Method of forming an SOI substrate contact

1. A method of forming a conductive via contacting a bulk semiconductor region of a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) substrate, the bulk semiconductor region being separated from a SOI layer of the substrate by a buried dielectric layer, the method comprising:

a) forming a first opening in a conformal layer overlying a trench isolation region, the trench isolation region sharing an edge with the SOI layer and the conformal layer containing either compressive or tensile stress;

b) depositing a dielectric layer atop the conformal layer and the trench isolation region;

c) forming a second opening aligned with the first opening, the second opening extending through the dielectric layer and exposing the bulk semiconductor region; and

d) forming the conductive via in the second opening.

2. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conformal layer includes a stressed nitride liner and the stressed nitride liner applies a stress to a transistor channel region disposed in the SOI layer.

3. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conformal layer includes a first stressed nitride liner and a second stressed nitride liner, the first stressed nitride liner applying a first stress to a channel region of at least one first transistor provided in the SOI layer, and the second stressed nitride liner applying a second stress to a channel region of at least one second transistor provided in the SOI layer.

4. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, simultaneously when forming the second opening, forming a third opening extending through the dielectric layer and the conformal layer to expose a portion of a transistor and, simultaneously when forming the conductive via in the second opening, forming a second conductive via in the third opening.

5. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising implanting a dopant into the bulk semiconductor region to form an implanted region, wherein the first opening is formed in alignment with the implanted region.

6. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising forming the conformal layer, wherein the dopant is implanted into the bulk semiconductor region before the conformal layer is formed.

7. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (c), forming a third opening extending at least partially through the trench isolation region and implanting an ion into the bulk semiconductor region through the third opening.

8. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising forming a masking layer over the conformal layer prior to implanting the ion.

9. A method of forming a conductive via contacting a bulk semiconductor region of a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) substrate, the bulk semiconductor region being separated from a SOI layer of the substrate by a buried dielectric layer, the method comprising:

a) forming a first opening in a first conformal layer overlying a trench isolation region, the trench isolation region sharing an edge with the SOI layer;

b) depositing a second conformal layer overlying the first opening;

c) removing the second conformal layer from the first opening to expose the trench isolation region;

d) depositing a dielectric layer atop the conformal layers and the trench isolation region;

e) forming a second opening aligned with the first opening, the second opening extending through the dielectric layer and exposing the bulk semiconductor region; and

f) forming the conductive via in the second opening.

10. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising forming a first transistor and a second transistor prior to said steps (a) through (c), wherein the first conformal layer lies atop the first transistor and has a first stress being one of tensile stress and compressive stress, and the second conformal layer lies atop the second transistor and has a second stress being one of tensile stress and compressive stress other than the first stress.

11. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising simultaneously with step (c), forming a third opening in the dielectric layer and the conformal layer aligned with at least one of a transistor source region disposed in the SOI layer or a transistor drain region disposed in the SOI layer, and prior to step (d), implanting an ion through the second opening into the bulk semiconductor region at an angle other than a normal angle relative to a major surface of the bulk semiconductor region.

12. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 11 , wherein during the step of implanting the ion, an aspect ratio of the third opening avoids the ion from being implanted into the at least one of the transistor source region or the transistor drain region.

13. A method of forming a conductive via contacting a bulk semiconductor region of a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) substrate, the bulk semiconductor region being separated from a SOI layer of the substrate by a buried dielectric layer, the method comprising:

a) forming a first opening in a conformal layer overlying a trench isolation region, the trench isolation region sharing an edge with the SOI layer;

b) using the conformal layer as a masking layer, extending the first opening through the trench isolation region and the buried dielectric layer to expose the bulk semiconductor region;

c) depositing a dielectric layer to fill the first opening;

d) forming a second opening aligned with the first opening, the second opening extending through the dielectric layer to expose the bulk semiconductor region; and

e) forming the conductive via in the second opening.

14. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising forming a low-resistance layer including a silicide atop the exposed bulk semiconductor region within the first opening prior to step (c).

15. A method of forming a conductive via as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising, simultaneously when forming the second opening, forming a third opening extending through the dielectric layer and the conformal layer to expose a semiconductor region of a transistor and, simultaneously with step (e), forming a second conductive via in the third opening.