Abstract: Disclosed herein are source/drain regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC structure may include: an array of channel regions, including a first channel region and an adjacent second channel region; a first source/drain region proximate to the first channel region; a second source/drain region proximate to the second channel region; and an insulating material region at least partially between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region.

Abstract: Discussed herein are device contacts in integrated circuit (IC) structures. In some embodiments, an IC structure may include: a first source/drain (S/D) contact; a gate contact, wherein the gate contact is in contact with a gate and with the first S/D contact; and a second S/D contact, wherein a height of the second S/D contact is less than a height of the first S/D contact.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first device having a first source or drain region, and a second device having a second source or drain region that is laterally adjacent to the first source or drain region. A conductive source or drain contact includes (i) a lower portion in contact with the first source or drain region, and extending above the first source or drain region, and (ii) an upper portion extending laterally from above the lower portion to above the second source or drain region. A dielectric material is between at least a section of the upper portion of the conductive source or drain contact and the second source or drain region. In an example, each of the first and second devices is a gate-all-around (GAA) device having one or more nanoribbons, nanowires, or nanosheets as channel regions, or is a finFet structure having a fin-based channel region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are source/drain regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC structure may include: an array of channel regions, including a first channel region and an adjacent second channel region; a first source/drain region proximate to the first channel region; a second source/drain region proximate to the second channel region; and an insulating material region at least partially between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) structure, e.g., for manufacturing a metallization stack portion of an IC structure, with one or more self-aligned vias integrated in the back end of line (BEOL), and related semiconductor devices. The methods may employ direct metal etch for scaling the BEOL pitches of the metallization layers. In one aspect, an example method results in fabrication of a via that is self-aligned to both a metal line above it and a metal line below it. Methods described herein may provide improvements in terms of one or more of reducing the misalignment between vias and electrically conductive structures connected thereto, reducing the RC delays, and increasing reliability if the final IC structures.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are isolation regions in integrated circuit (IC) structures, as well as related methods and components. For example, in some embodiments, an IC component may include: a first region including silicon; a second region including alternating layers of a second material and a third material, wherein the second material includes silicon and germanium, the third material includes silicon, and individual ones of the layers in the second region has a thickness that is less than 3 nanometers; and a third region including alternating layers of the second material and the third material, wherein individual ones of the layers in the third region has a thickness that is greater than 3 nanometers, and the second region is between the first region and the third region.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having a buried power rail are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a device layer including a drain structure having an uppermost surface. A buried power rail is within the device layer and is neighboring the drain structure, the buried power rail having an uppermost surface below the uppermost surface of the drain structure. A top-side power rail is vertically over the buried power rail, the top-side power rail having a bottommost surface above the uppermost surface of the drain structure. A conductive structure is directly coupling the top-side power rail to the buried power rail.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, to integrated circuits with self-aligned tub architectures. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.

Abstract: Gate-all-around structures having neighboring fin-based devices are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first device including a fin above a substrate, and a first gate structure over the fin. The integrated circuit structure also includes a second device including a vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires above a sub-fin structure above the substrate, and a second gate structure surrounding the vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having backside contact self-aligned to epitaxial source or drain region are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of nanowires and a second vertical arrangement of nanowires. A gate stack is over the first and second vertical arrangements of nanowires. First epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires. Second epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires. A conductive structure is vertically beneath and in contact with one of the first epitaxial source or drain structures.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having a metal gate plug landed on a dielectric dummy fin, and methods of fabricating integrated circuit structures having a metal gate plug landed on a dielectric dummy fin, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a sub-fin in a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure. A plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires is over the sub-fin. A gate dielectric material layer is surrounding the horizontally stacked nanowires. A gate electrode structure is over the gate dielectric material layer. A dielectric dummy fin is laterally spaced apart from the plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires, the dielectric dummy fin having a bottommost surface below an uppermost surface of the sub-fin. A dielectric gate plug is on the dielectric dummy fin.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having raised wall structures for epitaxial source or drain region confinement are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of nanowires and a second vertical arrangement of nanowires. A gate stack is over the first and second vertical arrangements of nanowires. First epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires. Second epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires. An intervening dielectric structure is between neighboring ones of the first epitaxial source or drain structures and the second epitaxial source or drain structures. The intervening dielectric structure has a top surface above a top surface of the first and second vertical arrangements of nanowires.

Abstract: A structure includes a first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires having a first width. A second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires is spaced apart from and parallel with the first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires and has the first width. A first gate structure includes a first gate structure portion over the first vertical stack of horizontal nanowires, a second gate structure portion over the second vertical stack of horizontal nanowires, and a gate cut between the first gate structure portion and the second gate structure portion. A third vertical stack of horizontal nanowires has a second width greater than the first width. A fourth vertical stack of horizontal nanowires is spaced apart from and parallel with the third vertical stack of horizontal nanowires and has the second width. A second gate structure is continuous over the third vertical stack of horizontal nanowires and over the fourth vertical stack of horizontal nanowires.

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: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices having gate tie-down structures between the device gate and a buried/backside power rail (BPR). In an example, a semiconductor device includes a conductive material that is part of a transistor gate structure on a semiconductor region. The semiconductor region can be, for example, a fin or a set of one or more nanowires or nanoribbons that extends between a source region and a drain region. A BPR structure is beneath a dielectric layer that is between the BPR structure and the conductive material of the gate structure. A portion of the conductive material also extends through the dielectric material to provide a conductive via between the gate structure and the underlying BPR structure. The conductive material may be, for example, work function and/or metal fill material of the gate electrode of the gate structure.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for protecting integrated circuits from plasma-induced electrostatic discharge (ESD) using a carrier substrate with integrated junctions. According to some embodiments, the various metal features within an interconnect region above a plurality of semiconductor devices are electrically coupled to one or more conductive pads on a bonded carrier substrate. The conductive pads provide a contact to underlying doped regions within the carrier substrate that form one or more PN junctions. This provides the ability to electrically ground metal features in the interconnect region via the carrier substrate. Formation of additional interconnect layers such as those provided during far back end of line (FBEOL) processing, can proceed while causing less plasma-induced ESD damage to the integrated circuit, because the interconnect region is connected to ground of carrier substrate by way of PN junctions, thus providing a discharge path for charge that develops during subsequent processing.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices having different work function metals over different devices. The techniques can be used in any number of integrated circuit applications and are particularly useful with respect to gate-all-around (GAA) transistors. In an example, neighboring semiconductor devices each include a different work function to act as the device gate electrode for each semiconductor device. More specifically, a first semiconductor device may be a p-channel GAA transistor with a first work function metal around the various nanoribbons of the transistor, while the second neighboring semiconductor device may be an n-channel GAA transistor with a second work function metal around the various nanoribbons of the transistor. No portions of the first work function metal are present around the nanoribbons of the second semiconductor device and no portions of the second work function metal are present around the nanoribbons of the first semiconductor device.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices having self-aligned gate cut structures. In an example, neighboring semiconductor devices each include a semiconductor region extending between a source region and a drain region, and a gate layer extending over the semiconductor regions of the neighboring semiconductor devices. A gate cut structure that includes a dielectric material interrupts the gate layer between the neighboring semiconductor devices. Due to the process of forming the gate cut structure, the distance between the gate cut structure and the semiconductor region of one of the neighboring semiconductor devices is substantially the same as (e.g., within 1.5 nm of) the distance between the gate cut structure and the semiconductor region of the other one of the neighboring semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to form semiconductor devices having a multi-layer spacer structure. In an example, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor region extending between a source region and a drain region, and a gate layer extending over the semiconductor region. A spacer structure made up of one or more dielectric layers is present along a sidewall of the gate structure and along a sidewall of the source region or the drain region. The spacer structure has three different portions: a first portion along the sidewall of the gate, a second portion along the sidewall of the source or drain region, and a third portion that connects between the first two portions. The third portion of the spacer structure has a multi-layer configuration while the first and second portions have a fewer number of material layers.

Abstract: Techniques to form self-aligned lateral contacts. In an example, a first trench contact contacts a source or drain region of a transistor. A second trench contact includes non-contiguous first and second portions, each portion having a top surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the first trench contact as well as a top surface of the gate structure. A sidewall of the second trench contact is self-aligned to, and interfaces with, a sidewall of the first trench contact. A via extends from the first portion of the second trench contact to an underlying power rail. In some cases, the second portion of the second trench contact extends over a source or drain region of another transistor, without contacting that source or drain region. The fly-over portion of the second trench contact has a maximum height that is shorter than a maximum height of the first trench contact.