Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a semiconductor fin including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a third surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The semiconductor device structure further includes a gate electrode layer disposed adjacent the first, third, and fourth surfaces of the semiconductor fin, a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with the semiconductor fin, and a first inner spacer disposed between the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the gate electrode layer. The first inner spacer is in contact with the first source/drain epitaxial feature, and the first inner spacer comprises a first material. The semiconductor device structure further includes a first spacer in contact with the first inner spacer, and the first spacer comprises a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with air spacers and air caps and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a fin structure disposed on the substrate. The fin structure includes a first fin portion and a second fin portion. The semiconductor device further includes a source/drain (S/D) region disposed on the first fin portion, a contact structure disposed on the S/D region, a gate structure disposed on the second fin portion, an air spacer disposed between a sidewall of the gate structure and the contact structure, a cap seal disposed on the gate structure, and an air cap disposed between a top surface of the gate structure and the cap seal.

Abstract: Gate endcap architectures having relatively short vertical stack, and methods of fabricating gate endcap architectures having relatively short vertical stack, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first semiconductor fin along a first direction. A second semiconductor fin is along the first direction. A trench isolation material is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The trench isolation material has an uppermost surface below a top of the first and second semiconductor fins. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin and is along the first direction. The gate endcap isolation structure is on the uppermost surface of the trench isolation material.

Abstract: An electrode structure with an alloy interface is provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a contact structure includes: patterning a via in a first dielectric layer; depositing a barrier layer onto the first dielectric layer, lining the via; depositing and polishing a first metal layer (Element A) into the via to form a contact in the via; depositing a second metal layer (Element B) onto the contact in the via; annealing the first and second metal layers under conditions sufficient to form an alloy AB; depositing a third metal layer onto the second metal layer; patterning the second and third metal layers into a pedestal stack over the contact to form an electrode over the contact, wherein the alloy AB is present at an interface of the electrode and the contact; and depositing a second dielectric that surrounds the pedestal stack. A contact structure is also provided.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to impose stress on a transistor which includes a channel region and a source or drain region each in a fin structure. In an embodiment, a gate structure of the transistor extends over the fin structure, wherein a first spacer portion is at a sidewall of the gate structure and a second spacer portion adjoins the first spacer portion. Either or both of two features are present at or under respective bottom edges of the spacer portions. One of the features includes a line of discontinuity on the fin structure. The other feature includes a concentration of a dopant in the second spacer portion being greater than a concentration of the dopant in the source or drain region. In another embodiment, the fin structure is disposed on a buffer layer, wherein stress on the channel region is imposed at least in part with the buffer layer.

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of fin structures that each protrude vertically upwards out of a substrate and each extend in a first direction in a top view. A gate structure is disposed over the fin structures. The gate structure extends in a second direction in the top view. The second direction is different from the first direction. The fin structures have a fin pitch equal to a sum of: a dimension of one of the fin structures in the second direction and a distance between an adjacent pair of the fin structures in the second direction. An end segment of the gate structure extends beyond an edge of a closest one of the fin structures in the second direction. The end segment has a tapered profile in the top view or is at least 4 times as long as the fin pitch in the second direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a molding, a device in the molding, and a RDL over the device and the molding. The RDL includes a first portion directly over a surface of the molding, and a second portion directly over a surface of the device. A bottom surface of the first portion is in contact with the surface of the molding, and a bottom surface of the second portion is in contact with the surface of the device. The bottom surface of the first portion of the RDL and the bottom surface of the second portion of the RDL are at different levels and misaligned from each other. A thickness of the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for the formation of gate stacks having two or more titanium-aluminum (TiAl) layers with different Al concentrations (e.g., different Al/Ti ratios). For example, a gate structure can include a first TiAl layer with a first Al/Ti ratio and a second TiAl layer with a second Al/Ti ratio greater than the first Al/Ti ratio of the first TiAl layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a semiconductor fin having a first longitudinal extent and a second longitudinal extent. The semiconductor fin has an upper fin portion having a uniform lateral dimension in the first longitudinal extent and the second longitudinal extent, a first subfin portion under the upper fin portion in the first longitudinal extent having a first lateral dimension, and a second subfin portion under the upper fin portion in the second longitudinal extent having a second lateral dimension different than the first lateral dimension. The second subfin may be used in a drain extension region of a laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device. The second subfin reduces subfin current and improves HCI reliability, regardless of the type of LDMOS device.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a fin protruding above a substrate; forming a gate structure over the fin; forming a recess in the fin and adjacent to the gate structure; performing a wet etch process to clean the recess; treating the recess with a plasma process; and performing a dry etch process to clean the recess after the plasma process and the wet etch process.

Abstract: According to one example, a semiconductor structure includes a first set of fin structures, a second set of fin structures, and a dielectric stack positioned between the first set of fin structures and the second set of fin structures. The dielectric stack has a top surface at substantially a same level as top surfaces of the first and second sets of fin structures. The dielectric stack includes a first dielectric material conforming to a bottom and sides of the dielectric stack, a second dielectric material along a top surface of the dielectric stack, and a third dielectric material in a middle of the dielectric stack. The semiconductor structure further includes a gate structure positioned over the first set of fin structures, the second set of fin structures and the dielectric stack.

Abstract: A dummy gate is formed over a substrate. A sacrificial layer is formed over the dummy gate. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) is formed over the dummy gate and over the sacrificial layer. The dummy gate is replaced with a metal-containing gate. The sacrificial layer is removed. A removal of the sacrificial layer leaves air gaps around the metal-containing gate. The air gaps are then sealed.

Abstract: One illustrative IC product disclosed herein includes first and second final gate structures and an insulating gate separation structure positioned between the first and second final gate structures. In one embodiment, the insulating gate separation structure has a stepped bottom surface with a substantially horizontally oriented bottom central surface that is surrounded by a substantially horizontally oriented recessed surface, wherein the substantially horizontally oriented bottom central surface is positioned a first level above the substrate and the substantially horizontally oriented recessed surface is positioned at a second level above the substrate, wherein the second level is greater than the first level.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a semiconductor device, a plurality of photo sensitive regions, a dielectric layer, a grid structure, and a plurality of convex dielectric lenses. The plurality of photo sensitive regions are in the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer is on a backside surface of the semiconductor substrate facing away from the plurality of photo sensitive regions. The grid structure is on a backside surface of the dielectric layer facing away from the semiconductor substrate. The grid structure includes a plurality of grid lines spaced from each other. The plurality of convex dielectric lenses are alternately arranged with the plurality of grid lines of the grid structure on the backside surface of the dielectric layer. Apexes of the plurality of convex dielectric lenses are lower than top ends of the plurality of grid lines of the grid structure.

Abstract: A first dielectric layer is formed over upper and side surfaces of a semiconductor fin structure. A mask layer is formed over a first portion of the first dielectric layer disposed over the upper surface of the fin structure. The mask layer and the first dielectric layer have different material compositions. Second portions of the first dielectric layer disposed on side surfaces of the fin structure are etched. The mask layer protects the first portion of the first dielectric layer from being etched. A second dielectric layer is formed over the mask layer and the side surfaces of the fin structure. An oxidation process is performed to convert the mask layer into a dielectric material having substantially a same material composition as the first or second dielectric layer. The dielectric material and remaining portions of the first or second dielectric layer collectively serve as a gate dielectric of a transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of active fins defined by an isolation layer on a substrate, a gate structure on the active fins and the isolation layer, and a gate spacer structure covering a sidewall of the gate structure. A sidewall of the gate structure includes first, second, and third regions having first, second, and third slopes, respectively. The second slope increases from a bottom toward a top of the second region. The second slope has a value at the bottom of the second region less than the first slope. The third slope is greater than the second slope.

Abstract: Discussed herein is gate spacing in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC structure may include: a first gate metal having a longitudinal axis; a second gate metal, wherein the longitudinal axis of the first gate metal is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the second gate metal; a first dielectric material continuously around the first gate metal; and a second dielectric material continuously around the second gate metal, wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material are present between the first gate metal and the second gate metal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with low parasitic capacitance is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first oxide insulator, an oxide semiconductor, a second oxide insulator, a gate insulating layer, a gate electrode layer, source and drain electrode layers and an insulating layer. The oxide semiconductor includes first to fifth regions. The first region overlaps with the source electrode layer. The second region overlaps with the drain electrode layer. The third region overlaps with the gate electrode layer. The fourth region is between the first region and the third region. The fifth region is between the second region and the third region. The fourth region and the fifth region each contain an element N (N is hydrogen, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, or xenon). A top surface of the insulating layer is positioned at a lower level than top surfaces of the source and drain electrode layers.

Abstract: An SOI semiconductor device includes a substrate, a buried oxide layer disposed on the substrate, a top semiconductor layer disposed on the buried oxide layer, a source doping region and a drain doping region in the top semiconductor layer, a channel region between the source doping region and the drain doping region in the top semiconductor layer, a gate electrode on the channel region, and an embedded doping region disposed in the top semiconductor layer and directly under the channel region. The embedded doping region acts as a hole sink to alleviate or avoid floating body effects.

Abstract: Techniques for dielectric isolation in bulk nanosheet devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a nanosheet device structure with dielectric isolation includes the steps of: optionally implanting at least one dopant into a top portion of a bulk semiconductor wafer, wherein the at least one dopant is configured to increase an oxidation rate of the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer; forming a plurality of nanosheets as a stack on the bulk semiconductor wafer; patterning the nanosheets to form one or more nanowire stacks and one or more trenches between the nanowire stacks; forming spacers covering sidewalls of the nanowire stacks; and oxidizing the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer through the trenches, wherein the oxidizing step forms a dielectric isolation region in the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer. A nanowire FET and method for formation thereof are also provided.