Patent attributes
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of forming a contact opening to a conductive line. In one preferred implementation, a contact opening is formed to a conductive line which overlies a substrate isolation area with an etch which also outwardly exposes substrate active area to accommodate source/drain doping. In another preferred implementation, desired PMOS regions over a substrate into which p-type impurity is to be provided are exposed while a contact opening is contemporaneously formed to at least one conductive line extending over substrate isolation oxide. In another preferred implementation, a contact opening to a conductive line over a substrate and an opening to a laterally spaced substrate active area are formed in a common masking step. In another preferred implementation, desired PMOS active areas over a substrate are exposed and p-type impurity to a first concentration is provided into desired exposed areas. A masking layer is formed over the substrate and subsequently patterned and etched to form openings over source/drain regions. P-type impurity is provided through the openings into the source/drain regions to a second concentration which is greater than the first concentration.
