiu Ouyang

Chin-Piao Chang

Chung Yi Yu

A method of testing a wafer after a current top layer is formed over the wafer. Stress data is collected for the wafer after forming the current top layer. The stress data is derived from changes in wafer curvature. The stress data includes: stress-xx in an x direction and stress-yy in a y direction for each area of a set of finite areas on the wafer, the stress-xx and stress-yy both being derived from wafer-curvature-change-xx in the x direction for each area of the set of finite areas and from wafer-curvature-change-yy in the y direction for each area of the set of finite areas; and the stress-xy being derived from wafer-curvature-change-xy, wherein wafer-curvature-change-xy is a change in wafer twist in the x-y plane for each area of the set of finite areas. A stress gradient vector (and/or its norm) is calculated and used to evaluate the investigating single or multiple accumulated layer.

System and method for film stress and curvature gradient mapping for screening problematic wafers

An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of pixels on the substrate. An etch-stop layer is formed over the pixels and has a thickness less than about 600 Angstroms. The image sensor device further includes an interlayer dielectric (ILD) overlying the etch stop layer. The etch-stop layer has a refractive index less than about 2 and an extinction coefficient less than about 0.1.

Reduced refractive index and extinction coefficient layer for enhanced photosensitivity

A method for reducing leakage current in a semiconductor structure is disclosed. One or more dielectric layers are formed on a semiconductor substrate, on which at least one device is constructed. A hydrogen-containing layer is formed over the dielectric layers. A silicon nitride passivation layer covers the dielectric layers and the hydrogen-containing layer. The hydrogen atoms of the hydrogen-containing layer are introduced into the dielectric layers without being blocked by the silicon nitride layer, thereby reducing leakage current therein.

Semiconductor device having hydrogen-containing layer

A method of forming a capacitor comprising the following steps. An inchoate capacitor is formed on a substrate within a capacitor area whereby portions of the substrate separate the inchoate capacitor from isolating shallow trench isolation (STI) structures. STIs. A first dielectric layer is formed over the structure. The first dielectric layer is patterned to: form a portion masking the inchoate capacitor; and expose at least portions of the STIs and the substrate portions separating the inchoate capacitor from the shallow trench isolation structures. Metal portions are formed at least over the substrate portions. A second dielectric layer is formed over the patterned first dielectric layer portion, the metal portions and the STIs, whereby the metal portions formed at least over the substrate portions prevent formation of native oxide on at least the substrate portions. The invention also includes the structures formed thereby.

Self-aligned metal electrode to eliminate native oxide effect for metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) capacitor

A novel method for forming electrodes in the fabrication of an MIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitor, is disclosed. The method improves MIM capacitor performance by preventing plasma-induced damage to a dielectric layer during deposition of a top electrode on the dielectric layer, as well as by reducing or preventing the formation of an interfacial layer between the dielectric layer and the electrode or electrodes, in fabrication of the MIM capacitor. The method typically includes the patterning of crown-type capacitor openings in a substrate; depositing a bottom electrode in each of the crown openings; subjecting the bottom electrode to a rapid thermal processing (RTP) or furnace anneal step; depositing a dielectric layer on the annealed bottom electrode; depositing a top electrode on the dielectric layer using a plasma-free CVD (chemical vapor deposition) or ALD (atomic layer deposition) process; and patterning the top electrode of each MIM capacitor.

Method of forming MIM capacitor electrodes

A method of fabricating word-line spacers comprising the following steps. A substrate having an inchoate split-gate flash memory structure formed thereover is provided. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate and the inchoate split-gate flash memory structure. The conductive layer having: a upper portion and lower vertical portions over the inchoate split-gate flash memory structure; and lower horizontal portions over the substrate. A dual-thickness oxide layer is formed over the conductive layer and has a greater thickness over the upper portion of the conductive layer. The oxide layer is partially etched back to remove at least the oxide layer from over the lower horizontal portions of the conductive layer to expose the underlying portions of the conductive layer. Then etching: away the exposed portions of the conductive layer over the substrate; and through at least a portion of the thinned oxide layer and into the exposed underlying portion of the conductive layer to expose a portion of the inchoate split-gate flash memory structure and to form the word-line spacers adjacent the inchoate split-gate flash memory structure.

Methods of fabricating a word-line spacer for wide over-etching window on outside diameter (OD) and strong fence

A memory cell comprising a capacitor having a dielectric layer interposing first and second vertically disposed electrodes, an insulating lining located over the capacitor, and a transistor gate extension passing over the capacitor. A spacer isolates an end of one of the capacitor electrodes from the transistor gate extension. In one embodiment, the spacer includes a first non-planar profile configured to engage a second non-planar profile comprising ends of the one of the capacitor electrodes and the insulating lining.

Method and structure improving isolation between memory cell passing gate and capacitor

A multi-step HDP deposition and sputtering process for void-free filling of high aspect ratio trenches having stepped cross-sectional profiles. The method is particularly applicable to filling trenches formed in triply layered substrates comprising a silicon first layer, an oxide second layer and a nitride third layer, wherein the nitride layer is pulled back from the edge of the trench opening and forms a step. The method allows the void-free filling of such a trench without dam aging the nitride layer in the process. Briefly, the essence of the method is the formation of deposited layers on the side walls of the trench wherein the first layer is deposited with a high deposition to sputtering ratio and low bias power to form a layer with an overhang at the upper surface of the trench. This deposition if followed by a sputtering process to form an enlarged opening in that overhang. This approach is found to prevent the formation of an overhang at the position of the step, whereat it would cause progressive restriction of the trench throat and void formation.

HDP gap-filling process for structures with extra step at side-wall

A multi-step HDP deposition and sputtering process for void-free filling of high aspect ratio trenches and for trenches having stepped cross-sectional profiles. The method is particularly applicable to filling trenches formed in triply layered substrates comprising a silicon layer, an oxide layer and a nitride layer, wherein the nitride layer has been pulled back from the edge of the trench opening and forms a step. The method allows the void-free filling of such a trench without damaging the nitride layer in the process. Briefly, the essence of the method is the formation of deposited layers on the sidewalls of the trench wherein the first layer is deposited with a high deposition to sputtering ratio (D/S>10) and low bias power to form a thin layer, with no overhang, that is capable of protecting the nitride layer during subsequent deposition and sputtering steps. A subsequent in-situ sputtering step at a lower D/S ratio using oxygen as the sputtering gas maintains a wide trench opening which then allows the complete filling to proceed using argon as the sputtering gas for increased throughput.

Thin sidewall multi-step HDP deposition method to achieve completely filled high aspect ratio trenches

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Taipei, Taiwan

Tsung-Hsun Huang