SILICIDES AND LOCAL INTERCONNECTIONS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE VLSI APPLICATIONS

As the minimum VLSI feature size continues to scale down to the 0.1-0. 2-mu m regime, the need for low-resistance local interconnections will become increasingly critical. Although reduction in the MOSFET channe l length will remain the dominant factor in achieving higher circuit p erformance, existing local interconnection materials will impose great er than acceptable performance limitations. We review the state-of-the -art salicide and polycide processes, with emphasis on work at IBM, an d discuss the limitations that pertain to future implementations in hi gh-performance VLSI circuit applications. A brief review of various si licide-based and tungsten-based approaches for forming local interconn ections is presented, along with a more detailed description of a tung sten-based ''damascene'' local interconnection approach.