Local interconnect for integrated circuits

A conductive local interconnect structure for a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first polycrystalline interconnect layer over said substrate and separated therefrom by a thin gate oxide layer;
• an insulating layer over said substrate and said first polycrystalline silicon interconnect layer, said insulating layer being relatively thicker than the thin gate oxide layer and having openings therethrough to conductive regions within said substrate and to a second underlying conductive structure, wherein said second underlying conductive structure comprises a portion of said first polycrystalline silicon interconnect layer;
• a first patterned polycrystalline silicon layer overlying a portion of said insulating layer, a portion of the second underlying conductive structure, and a portion of a selected conductive region within said substrate;
• and
• first and second connecting polycrystalline silicon regions connected to said first patterned polycrystalline silicon layer and extending to contact the selected conductive substrate region and the second underlying conductive structure, respectively;
• at least a portion of said first patterned polycrystalline silicon layer and said first and second connecting polycrystalline silicon regions containing a refractory metal forming a refractory metal silicide, whereby a refractory metal silicide conductor extends from the selected conductive substrate region to said second underlying conductive structure.