Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of forming an insulated-gate field-effect transistor, comprising the steps of: forming a gate dielectric over an active region of a semiconductor surface, said active region of a first conductivity type; forming a lower gate layer comprising polycrystalline silicon over said gate dielectric; forming an upper gate layer over said lower gate layer, said upper gate layer comprising polycrystalline silicon having a different dopant concentration from that of said lower gate layer; removing selected portions of said upper gate layer with an etchant which removes the material of said upper gate layer at a much higher rate than the rate at which it removes the material of said lower gate layer, to provide an upper gate electrode of said upper gate layer material at a selected location; implanting dopant of a second conductivity type in such a manner that it is masked by said upper gate electrode but is not masked by said lower gate layer; forming sidewall spacers on the sides of said upper gate electrode; and removing portions of said lower gate layer not below said sidewall spacers, to provide a lower gate electrode in contact with said upper gate electrode, disposed under said upper gate electrode and under said sidewall spacers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of forming an insulated-gate field-effect transistor, comprising the steps of: forming a gate dielectric over an active region of a semiconductor surface, said active region of a first conductivity type; forming a lower gate layer comprising polycrystalline silicon over said gate dielectric; forming an upper gate layer over said lower gate layer, said upper gate layer comprising polycrystalline silicon having a different dopant concentration from that of said lower gate layer; removing selected portions of said upper gate layer with an etchant which removes the material of said upper gate layer at a much higher rate than the rate at which it removes the material of said lower gate layer, to provide an upper gate electrode of said upper gate layer material at a selected location; implanting dopant of a second conductivity type in such a manner that it is masked by said upper gate electrode but is not masked by said lower gate layer; forming sidewall spacers on the sides of said upper gate electrode; and removing portions of said lower gate layer not below said sidewall spacers, to provide a lower gate electrode in contact with said upper gate electrode, disposed under said upper gate electrode and under said sidewall spacers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said sidewall spacers comprise silicon dioxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: after said step of forming sidewall spacers, implanting dopant of a second conductivity type in such a manner that it is masked by said upper gate electrode and said sidewall spacers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming outer sidewall spacers on the sides of said sidewall spacers and said lower gate electrode, after said step of removing portions of said lower gate electrode layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising: prior to said step of forming outer sidewall spacers, and after said step of forming sidewall spacers, implanting dopant of a second conductivity type in such a manner that it is masked by said upper gate electrode and said sidewall spacers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising: forming a silicide film at the surface of said active region outside of said outer sidewall spacers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said semiconducting surface comprises silicon; wherein said step of forming said silicide film comprises: depositing a metal film overall; reacting the metal film with the silicon of semiconducting surface at locations outside of said outer spacers to form a silicide thereat; and removing the portions of said metal film not reacted in said reacting step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said step of forming said outer sidewall spacers comprises: depositing a dielectric film overall; and anisotropically etching said deposited dielectric film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising: after said step of forming said outer sidewall spacers, implanting dopant of a second conductivity type in such a manner that it is masked by said upper gate electrode, said sidewall spacers, and said outer sidewall spacers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
182 words
An insulated-gate field-effect transistor, comprising: source and drain regions, of a first conductivity type, disposed at a semiconducting surface and spaced apart from one another, said source and drain regions each having relatively lightly-doped extensions thereof extending toward one another and spaced apart by a channel portion of said semiconductor surface of a second conductivity type; a gate dielectric disposed over said channel portion and said source and drain extensions; a gate electrode, comprising: a lower gate electrode portion, comprising polycrystalline silicon, and disposed over said gate dielectric to overlie said channel portion and said source and drain extensions; and an upper gate electrode portion, comprising polycrystalline silicon, and disposed over and in electrical contact with said lower gate electrode; and dielectric sidewall spacers, disposed on the sides of said upper gate electrode portion and overlying said lower gate electrode portion; wherein the dopant concentration of said upper gate electrode portion is different from that of said lower gate electrode portion in such a manner that said upper gate electrode portion may be etched selectively relative to said lower gate electrode portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
An insulated-gate field-effect transistor, comprising: source and drain regions, of a first conductivity type, disposed at a semiconducting surface and spaced apart from one another, said source and drain regions each having relatively lightly-doped extensions thereof extending toward one another and spaced apart by a channel portion of said semiconductor surface of a second conductivity type; a gate dielectric disposed over said channel portion and said source and drain extensions; a gate electrode, comprising: a lower gate electrode portion, comprising polycrystalline silicon, and disposed over said gate dielectric to overlie said channel portion and said source and drain extensions; and an upper gate electrode portion, comprising polycrystalline silicon, and disposed over and in electrical contact with said lower gate electrode; and dielectric sidewall spacers, disposed on the sides of said upper gate electrode portion and overlying said lower gate electrode portion; wherein the dopant concentration of said upper gate electrode portion is different from that of said lower gate electrode portion in such a manner that said upper gate electrode portion may be etched selectively relative to said lower gate electrode portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The transistor of claim 10, further comprising: outer dielectric sidewall spacers, disposed on the sides of said dielectric sidewall spacers and said lower gate electrode portion; and silicide film disposed on the surface of said source and drain regions, and spaced from said lower gate electrode portion by said outer dielectric sidewall spacers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The transistor of claim 11, further comprising: silicide film disposed on the top surface of said upper gate electrode portion, and spaced from the silicide film disposed on the surface of said source and drain regions by said outer dielectric sidewall spacers.