An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.

Semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof

Beams of electrons and ions are now fairly routinely focused to dimensions in the nanometer range. Since the beams can be used to locally alter material at the point where they are incident on a surface, they represent direct nanofabrication tools. The authors will focus here on direct fabrication rather than lithography, which is indirect in that it uses the intermediary of resist. In the case of both ions and electrons, material addition or removal can be achieved using precursor gases. In addition ions can also alter material by sputtering (milling), by damage, or by implantation. Many material removal and deposition processes employing precursor gases have been developed for numerous practical applications, such as mask repair, circuit restructuring and repair, and sample sectioning. The authors will also discuss structures that are made for research purposes or for demonstration of the processing capabilities. In many cases the minimum dimensions at which these processes can be realized are considerably larger than the beam diameters. The atomic level mechanisms responsible for the precursor gas activation have not been studied in detail in many cases. The authors will review the state of the art and level of understanding of direct ion and electron beam fabrication and point out some of the unsolved problems.

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Gas-assisted focused electron beam and ion beam processing and fabrication

Focused electron-beam-induced (FEB-induced) deposition and etching are versatile, direct-write nanofabrication schemes that allow for selective deposition or removal of a variety of materials. Fundamentally, these processes are governed by an electron-induced reaction with a precursor vapor, which may either result in decomposition to a solid deposit or formation of a volatile etch by-product. The ability to induce such localized reactions by placement of a nanometer-sized focused electron probe has recently drawn considerable attention. In response, we have reviewed much of the relevant literature pertaining to both focused electron-beam-induced etching and deposition. Because these nanoscale processing techniques are still in their relative infancy, a significant amount of scientific research is being conducted to understand, and hence improve, the processes. This article summarizes the associated physics of electron-solid-vapor interactions, discusses related physical processes, and provides an introdu...

Focused, Nanoscale Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition and Etching

A package system includes a first integrated circuit disposed over an interposer. The interposer includes at least one molding compound layer including a plurality of electrical connection structures through the at least one molding compound layer. A first interconnect structure is disposed over a first surface of the at least one molding compound layer and electrically coupled with the plurality of electrical connection structures. The first integrated circuit is electrically coupled with the first interconnect structure.

Package systems having interposers

Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ion sources, systems and methods can exhibit relatively little undesired vibration and/or can sufficiently dampen undesired vibration. This can enhance performance (e.g., increase reliability, stability and the like). In certain embodiments, the ion sources, systems and methods can enhance the ability to make tips having desired physical attributes (e.g., the number of atoms on the apex of the tip). This can enhance performance (e.g., increase reliability, stability and the like).

Ion sources, systems and methods

A method and apparatus for clocking an integrated circuit. The apparatus includes an integrated circuit having a clock driver disposed in a first side of a semiconductor substrate, and a clock distribution network coupled to the clock driver and disposed in a second side of the semiconductor substrate to send a clock signal to clock an area of the integrated circuit.

Method for distributing a clock on the silicon backside of an integrated circuit

In recent years, helium ion microscopy has produced high resolution images with novel contrast mechanisms. However, when using any charged particle beam, one must consider the potential for sample damage. In this article, the authors will consider helium ion induced damage thresholds as compared to other more traditional charged-particle-beam technologies, as a function of dose, dose rate, and beam energy, and describe potential applications operating regimes.

Subsurface damage from helium ions as a function of dose, beam energy, and dose rate

Summary
The success of the helium ion microscope has encouraged extensions of this technology to produce beams of other ion species. A review of the various candidate ion beams and their technical prospects suggest that a neon beam might be the most readily achieved. Such a neon beam would provide a sputtering yield that exceeds helium by an order of magnitude while still offering a theoretical probe size less than 1-nm. This article outlines the motivation for a neon gas field ion source, the expected performance through simulations, and provides an update of our experimental progress. SCANNING 33: 129–134, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The prospects of a subnanometer focused neon ion beam.

A backside interconnect structure is used to deliver power through the substrate to the front side of an integrated circuit. One or more power planes are formed on the backside of the substrate and coupled to power nodes on the front side by deep vias in the substrate. In a specific embodiment of the invention, power planes are coupled through the substrate to front side metal lines, well taps and external connection points. Placing power planes on the opposite side of the substrate from the signal interconnects allows the use of low dielectric constant materials between signal lines, while using high dielectric constant materials between power planes thus increasing decoupling capacitance without increasing parasitic capacitance between signal lines.

Substrate interconnect for power distribution on integrated circuits

Semiconductor manufacturing technology nodes will evolve to the 22, 15, and 11 nm generations in the next few years. For semiconductor nanomachining applications, further beam spot size scaling is required beyond what is capable by present generation Ga+ focused ion beam technology. As a result, continued Ga+ beam scaling and/or alternative beam technology innovations will be required. In this work, several alternative ion beam technologies are explored and compared to Ga+ beam for key nanomachining and substrate interaction attributes. First, thorough Monte Carlo simulations were conducted with various ion species incident on silicon and copper. Additionally, silicon and copper substrates were experimentally exposed to ion beams of helium, neon, and gallium. These substrates were subsequently analyzed to determine the sputter yields and subsurface damage.

Richard H. Livengood

Papers

Method for distributing a clock on the silicon backside of an integrated circuit

Subsurface damage from helium ions as a function of dose, beam energy, and dose rate

The prospects of a subnanometer focused neon ion beam.

Substrate interconnect for power distribution on integrated circuits

Gas field ion source and liquid metal ion source charged particle material interaction study for semiconductor nanomachining applications