Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of forming thin film pseudo-planar polysilicon gate PFETs, pPFETs, simultaneously with bulk PFET and NFET devices in a CMOS or BiCMOS semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of: a) providing a P-type silicon substrate having a surface that includes a plurality of isolation regions; b) delineating polysilicon lands at selected of said isolation regions; c) forming N-well regions into the substrate at a location where bulk PFETs are to be subsequently formed; d) forming insulator encapsulated conductive polysilicon studs to provide gate electrodes at selected locations of the structure; e) forming self-aligned source/drain regions of the bulk NFETs into the substrate; f) forming self-aligned source/drain regions of the bulk PFETs and pPFETs into the substrate and into the polysilicon lands, respectively; and g) forming contact regions to the selected locations that include the source/drain regions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of forming thin film pseudo-planar polysilicon gate PFETs, pPFETs, simultaneously with bulk PFET and NFET devices in a CMOS or BiCMOS semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of: a) providing a P-type silicon substrate having a surface that includes a plurality of isolation regions; b) delineating polysilicon lands at selected of said isolation regions; c) forming N-well regions into the substrate at a location where bulk PFETs are to be subsequently formed; d) forming insulator encapsulated conductive polysilicon studs to provide gate electrodes at selected locations of the structure; e) forming self-aligned source/drain regions of the bulk NFETs into the substrate; f) forming self-aligned source/drain regions of the bulk PFETs and pPFETs into the substrate and into the polysilicon lands, respectively; and g) forming contact regions to the selected locations that include the source/drain regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: h) forming an etch stop layer over selected polysilicon studs and selected regions of the substrate to facilitate subsequent formation of overpass conductors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 further comprising the step of: i) exposing the top of selected polysilicon studs
Claim 5
Independent Claim
68 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 further comprising the steps of: j) blanket depositing an etch stop layer onto the structure; k) forming an insulating matrix provided with openings onto the structure, thereby exposing desired locations of the underlying etch stop layer; l) etching the exposed regions of the etch stop layer; and m) filling the openings of the matrix with conductive material to form contact studs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step b) of delineating a polysilicon land further comprises the steps of: n) sequentially blanket depositing a thin sacrificial layer and a polysilicon layer; and o) patterning the polysilicon layer to form the polysilicon land.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of: p) recrystallizing the polysilicon land.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
68 words
The method of claims 5 or 6 wherein the step d) of forming the polysilicon studs further comprises the steps of: q) selectively removing the thin sacrificial layer followed by blanket depositing a thin dielectric layer; r) sequentially blanket depositing a polysilicon layer and a WSix layer to form a composite conductive layer; s) blanket depositing a cap insulating layer; and t) patterning the dual insulating cap/composite layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
75 words
The method of claims 1, 5, or 6 further comprising prior to step e) the steps of: u) oxidizing the lateral sides of the polysilicon studs to form oxide sidewalls thereon; v) implanting ions to selectively create P-LDD regions in the substrate at the bulk NFET locations; w) implanting ions to selectively create N-LDD regions in N-well regions at the bulk PFET locations; and x) forming etch stop insulator sidewalls (48) on the polysilicon studs.