The present disclosure relates to a MIM capacitor that includes a composite capacitor top metal (CTM) electrode and a composite capacitor bottom metal (CBM) electrode. The composite CBM electrode includes a first diffusion barrier layer overlying a first metal layer, and the composite CTM electrode includes a second diffusion barrier layer overlying a second metal layer. A dielectric layer is arranged over the composite CBM electrode, underlying the composite CTM electrode. The first and second diffusion barrier layers protect the first and second metal layers from metal that diffuses or moves from a metal line underlying the MIM capacitor to the composite CTM and CBM electrodes during manufacture. A method of manufacturing the MIM capacitor is also provided.

Methods of forming germanium-tin films using germane as a precursor are disclosed. Exemplary methods include growing films including germanium and tin in an epitaxial chemical vapor deposition reactor, wherein a ratio of a tin precursor to germane is less than 0.1. Also disclosed are structures and devices including germanium-tin films formed using the methods described herein.

A method of manufacturing a transparent electrode substrate according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a) forming a structure including a transparent base, a bonding layer on a surface of the transparent base, and a metal foil on a surface of the bonding layer opposite the transparent base; b) forming a metal foil pattern by patterning the metal foil; c) heat-treating the structure resulting from b) at a temperature of 70° C. to 100° C.; and d) completely curing the bonding layer. Also, a transparent electrode substrate is disclosed.

Some embodiments include methods of forming voids within semiconductor constructions. In some embodiments the voids may be utilized as microstructures for distributing coolant, for guiding electromagnetic radiation, or for separation and/or characterization of materials. Some embodiments include constructions having micro-structures therein which correspond to voids, conduits, insulative structures, semiconductor structures or conductive structures.

An integrated circuit includes a gate structure over a substrate. A silicon-containing material structure is in each of recesses that are adjacent to the gate structure. The silicon-containing material structure has a first region and a second region, the second region is closer to the gate structure than the first region, and the first region is thicker than the second region.

A bonded wafer structure having a handle wafer, a device wafer, and an interface region with an abrupt transition between the conductivity profile of the device wafer and the handle wafer is used for making semiconductor devices. The improved doping profile of the bonded wafer structure is well suited for use in the manufacture of integrated circuits. The bonded wafer structure is especially suited for making radiation-hardened integrated circuits.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for the application of strain inducing layers to enhance the mobility of transistors formed on semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structures. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit is disclosed. In a first step, active circuitry is formed in an active layer of a SOI wafer. In a second step, substrate material is removed from a substrate layer disposed on a back side of the SOI wafer. In a third step, insulator material is removed from the back side of the SOI wafer to form an excavated insulator region. In a fourth step, a strain inducing material is deposited on the excavated insulator region. The strain inducing material interacts with the pattern of excavated insulator such that a single layer provides both tensile and compressive stress to p-channel and n-channel transistors, respectively. In alternative embodiments, the entire substrate is removed before forming the strain inducing material.

A package-on-package (PoP) device includes a first package, a second package, and a bi-directional thermal electric cooler (TEC). The first package includes a first substrate and a first die coupled to the first substrate. The second package is coupled to the first package. The second package includes a second substrate and a second die coupled to the second substrate. The TEC is located between the first die and the second substrate. The TEC is adapted to dynamically dissipate heat back and forth between the first package and the second package. The TEC is adapted to dissipate heat from the first die to the second die in a first time period. The TEC is further adapted to dissipate heat from the second die to the first die in a second time period. The TEC is adapted to dissipate heat from the first die to the second die through the second substrate.

A method of fabricating an epitaxial layer includes providing a silicon substrate. A dielectric layer covers the silicon substrate. A recess is formed in the silicon substrate and the dielectric layer. A selective epitaxial growth process and a non-selective epitaxial growth process are performed in sequence to respectively form a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer. The first epitaxial layer does not cover the top surface of the dielectric layer. The recess is filled by the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer. Finally, the first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer are planarized.

A method of transferring a thin film from a substrate to a flexible support that includes transfer of the flexible support by a layer of polymer, crosslinkable under ultraviolet light, directly on the thin film, the adhesion energy of the polymer evolving according to its degree of crosslinking, decreasing to an energy point d minimum adhesion achieved for a nominal crosslinking rate, then increasing for a crosslinking rate greater than the nominal crosslinking rate, then apply, on the polymer layer, an ultraviolet exposure parameterized so as to stiffen the polymer layer and have an adhesion energy between the thin film and the flexible support greater than an adhesion energy between the thin film and the substrate, then remove the substrate.