Ensuring migratability of circuits by masking portions of the circuits while improving performance of other portions of the circuits
US7537997B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 5, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 26, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D30/0227
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Mechanisms for ensuring the migratability of circuits into future technologies while minimizing fabrication costs and maintaining or improving power efficiency are provided. A mask layer is introduced to portions of the integrated circuit prior to a stress inducing layer being applied to the integrated circuit. In an exemplary embodiment, a tensile or compressive film is applied to the devices on the integrated circuit chip but is removed from those devices whose operation is to be modified. Thereafter, a tensile or compressive strain layer is applied to the devices whose film was removed. An additional mask layer may then be used to effect a halo or well implant to relax the strain on the devices not being protected by the mask layer. In this way, the current of the non-protected devices is reduced back to its original target design point.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.