Abstract: Provided is a device including a fin structure and methods for forming such a device. A method includes forming an initial fin having a sidewall. Further, the method includes forming an additional layer of fin material over the sidewall, wherein the additional layer has a thickness. Also, the method includes adjusting the thickness of the additional layer of fin material to form a fin structure with a desired critical dimension.

Abstract: Methods for improving sealing between contact plugs and adjacent dielectric layers and semiconductor devices formed by the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer over a conductive feature, a first portion of the first dielectric layer including a first dopant; a metal feature electrically coupled to the conductive feature, the metal feature including a first contact material in contact with the conductive feature; a second contact material over the first contact material, the second contact material including a material different from the first contact material, a first portion of the second contact material further including the first dopant; and a dielectric liner between the first dielectric layer and the metal feature, a first portion of the dielectric liner including the first dopant.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes forming a target layer over a semiconductor substrate, forming a carbon-rich hard masking layer over the target layer, patterning features in the carbon-rich hard masking layer using an etching process, performing a directional ion beam trimming process on the features patterned in the carbon-rich hard masking layer, and patterning the target layer using the carbon-rich hard masking layer as a mask.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a source/drain region and a gate electrode adjacent the source/drain region, forming a hard mask over the gate electrode, forming a bottom mask over the source/drain region, wherein the gate electrode is exposed, and performing a nitridation process on the hard mask over the gate electrode. The bottom mask remains over the source/drain region during the nitridation process and is removed after the nitridation. The method further includes forming a silicide over the source/drain region after removing the bottom mask.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first semiconductor strip over a substrate, the first semiconductor strip including a first channel region; a second semiconductor strip over the substrate, the second semiconductor strip including a second channel region; a dielectric strip disposed between the first semiconductor strip and the second semiconductor strip, a width of the dielectric strip decreasing along a first direction extending away from the substrate, the dielectric strip including a void; and a gate structure extending along the first channel region, along the second channel region, and along a top surface and sidewalls of the dielectric strip.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a dummy gate structure over a substrate. The dummy gate structure has a dummy gate dielectric layer and a dummy gate electrode layer. Sidewall spacers including one or more layers of insulating materials are formed on sidewalls of the dummy gate structure. A silicon based liner is formed over the sidewall spacers. A first insulating layer is formed over the silicon based liner. The silicon based liner and the first insulating layer are thermally treating causing a reduction in a volume of the first insulating layer and an increase in a volume of the silicon based liner. The dummy gate structure is removed to form a gate space in the first insulating layer. The gate space is formed with a high-k dielectric layer and a first conductive layer.

Abstract: To reduce a thickness variation of a spin-on coating (SOC) layer that is applied over a plurality of first and second trenches with different pattern densities as a bottom layer in a photoresist stack, a two-step thermal treatment process is performed on the SOC layer. A first thermal treatment step in the two-step thermal treatment process is conducted at a first temperature below a cross-linking temperature of the SOC layer to cause flow of the SOC layer, and a second thermal treatment step in the two-step thermal treatment process is conducted at a second temperature to cause cross-linking of the SOC layer.

Abstract: Embodiment described herein provide a thermal treatment process following a high-pressure anneal process to keep hydrogen at an interface between a channel region and a gate dielectric layer in a field effect transistor while removing hydrogen from the bulk portion of the gate dielectric layer. The thermal treatment process can reduce the amount of threshold voltage shift caused by a high-pressure anneal. The high-pressure anneal and the thermal treatment process may be performed any time after formation of the gate dielectric layer, thus, causing no disruption to the existing process flow.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a patterned structure on a substrate, the patterned structure including a dielectric layer and a dummy gate structure disposed in the dielectric layer; and subjecting the patterned structure to an ion implantation process so as to modulate a profile of the dummy gate structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of an ion cryo-implantation process utilize a post implantation heating stage to heat the implanted wafer while under the heavy vacuum used during cryo-implantation. The implanted wafer is then transferred to load locks which are held at a lesser vacuum than the heavy vacuum.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: etching a trench in a substrate; depositing a liner material in the trench with an atomic layer deposition process; depositing a flowable material on the liner material and in the trench with a contouring flowable chemical vapor deposition process; converting the liner material and the flowable material to a solid insulation material, a portion of the trench remaining unfilled by the solid insulation material; and forming a hybrid fin in the portion of the trench unfilled by the solid insulation material.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for the fabrication of isolation structures between source/drain (S/D) epitaxial structures of stacked transistor structures. The method includes depositing an oxygen-free dielectric material in an opening over a first epitaxial structure, where the oxygen-free dielectric material covers top surfaces of the first epitaxial structure and sidewall surfaces of the opening. The method also includes exposing the oxygen-free dielectric material to an oxidizing process to oxidize the oxygen-free dielectric material so that the oxidizing process does not oxidize a portion of the oxygen-free dielectric material on the first epitaxial structure. Further, etching the oxidized oxygen-free dielectric material and forming a second epitaxial layer on the oxygen-free dielectric material not removed by the etching to substantially fill the opening.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first semiconductor strip over a substrate, the first semiconductor strip including a first channel region; a second semiconductor strip over the substrate, the second semiconductor strip including a second channel region; a dielectric strip disposed between the first semiconductor strip and the second semiconductor strip, a width of the dielectric strip decreasing along a first direction extending away from the substrate, the dielectric strip including a void; and a gate structure extending along the first channel region, along the second channel region, and along a top surface and sidewalls of the dielectric strip.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a first oxide layer over a semiconductor fin structure; performing a first nitridation process to convert the first oxide layer to an oxynitride layer; depositing a silicon-containing layer over the oxynitride layer; performing a first anneal on the silicon-containing layer, wherein after performing the first anneal, the oxynitride layer has a higher nitrogen atomic concentration at an interface with the semiconductor fin structure than in a bulk region of the oxynitride layer; and forming a dummy gate structure over the silicon-containing layer.

Abstract: An annealing apparatus includes: a first chamber including a first gas having a first gas pressure; a second chamber configured to receive a second gas having a second gas pressure; gas inlets; gas vents; heating elements laterally surrounding the first chamber; and a controller configured to perform the steps of: heating the first chamber while keeping a gas pressure difference between the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure is within a tolerance limit; and cooling the first chamber by exchanging the second gas in the second chamber while keeping the gas pressure difference within the tolerance limit, wherein the exchanging of the second gas includes introducing the second gas to the second chamber through the plurality of gas inlets and exhausting a the second gas out of the second chamber through the plurality of gas vents while keeping the second gas pressure unchanged.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device and methods for forming the same. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor device of a first type and a second transistor device of a second type. The first transistor device includes first nanostructures, a first pair of source/drain structures, and a first gate structure on the first nanostructures. The second transistor device of a second type is formed over the first transistor device. The second transistor device includes second nanostructures over the first nanostructures, a second pair of source/drain structures over the first pair of source/drain structures, and a second gate structure on the second nanostructures and over the first nanostructures. The semiconductor device further includes a first isolation structure in contact with the first and second nanostructures and a second isolation structure in contact with a top surface of the first pair of source/drain structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method to enlarge the process window for forming a source/drain contact. The method may include receiving a workpiece that includes a source/drain feature exposed in a source/drain opening defined between two gate structures, conformally depositing a dielectric layer over sidewalls of the source/drain opening and a top surface of the source/drain feature, anisotropically etching the dielectric layer to expose the source/drain feature, performing an implantation process to the dielectric layer, and after the performing of the implantation process, performing a pre-clean process to the workpiece. The implantation process includes a non-zero tilt angle.

Abstract: A connecting structure includes a first dielectric layer disposed over a substrate and a conductive feature, a doped dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer, a first metal portion disposed in the first dielectric layer and in contact with the conductive feature, and a doped metal portion disposed over the first metal portion. The first metal portion and the doped metal portion include a same noble metal material. The doped dielectric layer and the doped metal portion include same dopants.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to doping for conductive features in a semiconductor device. In an example, a structure includes an active region of a transistor. The active region includes a source/drain region, and the source/drain region is defined at least in part by a first dopant having a first dopant concentration. The source/drain region further includes a second dopant with a concentration profile having a consistent concentration from a surface of the source/drain region into a depth of the source/drain region. The consistent concentration is greater than the first dopant concentration. The structure further includes a conductive feature contacting the source/drain region at the surface of the source/drain region.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for the fabrication of isolation structures between source/drain (S/D)) epitaxial structures of stacked transistor structures. The method includes depositing an oxygen-free dielectric material in an opening over a first epitaxial structure, where the oxygen-free dielectric material covers top surfaces of the first epitaxial structure and sidewall surfaces of the opening. The method also includes exposing the oxygen-free dielectric material to an oxidizing process to oxidize the oxygen-free dielectric material so that the oxidizing process does not oxidize a portion of the oxygen-free dielectric material on the first epitaxial structure. Further, etching the oxidized oxygen-free dielectric material and forming a second epitaxial layer on the oxygen-free dielectric material not removed by the etching to substantially the opening.