Globalfoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd (corporation)

Zheng Zou

Alex See

Huang Liu

Hai Cong

Lup San Leong

Yun Ling Tan

Xuesong Rao

Alex Kai Hung See

Wen Zhan Zhou

Chim Seng Seet

Yelehanka Ramachandramurthy Pradeep

Shyue Seng Tan

Mei Sheng Zhou

Liang Choo Hsia

Eng Hua Lim

Liang Li

Meisheng Zhou

Henry Gerung

Qun Ying Lin

Chiew Wah Yap

Hui Liu

Wenzhan Zhou

Qinghua Zhong

Kwee Liang Yeo

Jasper Goh

Manni Lal

Nguyen Lac

A method includes providing a substrate with a patterned second layer over a first layer. The second layer includes a second layer opening having a first CD equal to the CD produced by a lithographic system (CD). CDis larger than a desired CD (CD). A third layer is formed to fill the opening, leaving a top surface of the second layer exposed. The second layer is removed to produce a mesa formed by the third layer. The CD of the mesa is equal to about the first CD. The mesa is trimmed to produce a mesa with a second CD equal to about CD. A fourth layer is formed to cover the first layer, leaving a top of the mesa exposed. The substrate is etched to remove the mesa and a portion of the first layer below the mesa to form an opening in the first layer with CD.

CD control

A method of forming high density contact array is disclosed. The method includes providing a first dielectric layer and forming a hard mask stack over the first dielectric layer. The hard mask stack includes first, second and third hard mask layers. The first and second hard mask layers are processed to form high density array of hard mask stack structures using a double patterning process. The hard mask stack structures include patterned first and second hard mask layers having a first width F. The width of the patterned second hard mask layers is reduced to a second width Fto form high density array of hard mask posts. A fourth hard mask layer is formed over the third hard mask layer and surrounding the hard mask posts. The hard mask posts and portions of the third hard mask layer and first dielectric layer underlying the hard mask posts are removed to form high density contact hole array.

Small pitch and high density contact array

Integrated circuits and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. An integrated circuit includes a lower electrode overlying a substrate, an insulating layer overlying the lower electrode, and an upper electrode overlying the insulating layer. The lower electrode, the insulating layer, and the upper electrode form a stack having a side surface. A phase change spacer is adjacent to the side surface, where the phase change spacer is electrically connected to the lower electrode and the upper electrode.

Integrated circuits with memory cells and methods of manufacturing the same

Semiconductor devices with through silicon vias (TSVs) are formed without copper contamination. Embodiments include exposing a passivation layer surrounding a bottom portion of a TSV in a silicon substrate, forming a silicon composite layer over the exposed passivation layer and over a bottom surface of the silicon substrate, forming a hardmask layer over the silicon composite layer and over the bottom surface of the silicon substrate, removing a section of the silicon composite layer around the bottom portion of the TSV using the hardmask layer as a mask, re-exposing the passivation layer, and removing the hardmask layer and the re-exposed passivation layer to expose a contact for the bottom portion of the TSV.

Method for forming through silicon via with wafer backside protection

Integrated circuits and methods for producing the same are provided. A method for producing an integrated circuit includes removing a central plug from between a first memory cell and a second memory cell to define a center gap. Each of the first and second memory cells include a control gate with a control gate height, a cap overlying the control gate, a select gate adjacent to the control gate, and a select gate dielectric between the control gate and the select gate. The select gate is recessed to a select gate height while the cap overlies the control gate, where the select gate height is less than the control gate height. A memory spacer is formed overlying the select gate dielectric and adjacent to the control gate.

A method and a device are provided for diffracting incident light from a lithographic scanner in an IC process flow. Embodiments include forming a diffraction grating in a first layer on a semiconductor substrate; and forming a plurality of lithographic alignment marks in a second layer, overlying the first layer, wherein the diffraction grating has a width and a length greater than or equal to a width and length, respectively, of the plurality of lithographic alignment marks.

Litho scanner alignment signal improvement

A device and methods for forming the device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate. A gate having a gate electrode and sidewall spacers are formed adjacent to sidewalls of the gate. A height Hof the gate is lower than a height Hof the sidewall spacers. A metal or metal alloy layer is deposited over the spacers, gate and the substrate. The substrate is processed to form metal silicide contact at least over the gate electrode. A top surface of the metal silicide contact over the gate electrode is about coplanar with a top of the sidewall spacer, and the difference between the height of the gate and spacers prevent formation of metal silicide filaments on top of the sidewall spacers.

Filament free silicide formation

Methods of deducing oxide thickness using calculated and measured scattering spectra are provided. Embodiments include depositing an oxide over a semiconductor wafer, reducing the oxide from a portion of the semiconductor wafer, and deducing a thickness of oxide remaining at a location within the portion using scatterometric metrology. Embodiments further include deducing the thickness by: calculating scattering spectra for a plurality of oxide thicknesses, producing calculated scattering spectra, monitoring scattering spectra at the location within the portion of the semiconductor wafer, comparing the monitored scattering spectra at the location to the calculated scattering spectra, determining a closest matching calculated scattering spectra to the monitored scattering spectra at the location, and obtaining an oxide thickness corresponding to the closest matching calculated scattering spectra.

STI CMP under polish monitoring

Interlayer dielectric gap fill processes are enhanced by forming gate spacers with a tapered profile. Embodiments include forming a gate electrode on a substrate, depositing a spacer material over the gate electrode and substrate, the spacer layer having a first surface nearest the gate electrode and substrate, a second surface furthest from the gate electrode and substrate, and a continuously increasing etch rate from the first surface to the second surface, and etching the spacer layer to form a spacer on each side of the gate electrode. Embodiments further include forming the spacer layer by depositing a spacer material and continuously decreasing the density of the spacer material during deposition or depositing a carbon-containing spacer material and causing a gradient of carbon content in the spacer layer.

Spacer profile engineering using films with continuously increased etch rate from inner to outer surface

An optical proximity correction (OPC) model incorporates inline process variation data. OPC is performed by adjusting an input mask pattern with a mask bias derived from the OPC model to correct errors in the input mask pattern.

Statistical optical proximity correction

A memory device is fabricated through the integration of embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) with replacement metal gate (RMG) and high-k/metal gate (HKMG) modules. Embodiments include forming two substrate portions having upper surfaces at different heights, forming non-volatile gate stacks over the substrate portion with the lower upper surface, and forming high-voltage gate stacks and logic gate stacks over the other substrate portion. Embodiments include the upper surfaces of the non-voltage gate stacks, the high-voltage gate stacks, and the logic gate stacks being substantially coplanar.

Integration of eNVM, RMG, and HKMG modules

Interlayer dielectric gap fill processes are enhanced by forming gate spacers with a step-like or tapered profile. Embodiments include forming a gate electrode on a substrate, depositing a spacer material over the gate electrode, etching the spacer material to form a first spacer on each side of the gate electrode, and pulling back the first spacers to form second spacers which have a step-like profile. Embodiments further include depositing a second spacer material over the gate electrode and the second spacers, and etching the second spacer material to form a third spacer on each second spacer, the second and third spacers forming an outwardly tapered composite spacer.

Step-like spacer profile

A method for assessing metrology tool accuracy is described. Multi-variable regression is used to define the accuracy of a metrology tool such that the interaction between different measurement parameters is taken into account. A metrology tool under test (MTUT) and a reference metrology tool (RMT) are used to measure a set of test profiles. The MTUT measures the test profiles to generate a MTUT data set for a first measurement parameter. The RMT measures the test profiles to generate RMT data sets for the first measurement parameter, and at least a second measurement parameter. Multi-variable regression is then performed to generate a best-fit plane for the data sets. The coefficient of determination (Rvalue) represents the accuracy index of the MTUT.

Growing community of inventors

Singapore, Singapore

Zheng Zou