Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090042404 | Semiconductor processing - Embodiments of the present disclosure include semiconductor processing methods and systems. One method includes forming a material layer on a semiconductor substrate by exposing a deposition surface of the substrate to at least a first and a second reactant sequentially introduced into a reaction chamber having an associated process temperature. The method includes removing residual first reactant from the chamber after introduction of the first reactant, removing residual second reactant from the chamber after introduction of the second reactant, and establishing a temperature differential substantially between an edge of the substrate and a center of the substrate via a purge process. | 02-12-2009 |
20090176379 | Semiconductor Processing Methods, And Methods For Forming Silicon Dioxide - Some embodiments include methods for semiconductor processing. A semiconductor substrate may be placed within a reaction chamber. The semiconductor substrate may have an inner region and an outer region laterally outward of said inner region, and may have a deposition surface that extends across the inner and outer regions. The semiconductor substrate may be heated by radiating thermal energy from the outer region to the inner region. The heating may eventually achieve thermal equilibrium. However, before thermal equilibrium of the outer and inner regions is reached, and while the outer region is warmer than the inner region, at least two reactants are sequentially introduced into the reaction chamber. The reactants may together form a single composition on the deposition surface through a quasi-ALD process. | 07-09-2009 |
20090191499 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR HEATING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - Methods and apparatuses for heat treatment of semiconductor wafers are disclosed herein. A method of heating a semiconductor wafer in accordance with one embodiment includes heating the wafer in a loading enclosure of a heat treatment system above an ambient temperature external to the loading enclosure. The method also includes moving the heated wafer from the loading enclosure into a processing enclosure of the heat treatment system. In particular embodiments, the method can further include heating a flow of purge gas above the ambient temperature and introducing the flow of heated purge gas into the loading enclosure while the wafer is in the loading enclosure. In still further embodiments, the method can include heating a flow of process gas to a processing temperature and introducing the heated flow of process gas into the processing enclosure while the wafer is in the processing enclosure. | 07-30-2009 |
20090275214 | METHODS OF REDUCING DEFECT FORMATION ON SILICON DIOXIDE FORMED BY ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION (ALD) PROCESSES AND METHODS OF FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES - Methods for reducing and inhibiting defect formation on silicon dioxide formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are disclosed. Defect reduction is accomplished by performing processing on the silicon dioxide subsequent to deposition by ALD. The post-deposition processing may include at least one of a pump/purge cycle and a water exposure cycle performed after formation of the silicon dioxide on a substrate. | 11-05-2009 |
20100112191 | SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIALS - Several embodiments of systems for depositing materials and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the system includes a reaction chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a gas source coupled to the inlet of the reaction chamber, and a neutralizer source coupled to the outlet of the reaction chamber. The gas source contains a first precursor gas, a second precursor gas, and a purge gas. The neutralizer source contains a neutralizing agent configured to reduce a rate of reaction between the first precursor gas and the second precursor gas. | 05-06-2010 |
20110008972 | METHODS FOR FORMING AN ALD SIO2 FILM - Methods of forming a silicon dioxide material by an atomic layer deposition process and methods of preparing a substrate for the formation of a silicon dioxide material by an atomic layer deposition process are provided. In at least one such method, prior to forming the silicon oxide material, at least one pump and exhaust cycle is conducted. Such a pump and exhaust cycle includes at least one pump step, whereby a purge gas is pumped into the reaction chamber, and at least one exhaust step, whereby the purge gas is exhausted from a reaction chamber. The silicon oxide material is then formed on a surface of the substrate. | 01-13-2011 |
20110081786 | METHODS OF REDUCING DEFECT FORMATION ON SILICON DIOXIDE FORMED BY ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION (ALD) PROCESSES - Methods for reducing and inhibiting defect formation on silicon dioxide formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are disclosed. Defect reduction is accomplished by performing processing on the silicon dioxide subsequent to deposition by ALD. The post-deposition processing may include at least one of a pump/purge cycle and a water exposure cycle performed after formation of the silicon dioxide on a substrate. | 04-07-2011 |
20110185970 | SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING - Embodiments of the present disclosure include semiconductor processing methods and systems. One method includes forming a material layer on a semiconductor substrate by exposing a deposition surface of the substrate to at least a first and a second reactant sequentially introduced into a reaction chamber having an associated process temperature. The method includes removing residual first reactant from the chamber after introduction of the first reactant, removing residual second reactant from the chamber after introduction of the second reactant, and establishing a temperature differential substantially between an edge of the substrate and a center of the substrate via a purge process. | 08-04-2011 |
20110263135 | Semiconductor Processing Methods, And Methods For Forming Silicon Dioxide - Some embodiments include methods for semiconductor processing. A semiconductor substrate may be placed within a reaction chamber. The semiconductor substrate may have an inner region and an outer region laterally outward of said inner region, and may have a deposition surface that extends across the inner and outer regions. The semiconductor substrate may be heated by radiating thermal energy from the outer region to the inner region. The heating may eventually achieve thermal equilibrium. However, before thermal equilibrium of the outer and inner regions is reached, and while the outer region is warmer than the inner region, at least two reactants are sequentially introduced into the reaction chamber. The reactants may together form a single composition on the deposition surface through a quasi-ALD process. | 10-27-2011 |
20120214285 | Methods Of Forming A Vertical Transistor And At Least A Conductive Line Electrically Coupled Therewith, Methods Of Forming Memory Cells, And Methods Of Forming Arrays Of Memory Cells - Trenches are formed into semiconductive material. Masking material is formed laterally over at least elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches. Conductivity modifying impurity is implanted through bases of the trenches into semiconductive material there-below. Such impurity is diffused into the masking material received laterally over the elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches and into semiconductive material received between the trenches below a mid-channel portion. An elevationally inner source/drain is formed in the semiconductive material below the mid-channel portion. The inner source/drain portion includes said semiconductive material between the trenches which has the impurity therein. A conductive line is formed laterally over and electrically coupled to at least one of opposing sides of the inner source/drain. A gate is formed elevationally outward of and spaced from the conductive line and laterally adjacent the mid-channel portion. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 08-23-2012 |
20120256259 | SINGLE-SIDED ACCESS DEVICE AND FABRICATION METHOD THEREOF - The present invention provides a single-sided access device including an active fin structure comprising a source region and a drain region; an insulating layer interposed between the source region and the drain region; a trench isolation structure disposed at one side of the active fin structure; a single-sided sidewall gate electrode disposed on the other side of the active fin structure opposite to the trench isolation structure so that the active fin structure is sandwiched by trench isolation structure and the single-sided sidewall gate electrode; and a gate protrusion laterally and electrically extended from the single-sided sidewall gate electrode and embedded between the source region and the drain region under the insulating layer. | 10-11-2012 |
20120299088 | Memory Arrays, Semiconductor Constructions, and Methods of Forming Semiconductor Constructions - Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays may have digit lines under vertically-oriented transistors, with the digit lines interconnecting transistors along columns of the array. Each individual transistor may be directly over only a single digit line, with the single digit line being entirely composed of one or more metal-containing materials. The digit lines can be over a deck, and electrically insulative regions can be directly between the digit lines and the deck. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A plurality of linear segments of silicon-containing material may be formed to extend upwardly from a base of the silicon-containing material. The base may be etched to form silicon-containing footings under the linear segments, and the footings may be converted into metal silicide. The linear segments may be patterned into a plurality of vertically-oriented transistor pedestals that extend upwardly from the metal silicide footings. | 11-29-2012 |
20120329274 | METHOD OF FABRICATING A CELL CONTACT AND A DIGIT LINE FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - The present invention proposes the use of a silicon nitride layer on top of a second conductive layer. After a step of etching a second conductive layer, an oxide spacer is formed to define a gap. Then, another silicon nitride layer fills up the gap. After that, the oxide spacer is removed. Later, a first conductive layer is etched to separate the digit line to cell contact line. | 12-27-2012 |
20130049074 | METHODS FOR FORMING CONNECTIONS TO A MEMORY ARRAY AND PERIPHERY - Methods are disclosed for forming connections to a memory array and a periphery of the array. The methods include forming stacks of conductive materials on the array and the periphery and forming a step between the periphery stack and the array stack. The step is removed during subsequent processing, and connections are formed from the conductive materials remaining on the array and the periphery. In some embodiments, the step is removed before any photolithographic processes. | 02-28-2013 |
20130187220 | VERTICAL MEMORY DEVICES, APPARATUSES INCLUDING VERTICAL MEMORY DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR FORMING SUCH VERTICAL MEMORY DEVICES AND APPARATUSES - Methods of forming vertical memory devices include forming first trenches, at least partially filling the first trenches with a polysilicon material, and forming second trenches generally perpendicular to the first trenches. The second trenches may be formed by removing one of silicon and oxide with a first material removal act and by removing the other of silicon and oxide in a different second material removal act. Methods of forming an apparatus include forming isolation trenches, at least partially filling the isolation trenches with a polysilicon material, and forming word line trenches generally perpendicular to the isolation trenches, the word line trenches having a depth in a word line end region about equal to or greater than a depth thereof in an array region. Word lines may be formed in the word line trenches. Semiconductor devices, vertical memory devices, and apparatuses are formed by such methods. | 07-25-2013 |
20130187279 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE STRUCTURES INCLUDING BURIED DIGIT LINES AND RELATED METHODS - Methods of forming semiconductor device structures include forming trenches in an array region and in a buried digit line end region, forming a metal material in the trenches, filling the trenches with a mask material, removing mask material in the trenches to expose a portion of the metal material, and removing the exposed portion of the metal material. A plurality of conductive contacts are formed in direct contact with the metal material in the buried digit line end region. Methods of forming a buried digit line contact include forming conductive contacts physically contacting metal material in trenches in a buried digit line end region. Vertical memory devices and apparatuses include metallic connections disposed between a buried digit line and a conductive contact in a buried digit line end region. | 07-25-2013 |
20130237023 | Methods Of Forming A Vertical Transistor And At Least A Conductive Line Electrically Coupled Therewith - Trenches are formed into semiconductive material. Masking material is formed laterally over at least elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches. Conductivity modifying impurity is implanted through bases of the trenches into semiconductive material there-below. Such impurity is diffused into the masking material received laterally over the elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches and into semiconductive material received between the trenches below a mid-channel portion. An elevationally inner source/drain is formed in the semiconductive material below the mid-channel portion. The inner source/drain portion includes said semiconductive material between the trenches which has the impurity therein. A conductive line is formed laterally over and electrically coupled to at least one of opposing sides of the inner source/drain. A gate is formed elevationally outward of and spaced from the conductive line and laterally adjacent the mid-channel portion. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 09-12-2013 |
20140017865 | Memory Arrays, Semiconductor Constructions, and Methods of Forming Semiconductor Constructions - Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays may have digit lines under vertically-oriented transistors, with the digit lines interconnecting transistors along columns of the array. Each individual transistor may be directly over only a single digit line, with the single digit line being entirely composed of one or more metal-containing materials. The digit lines can be over a deck, and electrically insulative regions can be directly between the digit lines and the deck. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A plurality of linear segments of silicon-containing material may be formed to extend upwardly from a base of the silicon-containing material. The base may be etched to form silicon-containing footings under the linear segments, and the footings may be converted into metal silicide. The linear segments may be patterned into a plurality of vertically-oriented transistor pedestals that extend upwardly from the metal silicide footings. | 01-16-2014 |
20140054718 | Arrays of Vertically-Oriented Transistors, And Memory Arrays Including Vertically-Oriented Transistors - An array includes vertically-oriented transistors. The array includes rows of access lines and columns of data/sense lines. Individual of the rows include an access line interconnecting transistors in that row. Individual of the columns include a data/sense line interconnecting transistors in that column. The array includes a plurality of conductive lines which individually extend longitudinally parallel and laterally between immediately adjacent of the data/sense lines. Additional embodiments are disclosed. | 02-27-2014 |
20140057402 | Methods of Forming Memory Arrays and Semiconductor Constructions - Some embodiments include methods of forming semiconductor constructions. A heavily-doped region is formed within a first semiconductor material, and a second semiconductor material is epitaxially grown over the first semiconductor material. The second semiconductor material is patterned to form circuit components, and the heavily-doped region is patterned to form spaced-apart buried lines electrically coupling pluralities of the circuit components to one another. At least some of the patterning of the heavily-doped region occurs simultaneously with at least some of the patterning of the second semiconductor material. | 02-27-2014 |
20140070306 | VERTICAL MEMORY DEVICES AND APPARATUSES - Methods of forming vertical memory devices include forming first trenches, at least partially filling the first trenches with a polysilicon material, and forming second trenches generally perpendicular to the first trenches. The second trenches may be formed by removing one of silicon and oxide with a first material removal act and by removing the other of silicon and oxide in a different second material removal act. Methods of forming an apparatus include forming isolation trenches, at least partially filling the isolation trenches with a polysilicon material, and forming word line trenches generally perpendicular to the isolation trenches, the word line trenches having a depth in a word line end region about equal to or greater than a depth thereof in an array region. Word lines may be formed in the word line trenches. Semiconductor devices, vertical memory devices, and apparatuses are formed by such methods. | 03-13-2014 |
20140073100 | Methods Of Forming A Vertical Transistor, Methods Of Forming Memory Cells, And Methods Of Forming Arrays Of Memory Cells - Trenches are formed into semiconductive material. Masking material is formed laterally over at least elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches. Conductivity modifying impurity is implanted through bases of the trenches into semiconductive material there-below. Such impurity is diffused into the masking material received laterally over the elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches and into semiconductive material received between the trenches below a mid-channel portion. An elevationally inner source/drain is formed in the semiconductive material below the mid-channel portion. The inner source/drain portion includes said semiconductive material between the trenches which has the impurity therein. A conductive line is formed laterally over and electrically coupled to at least one of opposing sides of the inner source/drain. A gate is formed elevationally outward of and spaced from the conductive line and laterally adjacent the mid-channel portion. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 03-13-2014 |
20140252532 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - Provided is a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, including the following steps. A substrate having a plurality of pillars is provided, wherein a plurality of trenches are formed around each pillar. A doped region is formed in the substrate and below each pillar. The doped region below each trench is removed to form an opening such that the doped regions below the adjacent pillars are separated from each other. A shielding layer is formed in each opening. | 09-11-2014 |
20140264754 | METHODS OF FORMING DOPED ELEMENTS AND RELATED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE STRUCTURES - Methods of forming doped elements of semiconductor device structures include forming trenches having undercut portions separating stem portions of a substrate. The stem portions extend between a base portion of the substrate and overlying broader portions of the substrate material. A carrier material including a dopant is formed at least on the sides of the stems in the undercut portions of the trenches. The dopant is diffused from the carrier material into the stems. As such, the narrow stem portions of the substrate become doped with a targeted dopant-delivery method. The doped stems may form or be incorporated within buried, doped, conductive elements of semiconductor device structures, such as digit lines of memory arrays. Also disclosed are related semiconductor device structures. | 09-18-2014 |
20140315364 | Methods Of Forming A Vertical Transistor - Trenches are formed into semiconductive material. Masking material is formed laterally over at least elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches. Conductivity modifying impurity is implanted through bases of the trenches into semiconductive material there-below. Such impurity is diffused into the masking material received laterally over the elevationally inner sidewall portions of the trenches and into semiconductive material received between the trenches below a mid-channel portion. An elevationally inner source/drain is formed in the semiconductive material below the mid-channel portion. The inner source/drain portion includes said semiconductive material between the trenches which has the impurity therein. A conductive line is formed laterally over and electrically coupled to at least one of opposing sides of the inner source/drain. A gate is formed elevationally outward of and spaced from the conductive line and laterally adjacent the mid-channel portion. Other embodiments are disclosed. | 10-23-2014 |
20140346652 | BURIED DIGITLINE (BDL) ACCESS DEVICE AND MEMORY ARRAY - A memory array includes a plurality of digitline (DL) trenches extending along a first direction; a buried digitline between the DL trenches; a trench fill material layer sealing an air gap in each of the DL trenches; a plurality of wordline (WL) trenches extending along a second direction; an active chop (AC) trench disposed at one end of the buried digitline; a shield layer in the air gap; and a sidewall conductor around the sidewall of the AC trench. | 11-27-2014 |
20150014766 | Memory Arrays, Semiconductor Constructions, and Methods of Forming Semiconductor Constructions - Some embodiments include memory arrays. The memory arrays may have digit lines under vertically-oriented transistors, with the digit lines interconnecting transistors along columns of the array. Each individual transistor may be directly over only a single digit line, with the single digit line being entirely composed of one or more metal-containing materials. The digit lines can be over a deck, and electrically insulative regions can be directly between the digit lines and the deck. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays. A plurality of linear segments of silicon-containing material may be formed to extend upwardly from a base of the silicon-containing material. The base may be etched to form silicon-containing footings under the linear segments, and the footings may be converted into metal silicide. The linear segments may be patterned into a plurality of vertically-oriented transistor pedestals that extend upwardly from the metal silicide footings. | 01-15-2015 |
20150037961 | METHOD FOR FABRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - Provided is a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, including the following steps. A substrate having a plurality of pillars is provided, wherein a plurality of trenches are formed around each pillar. A doped region is formed in the substrate and below each pillar. The doped region below each trench is removed to form an opening such that the doped regions below the adjacent pillars are separated from each other. A shielding layer is formed in each opening. | 02-05-2015 |