Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor comprising: forming a first layer of insulating material on a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate; defining a gate electrode on the first layer, the gate electrode having an upper surface bounded by edges protruding above the first layer; depositing an etch resistant layer over the gate electrode and over the first layer, the etch resistant layer having edges conforming to the edges of the gate electrode; depositing an etchable layer of material over the etch resistant layer; removing the etchable layer from the etch resistant layer except for spacer regions disposed adjacent the edges of the etch resistant layer; and using the gate electrode and the spacer regions of the etchable layer as a mask, introducing first impurity of second conductivity type into the substrate to define spaced apart source and drain regions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor comprising: forming a first layer of insulating material on a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate; defining a gate electrode on the first layer, the gate electrode having an upper surface bounded by edges protruding above the first layer; depositing an etch resistant layer over the gate electrode and over the first layer, the etch resistant layer having edges conforming to the edges of the gate electrode; depositing an etchable layer of material over the etch resistant layer; removing the etchable layer from the etch resistant layer except for spacer regions disposed adjacent the edges of the etch resistant layer; and using the gate electrode and the spacer regions of the etchable layer as a mask, introducing first impurity of second conductivity type into the substrate to define spaced apart source and drain regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein, following the step of using the gate electrode, a step is performed comprising: also using the gate electrode and the spacer regions as a mask, introducing second impurity of second conductivity type into the source and drain regions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as in claim 2 wherein the first and second impurity have different diffusivities to allow one of the first and second impurities to diffuse more than the other toward the gate electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein, following the step of introducing second impurity, a step is performed comprising: heating the source and drain to cause one of the first and second impurities to diffuse into the first conductivity type semiconductor substrate beneath the spacer regions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 4 wherein the first impurity comprises arsenic and the second impurity comprises phosphorus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as in claim 5 wherein the step of introducing first impurity comprises introducing approximately 10 15 atoms of arsenic per square centimeter and the step of introducing the second impurity comprises introducing approximately 10 13 atoms of phosphorus per square centimeter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein following the step of using the gate electrode, a step is performed comprising: removing the spacer regions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 7 wherein following the step of removing the spacer regions, a step is performed comprising: using the gate electrode as a mask introducing first impurity into the substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 7 wherein following the step of removing the spacer regions, a step is performed comprising: using the gate electrode as a mask introducing second impurity into the substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of defining a gate electrode comprises the steps of: forming a first layer of polycrystalline silicon; forming an overlying layer of a metal silicide; and removing all of the layers of polycrystalline silicon and metal silicide except where the gate electrode is desired.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of forming a first layer of insulating material on a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate comprises oxidizing a silicon substrate to form a layer of silicon dioxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of depositing an etch resistant layer comprises depositing a layer of silicon nitride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the step of depositing an etchable layer comprises depositing a layer of silicon dioxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 13 wherein the step of removing the etchable layer comprises anisotropically etching the etchable layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 14 wherein the step of introducing first impurity of second conductivity type comprises ion implanting first impurity.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor comprising: forming a gate insulating layer of silicon dioxide on a P conductivity type silicon semiconductor substrate; defining a gate electrode, including a lower polycrystalline silicon layer and an upper metal silicide layer, on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode having an upper surface bounded by edges protruding about the gate insulating layer; depositing a silicon nitride layer over the gate electrode and over the gate insulating layer, the silicon nitride layer having edges conforming to the edges of the gate electrode; depositing an etchable layer of silicon dioxide over the silicon nitride layer; removing the etchable layer from the silicon nitride layer except for spacer regions disposed adjacent the edges of the silicon nitride layer; using the gate electrode and the spacer regions of the etchable layer as a mask, introducing first impurity of n conductivity type into the substrate to define heavily doped portions of the spaced apart source and drain regions; and performing one of the following two steps: using the gate electrode and the spacer regions as a mask, introducing second impurity of n conductivity type into the substrate, the first and second impurity having different diffusivity in silicon; removing the spacer regions and using the gate electrode as a mask introducing n conductivity type impurity into the substrate.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for fabricating a field effect transistor comprising: forming a gate insulating layer of silicon dioxide on a P conductivity type silicon semiconductor substrate; defining a gate electrode, including a lower polycrystalline silicon layer and an upper metal silicide layer, on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode having an upper surface bounded by edges protruding about the gate insulating layer; depositing a silicon nitride layer over the gate electrode and over the gate insulating layer, the silicon nitride layer having edges conforming to the edges of the gate electrode; depositing an etchable layer of silicon dioxide over the silicon nitride layer; removing the etchable layer from the silicon nitride layer except for spacer regions disposed adjacent the edges of the silicon nitride layer; using the gate electrode and the spacer regions of the etchable layer as a mask, introducing first impurity of n conductivity type into the substrate to define heavily doped portions of the spaced apart source and drain regions; and performing one of the following two steps: using the gate electrode and the spacer regions as a mask, introducing second impurity of n conductivity type into the substrate, the first and second impurity having different diffusivity in silicon; removing the spacer regions and using the gate electrode as a mask introducing n conductivity type impurity into the substrate.