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Reactive absorption into aqueous solutions promoted by carbonic anhydrase (CA, E.C. 4.2.1.1.) has been often proposed as a post-combustion CO

KEY POINTS: Meldonium inhibits endogenous carnitine synthesis and tissue uptake, and accelerates urinary carnitine excretion, although the impact of meldonium-mediated muscle carnitine depletion on whole-body fuel selection, and muscle fuel metabolism and its molecular regulation is under-investigated. Ten days of oral meldonium administration did not impact on food or fluid intake, physical activity levels or body weight gain in the rat, whereas it depleted muscle carnitine content (all moieties), increased whole-body carbohydrate oxidation and muscle and liver glycogen utilization, and reduced whole-body fat oxidation. Meldonium reduced carnitine transporter protein expression across muscles of different contractile and metabolic phenotypes. A TaqMan PCR low-density array card approach revealed the abundance of 189 mRNAs regulating fuel selection was altered in soleus muscle by meldonium, highlighting the modulation of discrete cellular functions and metabolic pathways. These novel findings strongly support the premise that muscle carnitine availability is a primary regulator of fuel selection in vivo. ABSTRACT: The body carnitine pool is primarily confined to skeletal muscle, where it regulates carbohydrate (CHO) and fat usage. Meldonium (3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium)-propionate) inhibits carnitine synthesis and tissue uptake, although the impact of carnitine depletion on whole-body fuel selection, muscle fuel metabolism and its molecular regulation is under-investigated. Male lean Zucker rats received water (control, n = 8) or meldonium-supplemented water (meldonium, n = 8) for 10 days [1.6 g kg-1 body mass (BM) day-1 days 1-2, 0.8 g kg-1 BM day-1 thereafter]. From days 7-10, animals were housed in indirect calorimetry chambers after which soleus muscle and liver were harvested. Food and fluid intake, weight gain and physical activity levels were similar between groups from days 7 to 10. Compared to control, meldonium depleted muscle total carnitine (P < 0.001) and all carnitine esters. Furthermore, whole-body fat oxidation was less (P < 0.001) and CHO oxidation was greater (P < 0.05) compared to the control, whereas soleus and liver glycogen contents were less (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). In a second study, male Wistar rats received water (n = 8) or meldonium-supplemented water (n = 8) as above, and kidney, heart and extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) and soleus muscles were collected. Compared to control, meldonium depleted total carnitine content (all P < 0.001), reduced carnitine transporter protein and glycogen content, and increased pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 mRNA abundance in the heart, EDL and soleus. In total, 189 mRNAs regulating fuel selection were differentially expressed in soleus in meldonium vs. control, and a number of cellular functions and pathways strongly associated with carnitine depletion were identified. Collectively, these data firmly support the premise that muscle carnitine availability is a primary regulator of fuel selection in vivo.

Enzymatic reactive absorption has been investigated as novel environmental friendly technology for post-combustion CO2 capture. The process is based on CO2 absorption in aqueous solutions, the absorption rate is enhanced by the catalytic action of free or immobilized carbonic anhydrase (CA) (E.C. 4.2.1.1), that is the ubiquitous enzyme devoted to CO2 hydration catalysis in Nature. About 10-5 M CA is able to speed up CO2 hydration to bicarbonate so that first order rate constant results between 1 and 103 s-1 thus, close to the rate of reaction between CO2 and amines. In this study we report about three recently developed techniques for the use of CA. In particular, our studies focused on the development of CA covalently attached to paramagnetic nanoparticles, on CA made insoluble in the form of Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates, and on CA available as enzyme entrapped in the debris of periplasmic membrane from bacteria cell lysate. These forms of solid biocatalysts were characterized and compared in terms of their apparent kinetics so that a preliminary assessment of their performances in real CO2 capture units (absorption column) was done. Finally, we analyzed some perspectives on two alternative routes for CO2 utilization processes based on the exploitation of bicarbonate ions form enzymatic reactive CO2 absorption. First, bicarbonate ions can be supplemented to microalgae cultivation to overcome the issue of gaseous substrates supply to photo-bioreactors. The second alternative is based on the coupling of enzymatic capture enhanced by CA with carboxylation reactions in an enzyme cascade process.

Achieving low p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) threshold voltages with metal gates and high-k dielectrics is challenging with conventional gate-first complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor process integration. This study, for the first time, explores the tradeoffs in using different combinations of thin-strained Si1 - x Gex channels, boron counterdopings, Si capping layers, and different metal-gate electrodes to obtain low PMOS threshold voltages with metal gate on high-k dielectrics in a gate-first integration technology. Device simulations are used to explain the experimental threshold voltage trends with varying Si1 - x Gex thicknesses, boron counterdopings, and gate work functions.

Significant deviations in BTI characteristics for metal gate HfO/sub 2/ films compared to silicon oxide based films prove that conventional reliability models based on SiO/sub 2/ films can no longer be directly applied to HfO/sub 2/ based MOSFETS. This study shows the use of conventional accelerated reliability testing in the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling regime to extrapolate time to failure at operating voltages (direct tunneling regime) overestimates device lifetimes. Additionally, unlike conventional gate oxides, the slope of /spl Delta/V/sub t/ versus time (or the rate of charge trapping) in HfO/sub 2/ MOSFETS is dependent on stress voltage. The HfO/sub 2/ based metal gated nMOSFETS show poor PBTI characteristics and do not meet the 10 year lifetime criterion for threshold voltage stability. On the other hand, HfO/sub 2/ based pMOSFETS show superior NBTI behavior and meet the 10 year lifetime criterion. These results are contrary to the observations with conventional gate dielectrics. This paper explores the anomalous charge trapping behavior and provides a comprehensive study of the PBTI characteristics and recovery mechanisms in metal gated HfO/sub 2/ films.

The selection of a biocatalyst for the development of a biomimetic CCS processes has several constraints. In particular, Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) must be active and stable at both temperature and ionic strength typical of CO2 absorption units. The present contribution concerns the kinetic assessment of a recombinant CA identified and characterized in the thermophilic bacterium, Sulfurihydrogenibium sp.. This enzyme is thermostable and thermoactive up to 100 °C and is resistant to common protein denaturants. The experimental apparatus consisted of a 2 L stirred cell reactor. The procedure was based on the assessment of absorption rate. The system was previously validated with respect to bovine carbonic anhydrase. Tests were carried out with aqueous solutions characterized by a wide spectrum of composition (NaCO3-NaHCO3, KaCO3-KHCO3, ...). CA concentration was changed over a wide interval. Long-term stability of the recombinant CA was also assayed. Tests with the recombinant CA at 25°C in 0.5 M NaCO3-0.5 M NaHCO3 buffer at pH 9.6 yielded kcat/Km =272 m3/(kg s). Assuming for CA the MW=29kDa, kcat/Km resulted 7.9 109 m3/(mol s). Performances of the recombinant CA were assessed in K2CO3 solutions, one of the aqueous solvent commonly adopted for CO2 absorption on industrial scale. A mass transfer enhancement factor of 4 was assessed at: 20%w K2CO3 solution, carbon loading 1.2, CA concentration of 15 kg/m3 at 25°C. Some tests were carried out with CA immobilized in polyurethane foam granules, as a first attempt at CA immobilization. The enhancement factor of CA immobilized was assessed.

The microstructure of inlaid Cu lines has been quantified as a function of annealing conditions, post-plating, and post-CMP. The grain size distribution was measured using the median intercept method, crystallographic texture was characterized by pole figure analysis, and mechanical stress was determined using x-ray diffraction. The median grain size and mechanical stress level increase with increasing anneal temperature. The crystallographic texture is independent of the anneal temperature and is predominantly (111) with a small fraction of sidewall-nucleated (111) grains. The (111) grains nucleated from the trench bottom have a preferred in-plane orientation. The grain growth in the trench is independent of that in the overburden.

Thin SiGe-channel confinement is found to provide significant control of the short channel effects typically associated with nonbandedge gate electrodes, in an analogous manner to ultrathin-body approaches. Gate workfunction requirements for thin-SiGe-channel p-type field effect transistors are therefore relaxed substantially more than what is expected from a simple observation of the difference between gate and channel workfunctions. In particular, thin-SiGe channels are shown to enable cost-effective high-performance bulk CMOS technologies with a single gate workfunction near the conduction bandedge. Buried channel, gate workfunction, metal gate, SiGe-channel confinement effects, SiGe-channel MOSFET, silicon germanium, ultrathin-body (UTB).

For Al–Cu VLSI interconnects at tungsten (W) plug contact/via areas, a new electromigration (EM) failure model has been established. A series of experiments was performed to verify the proposed model using novel test structures. This paper discusses the lifetime extrapolations using the model and experimental data which predicts that lifetimes of Al–Cu interconnects at use conditions are dominated by Cu drift, or incubation times. This paper also discusses EM experimental results obtained for the Al-filled via which is a promising candidate for replacing W plug vias due to requirements of process simplification and cost reduction in multilevel metallizations. EM failure distributions from Al-filled vias show large standard deviations. This observation is explained through extensive failure analysis of EM-failed specimens. The application of the established EM model to Al-filled vias is discussed.

This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice of registered nurses (N = 120) regarding pain management. Data were collected from nine varied clinical units in a large, university-affiliated, teaching hospital in an urban area of the Northeast. Demographic information was also collected to explore the relationship between nurses' characteristics, including previous pain education, clinical experience, area of clinical practice, and other variables, and knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice. Three instruments were used in the study: (a) the Pain Management: Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey; (b) a 12-item demographic questionnaire; and (c) a Pain Audit Tool (PAT) to gather data regarding pain assessment, documentation, and treatment practices from charts. Mean scores from the nursing knowledge and attitudes survey on pain revealed knowledge deficits and inconsistent responses in many areas related to pain management (mean, 62%; range, 41%-90%). The top two nurse-ranked barriers to pain management were related to patient reluctance to report pain and to take opioids for pain relief. Demographic data revealed that education about pain was most inadequate in the following areas: nonpharmacological interventions to relieve pain, the difference between acute and chronic pain, and the anatomy and physiology of pain. Chart audits with the Pain Audit Tool revealed that 76% of the charts (N = 82) lacked documentation of the use of a patient self-rating tool by nurses to assess pain, despite a high reported use (76%) of such a self-rating tool. Adjunct medications were ordered with some consistency, but appeared to be underutilized. This was especially true of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (mean use, 1%). Ninety percent of the charts had no documentation of the use of nonpharmacological interventions to relieve pain. Although this clinical setting has policies and resources in place regarding the management of pain, it would appear that they are not optimal. Practical recommendations are presented for increasing nurses' knowledge about pain management; improving the quality and the consistency of the assessment, documentation and treatment of pain; and disseminating pain management information.

Mucosal surfaces represent a natural colonization site for Gram-negative bacteria. We have already demonstrated the biologic role of Salmonella typhimurium porins in vitro and in vivo. In this paper we studied mucosal and systemic interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) production in systematically challenged mice or after intravesical administration of LPS or porins from S. typhimurium. It was found that serum IL-6 levels increased in BALB/c mice 4 h after receiving either i.v. LPS or porins from S. typhimurium. The porin challenge was stronger. Serum IL-6 levels were higher after porins than after LPS. IL-6 was not detected in the urine of i.v. challenged mice. Findings regarding IL-6 urine levels in intravesically treated mice were comparable. In porin-challenged mice they decreased more slowly than the LPS-challenged ones. IL-6 was not detected in the serum of intravesically challenged mice. In i.v. LPS-challenged mice, serum TNFα levels peaked earlier (at 2 h) than the IL-6 levels. A higher 2 h peak was instead seen in porin-challenged mice. TNFα was not detected in the urine of i.v. challenged mice. With intravesical LPS challenge, urinary TNFα levels peaked at 24 h, whereas in the porin-challenged mice the peak occurred 12 h earlier and was higher. Serum samples revealed no detectable TNFα. These findings confirm that both porins and LPS activate the mucosal response, without any systemic involvement, as, for example, in patients with diseases such as pyelonephritis or gastroenteritis.

Utilizing a Mo–Si multilayer coated Schwarzschild objective to focus 95 eV photons, we have recently demonstrated better than 0.1 μm resolution as a scanning x‐ray transmission microscope. Operating as a scanning photoemission microscope with submicron resolution, we have demonstrated its chemical mapping capabilities by studying a patterned Al/AlOx test structure. In addition, we have also studied the cleaved GaAs(110) surface and have identified lateral variations in the surface band bending on the scale of 100 meV. In both experiments, core level microspectroscopy was performed at selected points on the sample to elucidate the image contrast mechanisms.

We present the first results from the upgraded version of the scanning photoemission spectromicroscope MAXIMUM, bared on synchrotron undulator fight and on a multilayer-coated Schwarzschild objective. The upgrade involved nearly all parts of the instrument, notably the beamline and the electron analysis system. Micro-images of Fresnel zone plates and of metal test patterns on semiconductor substrates reached a new record in lateral resolution, well beyond 0.1 micron. The first spectromicroscopy tests were also successfully performed on the new instrument, with analysis of f and d core levels in different systems.

The impact of low-k dielectrics on the reliability of advanced Cu interconnects is of growing importance. As a first step to understanding this impact, we have investigated the effect of two types of polymeric low-k materials on the electromigration (EM) behavior of multilevel Al(Cu) interconnects. The two polymers used as interlevel dielectrics in this work are a fluorinated polyimide and a poly(aryl) ether. Joule heating experiments and microstructural analysis were both conducted on Al(Cu) to ensure that there were no significant microstructural or thermal differences between the polymer samples and their oxide counterparts. The resulting EM behavior can then be directly attributed to differences in the mechanical properties of the low-k and oxide interlevel dielectrics. We have observed that the low-k samples had a higher steady-state drift rate and did not reach saturation, resulting in shorter EM lifetimes. These results indicate that the short length is greatly modified with the incorporation of me...

Based on the TID evaluation using Co-60 radiation source, we conclude that both gate oxide and the buried oxide of core 45nm SOI technology are robust. Investigation of radiation properties of the edge effect of the core devices and the input-output devices are necessary to have a complete assessment of the 45nm SOI technology. This will be done in the future.

The early failure issue in electromigration (EM) has been an unresolved subject of study over the last several decades. A satisfying experimental approach for the detection and analysis of early failures has not been established yet. In this study, a technique utilizing large interconnect arrays in conjunction with the well-known Wheatstone Bridge is presented. A total of more than 20 000 interconnects were tested. The results indicate that the EM failure mechanism studied here follows lognormal behavior down to the four sigma level.

Neuron networks have been imaged with the scanning photoelectron microscope MAXIMUM, showing details in the submicron range such as axons, dendrites and their synapses. These results, obtained with the scanning photoemission microscope MAXIMUM, demonstrate that photoemission can reach the lateral resolution required for the life sciences, and prepare the way to the future use in the life sciences of techniques such as ESCA.

We present the first results of high‐spatial resolution x‐ray imaging studies with an upgraded version of the scanning photoemission multiple application x‐ray imaging undulator microscope. The microscope is a multilayer coated Schwarzschild objective that focuses undulator radiation onto the sample. The recent upgrade improved the spatial resolution by a factor six reaching a full width at half maximum value of 0.5 μm. Highly polished mirrors reduced the diffuse background by almost two orders of magnitude and drastically improved the contrast. The improved microscope was used to perform a series of tests on microgrids and reverse Fresnel zone plates. The microscope capability to detect chemical and topological contrast was verified by using patterned metal overlayers on Si and GaAs substrates. Further improvements to increase the flux and the spatial resolution are underway; this includes the installation of a new undulator beamline.

Results of synchrotron-radiation photoemission, inverse-photoemission, and low-energy electron diffraction studies of the Bi/GaAs(110) interface over the temperature range 20 to 300 K are presented. At 300 K, the first Bi monolayer grows in zigzag chains along the [11\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0] direction to form an ordered (1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) overlayer. This overlayer is semiconducting with a gap of 0.7 eV. Continued deposition results in Bi island growth atop the initial monolayer (ML) and conversion from semiconducting to semimetallic character. Bi deposition at 50 K results in layer-by-layer growth with no long-range order. Temperature- and coverage-dependent studies of band bending show symmetric behavior for n- and p-type GaAs(110) with matched bulk dopant concentrations. For 300-K deposition, the Fermi level ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ moves rapidly toward final positions 0.74 and 0.98 eV below the conduction-band minimum for n- and p-type GaAs doped at ${10}^{17}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$. For 50-K deposition, the bands remain nearly flat to coverages of 1--2 ML where ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ moves rapidly toward midgap. Significantly, both techniques also show that Fermi-level movement is thermally reversible, such that the position of ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ in the surface band gap depends on temperature. A small part of the ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{F}}$ movement is due to nonequilibrium processes involving the creation of electron-hole pairs by the incident photon or electron beam followed by the transport of the minority carriers to the surface region by the electric field in the depletion region. This surface voltage is most important at low temperature, and studies which vary the incident photon flux by over 3 orders of magnitude establish that the photovoltage has a small (\ensuremath{\le}100 meV), but non-negligible, effect on the band bending measured under ``normal'' experimental conditions. Hence, equilibrium processes control coupling of substrate and adsorbate-induced states in the GaAs band gap through the semiconductor depletion region and they determine the temperature-dependent interface band bending.

Abrupt interfaces with no observed substrate disruption are produced by a novel method of metal-semiconductor junction formation. This method involves the condensation of a thin Xe buffer layer on cleaved surfaces to isolate the semiconductor from impinging metal atoms. This Xe buffer layer provides a surface upon which the metal atoms diffuse, nucleate, and grow into metallic clusters. These clusters are then brought into contact with the substrate when the Xe is thermally desorbed. The result is an abrupt, nondisrupted, nearly ideal interface. Photoemission studies of Al, Ag, Au, Ga, Ti, and Co clusters grown on n- and p-type GaAs(110) show unique Fermi-level positions \ensuremath{\sim}0.3 and 1.0 eV below the conduction-band minimum, respectively, that are nearly metal and coverage independent. We find no evidence that metal-induced gap states or conventional defect levels are important in determining the Fermi-level position in the gap, but photoemission results indicate surface unrelaxation around the clusters. This unrelaxation results in the reappearance of states in the gap. High-resolution electron-microscopy results for Au(clusters)/GaAs(110) show intimate contact with no intermixing at the interface, with sintering of Au clusters to form an interconnected network of metal islands at high coverages. Comparisons of these results with those for interfaces formed by atom deposition at 60 and 300 K emphasize the novel properties of the cluster interface.

We present a low cost, single metal gate/high-k gate stack integration, which provides a very high performing NMOS coupled with a counter-doped PMOS for a 45nm low power (LP) CMOS technology. Inversion Tox (Tinv) values of 16Aring/18Aring (NMOS/PMOS) result in gate leakage current densities of 0.1/0.01 A/cm 2 and enable self-heated drive currents of 850/325muA/mum at 1nA/mum off-state leakage and Vdd=1V (900/340muA/mum non-self-heated). Additionally, the NMOS drive current of 1550 muA/mum (1650muA/mum non-self-heated) at an Ioff = 100nA/mum and Vdd=1.2V is the highest reported for a hafnium-based high-k gate stack. The approach is compatible with a dual-gate oxide (DGO) module for I/O devices and allows optimization for performance and power typically only possible in triple gate oxide architectures

For the first time, we report on the beneficial result for minimizing the activation thermal budget using LASER anneals with metal-oxide-gate-electrode/high-k dielectric MOSFETs. With LASER activation, EOT for PMOS conductive metal-oxide gated devices is reduced 4-5Aring compared to conventional RTP activation methods leading to more aggressive ultimate CMOS scaling when using a conductive metal-oxide for the PMOS gate electrode

Using a novel fluorinated TaxCy/high-k gate stack, we show breakthrough device reliability and performance improvements. This is a critical result since threshold voltage instability may be a fundamental problem and performance degradation for high-k is a concern. The novel fluorinated gate stack device exceeds the PBTI and NBTI targets with sufficient margin and has electron mobility comparable to the best polySi/SiON device on bulk Si reported so far

For the first time we report on the development of a novel hafnium zirconate (HfZrOx) gate dielectric with a TaxCy metal gate. Compared to HfO2, the new HfZrOx gate dielectric showed: (1) higher transconductance, (2) less charge trapping, (3) higher drive current, (4) lower NMOS Vt, (5) reduced C-V hysteresis, (6) lower interface state density, (7) superior wafer-level thickness uniformity, and (8) longer PBTI lifetime. We attribute these improvements to a microstructure that is modified by addition of Zr to HfO2

Threshold voltage instability is a critical problem for high-K dielectric implementation. This problem is much more serious for short channel devices due to process induced gate edge damage. A novel stress relieved pre-oxide (SRPO) followed by ALD of HfO/sub 2/ reduces the local charge density near the gate edge and short channel threshold voltage instability. Excellent cross wafer CETinv uniformity is achieved for the SRPO process. A new tantalum carbon alloy metal gate achieves a lower Vtsat than TaSiN gated devices due to a lower work function. Compared to HfO/sub 2//TaSiN devices using standard RCA pre-clean, HfO/sub 2//tantalum carbon alloy metal gate stack using the novel SRPO demonstrates a 3/spl times/ smaller Vt shift for short channel devices and a 16% Ion/Ioff improvement.

Integration challenges for metal gate electrodes including the presence of Fermi level pinning and the impact of interface chemistry on the effective metal work function are discussed. Gate stack thermal instabilities are explored, and for the first time results using tantalum-carbon based electrodes are presented.

It is well accepted that one of the key parasitic resistances in ULSI transistors is the contact resistance between the silicide and the doped source/drain. In this paper, we investigate the individual components of this parameter. We show that the contact length is already a contributor at the 90 and 65nm nodes. Changing active doping in the Si via dose/energy modulations can reduce contact resistance in a low temperature flow, but not sufficiently to match results at high temperature. The largest knob is barrier height, leading some to consider moving to 2 different materials for contact to N+ and P+ regions (to replace a single silicide) which, although more complicated for processing may provide significant reductions in resistance. Using modifications to standard test structures and evaluation techniques, it becomes feasible to isolate the individual components of resistance, and to make significant progress in reducing this resistance.

We have examined the impact of small and systematic changes at the metal/dielectric interface on metal work-function and report on Fermi level pinning of TaN, TaSiN and TiN gates on SiO/sub 2/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and HfO/sub 2/ for the first time. The shifts in work-function agree in most cases with the MIGS theory if accurate theoretical parameters are used.

As traditional poly-silicon gated MOSFET devices scale, the additional series capacitance due to poly-silicon depletion becomes an increasingly large fraction of the total gate capacitance, excessive boron penetration causes threshold voltage shifts, and the gate resistance is elevated. To solve these problems and continue aggressive device scaling we are studying metal electrodes with suitable work-functions and sufficient physical and electrical stability. Our studies of metal gates on HfO2 indicate that excessive inter-diffusion, inadequate phase stability, and interfacial reactions are mechanisms of failure at source drain activation temperatures that must be considered during the electrode selection process. Understanding the physical properties of the metal gate – HfO2 interface is critical to understanding the electrical behavior of MOS devices. Of particular interest is Fermi level pinning, a phenomenon that occurs at metal – dielectric interfaces which causes undesirable shifts in the effective metal work function. The magnitude of Fermi level pinning on HfO2 electrodes is studied with Pt and LaB6 electrodes. In addition, the intrinsic and extrinsic contributions to Fermi level pinning of platinum electrodes on HfO2 gate dielectrics are investigated by examining the impact of oxygen and forming gas anneals on the work function of platinum-HfO2-silicon capacitors. The presence of interfacial oxygen vacancies or Pt-Hf bonds is believed to be responsible for a degree of pinning that is stronger than predicted from the MIGS model alone. Interface chemistry and defects influence the effective metal work function.

The continual downward scaling of devices and increases in drive current have required an ever shrinking interconnect pitch and higher current densities. In order to overcome both the higher signal delay, as well as reliability concerns, new metallization technologies like Cu interconnects and low‐k interlevel dielectrics have been developed. The implementation of inlaid Cu interconnects introduces a new set of material systems and geometries which results in new mass transport and failure mechanisms under electromigration. This study focuses on the characterization and understanding of electromigration‐induced failures in advanced, 0.13 μm technology node Cu interconnects. Statistically based methodologies, using multi‐link test structures, were developed and used to further understand the reliability of these advanced interconnects. Single‐inlaid structures designed to test both the upper and lower interfaces associated with a Cu via were used to understand the role of void formation and interconnect ge...

Against a backdrop of the latest ITRS predictions for CMOS junctions, we compare methods for dopant introduction and activation, methods for making contact to these regions, and methods for measurement of material and device properties. As activation without diffusion (sub-melt laser, capacitor discharge flash, or solid phase epitaxy) becomes more feasible, the burden on Xj, Rsh and abruptness falls on the implanters, and the process margin appears slim, opening the door for other methods of doping. For contact resistance, a major component of transistor parasitics, we find that either a move to a different substrate, or from a single midgap silicide to two band-edge metals/silicides can be quite beneficial. Through the use of simple test structures, we describe a means of extracting each component of the parasitic resistance, facilitating development of materials for CMOS junctions.