Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
298 words
A method for forming for use within an integrated circuit device an integrated circuit device electrode comprising: forming within a semiconductor substrate an integrated circuit device electrode, the integrated circuit device electrode having a width upon the semiconductor substrate of less than the width of a conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode plus two times the registration tolerance of a fabrication tool employed in defining the location of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode; forming then upon the semiconductor substrate including the integrated circuit device electrode a blanket metal silicide forming metal layer; annealing the semiconductor substrate to partially consume the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode and partially consume the semiconductor substrate at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode while forming a patterned metal silicide layer aligned with a partially consumed integrated circuit device electrode beneath a partially consumed blanket metal silicide forming metal layer at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode; patterning the blanket partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer to form a patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer, the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer being aligned at least partially over the partially consumed integrated circuit device electrode and the patterned metal silicide layer, the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer have a width greater than the width of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode plus two times the registration tolerance of the fabrication tool employed in defining the location of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode; and forming the conductor element upon the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
298 words
A method for forming for use within an integrated circuit device an integrated circuit device electrode comprising: forming within a semiconductor substrate an integrated circuit device electrode, the integrated circuit device electrode having a width upon the semiconductor substrate of less than the width of a conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode plus two times the registration tolerance of a fabrication tool employed in defining the location of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode; forming then upon the semiconductor substrate including the integrated circuit device electrode a blanket metal silicide forming metal layer; annealing the semiconductor substrate to partially consume the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode and partially consume the semiconductor substrate at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode while forming a patterned metal silicide layer aligned with a partially consumed integrated circuit device electrode beneath a partially consumed blanket metal silicide forming metal layer at the location of the integrated circuit device electrode; patterning the blanket partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer to form a patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer, the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer being aligned at least partially over the partially consumed integrated circuit device electrode and the patterned metal silicide layer, the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer have a width greater than the width of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode plus two times the registration tolerance of the fabrication tool employed in defining the location of the conductor element to be formed upon the integrated circuit device electrode; and forming the conductor element upon the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit device electrode is a source/drain electrode within a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer is formed from a metal silicide forming metal chosen from the group of metal silicide forming metals consisting of titanium, tungsten, platinum, cobalt and tantalum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer is formed from titanium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer is formed to a thickness of from about 300 to about 700 angstroms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the patterned metal silicide layer is formed to a thickness of from about 100 to about 300 angstroms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer overlaps the patterned metal silicide layer by at least the width of the conductor element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: forming a blanket barrier layer upon the blanket metal silicide forming metal layer prior to annealing the semiconductor substrate to form the blanket partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer; and patterning sequentially both the blanket barrier layer and the blanket partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer to form a patterned barrier layer and the patterned partially consumed metal silicide forming metal layer of an equivalent width, the equivalent width being greater than the width of the conductor element plus two times the registration tolerance of the fabrication tool employed in defining the location of the conductor element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the blanket barrier layer is formed from a barrier material chosen from the group of barrier materials consisting of titanium nitride barrier materials and titanium tungsten alloy barrier materials.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the blanket barrier layer is formed to a thickness of from about 800 to about 1500 angstroms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising forming upon the patterned barrier layer the conductor element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the conductor element is formed at least in part of a conductor material chosen from the group of conductor materials consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper and copper alloy conductor materials.