Abstract: A semiconductor device having a substrate; a plurality of pillar structures, wherein each pillar structure includes an active pillar disposed over the substrate; a gate electrode surrounding an outer wall of the active pillar; an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer insulating adjacent pillar structures; a gate contact penetrating the ILD layer and configured to connect to a sidewall of the gate electrode; and a word line connected to the gate contact.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a multi-layer patterned masking layer comprised of first and second layers of material and first and second openings that extend through both of the first and second layers of material, wherein the first opening is positioned above a first area of the substrate where the DDB isolation structure will be formed and the second opening is positioned above a second area of the substrate where the SDB isolation structure will be formed. The method also includes performing a first process operation through the first opening to form the DDB isolation structure, performing a second process operation to remove the second layer of material and to expose the first opening in the first layer of material, and performing a third process operation through the second opening to form the SDB isolation structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a PMOS gate structure and a gate structure on adjacent field oxide. An epitaxy hard mask is formed over the gate structure on the field oxide so that the epitaxy hard mask overlaps the semiconductor material in PMOS source/drain region. SiGe semiconductor material is epitaxially formed in the source/drain regions, so that that a top edge of the SiGe semiconductor material at the field oxide does not extend more than one third of a depth of the SiGe in the source/drain region abutting the field oxide. Dielectric spacers on lateral surfaces of the gate structure on the field oxide extend onto the SiGe; at least one third of the SiGe is exposed. Metal silicide covers at least one third of a top surface of the SiGe. A contact has at least half of a bottom of the contact directly contacts the metal silicide on the SiGe.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating circuit structures including FinFET structures are provided, including: providing a substrate and a first material having a first threshold voltage above the substrate, and a second material having a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage above the first material; forming fins having base fin portions formed from the first material and upper fin portions formed from the second material; providing gate structures over the fins to form one or more FinFET structures, wherein the gate structures wrap around at least the upper fin portions and have an operating voltage lower than the first threshold voltage and higher than the second threshold voltage, so that the upper fin portions define a channel size of the one or more FinFET structures. Circuit structures including FinFET structures are also provided, in which the FinFET structures have a uniform channel size defined only by upper fin portions thereof.

Abstract: A method for tuning a threshold voltage of a semiconductor device includes implanting at least one dopant in a semiconductor substrate at an angle to form a source region and/or a drain region of a transistor. The angle is oblique to a surface of the substrate. Implanting the at least one dopant at the angle alters a flat-band voltage of the transistor and shifts the threshold voltage of the transistor. The at least one dopant or at least one additional dopant can be implanted in a gate electrical contact of the transistor. Implanting the at least one dopant at the oblique angle can change an electrostatic potential of a gate electrical contact of the transistor compared to implanting the at least one dopant at a non-oblique angle, and the change in the electrostatic potential of the gate electrical contact can shift the threshold voltage of the transistor.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming first sacrificial gate structures above a fin for two active gates and a dummy gate, removing the first sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate so as to define a cavity that exposes the fin while leaving the first sacrificial gate structures for the two active gates intact, etching through the cavity to form a trench in the fin under the cavity, forming a second sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate, removing the first sacrificial gate structures for the two active gates and the second sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate so as to define a replacement gate cavity for the two active gates and the dummy gate, and forming a replacement gate structure in each of the replacement gate cavities, wherein the replacement gate structure for the dummy gate extends into the trench in the fin.

Abstract: A method of contact formation and resulting structure is disclosed. The method includes providing a starting semiconductor structure, the structure including a semiconductor substrate with fins coupled to the substrate, a bottom portion of the fins being surrounded by a first dielectric layer, dummy gates covering a portion of each of the fins, spacers and a cap for each dummy gate, and a lined trench between the gates extending to and exposing the first dielectric layer. The method further includes creating an epitaxy barrier of hard mask material between adjacent fins in the trench, creating N and P type epitaxial material on the fins adjacent opposite sides of the barrier, and creating sacrificial semiconductor epitaxy over the N and P type epitaxial material, such that subsequent removal thereof can be done selective to the N and P type of epitaxial material.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming first sacrificial gate structures above a fin for two active gates and a dummy gate, removing the first sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate so as to define a cavity that exposes the fin while leaving the first sacrificial gate structures for the two active gates intact, etching through the cavity to form a trench in the fin under the cavity, forming a second sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate, removing the first sacrificial gate structures for the two active gates and the second sacrificial gate structure for the dummy gate so as to define a replacement gate cavity for the two active gates and the dummy gate, and forming a replacement gate structure in each of the replacement gate cavities, wherein the replacement gate structure for the dummy gate extends into the trench in the fin.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating circuit structures including FinFET structures are provided, including: providing a substrate and a first material having a first threshold voltage above the substrate, and a second material having a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage above the first material; forming fins having base fin portions formed from the first material and upper fin portions formed from the second material; providing gate structures over the fins to form one or more FinFET structures, wherein the gate structures wrap around at least the upper fin portions and have an operating voltage lower than the first threshold voltage and higher than the second threshold voltage, so that the upper fin portions define a channel size of the one or more FinFET structures. Circuit structures including FinFET structures are also provided, in which the FinFET structures have a uniform channel size defined only by upper fin portions thereof.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating circuit structures including FinFET structures are provided, including: providing a substrate and a first material having a first threshold voltage above the substrate, and a second material having a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage above the first material; forming fins having base fin portions formed from the first material and upper fin portions formed from the second material; providing gate structures over the fins to form one or more FinFET structures, wherein the gate structures wrap around at least the upper fin portions and have an operating voltage lower than the first threshold voltage and higher than the second threshold voltage, so that the upper fin portions define a channel size of the one or more FinFET structures. Circuit structures including FinFET structures are also provided, in which the FinFET structures have a uniform channel size defined only by upper fin portions thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming raised S/D regions by partial EPI growth with a partial EPI liner therebetween and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming groups of fins extending above a STI layer; forming a gate over the groups of fins; forming a gate spacer on each side of the gate; forming a raised S/D region proximate to each spacer on each fin of the groups of fins, each raised S/D region having a top surface, vertical sidewalls, and an undersurface; forming a liner over and between each raised S/D region; removing the liner from the top surface of each raised S/D region and from in between a group of fins; forming an overgrowth region on the top surface of each raised S/D region; forming an ILD over and between the raised S/D regions; and forming a contact through the ILD, down to the raised S/D regions.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a shared gate cavity that spans across an isolation region and is positioned above first and second active regions, forming at least one layer of material in the shared gate cavity above the first and second active regions and above the isolation region, forming a first masking layer that covers portions of the shared gate cavity positioned above the first and second active regions while exposing a portion of the shared gate cavity positioned above the isolation region, with the first masking layer in position, performing at least one first etching process to remove at least a portion of the at least one layer of material in the exposed portion of the shared gate cavity above the isolation region, and removing the first masking layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a PMOS gate structure and a gate structure on adjacent field oxide. An epitaxy hard mask is formed over the gate structure on the field oxide so that the epitaxy hard mask overlaps the semiconductor material in PMOS source/drain region. SiGe semiconductor material is epitaxially formed in the source/drain regions, so that that a top edge of the SiGe semiconductor material at the field oxide does not extend more than one third of a depth of the SiGe in the source/drain region abutting the field oxide. Dielectric spacers on lateral surfaces of the gate structure on the field oxide extend onto the SiGe; at least one third of the SiGe is exposed. Metal silicide covers at least one third of a top surface of the SiGe. A contact has at least half of a bottom of the contact directly contacts the metal silicide on the SiGe.

Abstract: A metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (MOS) and method of fabricating the same, in which the effective channel length is increased relative to the width of the gate electrode. A dummy gate electrode overlying dummy gate dielectric material is formed at the surface of the structure, with self-aligned source/drain regions, and dielectric spacers on the sidewalls of the dummy gate structure. The dummy gate dielectric underlies the sidewall spacers. Following removal of the dummy gate electrode and the underlying dummy gate dielectric material, including from under the spacers, a silicon etch is performed to form a recess in the underlying substrate. This etch is self-limiting on the undercut sides, due to the crystal orientation, relative to the etch of the bottom of the recess. The gate dielectric and gate electrode material are then deposited into the remaining void, for example to form a high-k metal gate MOS transistor.

Abstract: An embedded resistor structure in an integrated circuit that can be formed in a replacement gate high-k metal gate metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) technology process flow. The structure is formed by etching a trench into the substrate, either by removing a shallow trench isolation structure or by silicon etch at the desired location. Deposition of the dummy gate polysilicon layer fills the trench with polysilicon; the resistor polysilicon portion is protected from dummy gate polysilicon removal by a hard mask layer. The resistor polysilicon can be doped during source/drain implant, and can have its contact locations silicide-clad without degrading the metal gate electrode.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating fin structures having exposed upper fin portions with a uniform exposure height are disclosed herein. The fabrication methods include providing a substrate with plurality of fins and a dielectric material disposed between and over the plurality of fins, planarizing the dielectric material and the plurality of fins, and uniformly recessing the dielectric material to a pre-selected depth below upper surfaces of the plurality of fins to expose upper fin portions. The exposed upper fin portions, as a result of uniformly recessing the dielectric material, have a uniform exposure height above the recessed dielectric material. A protective film may be provided over the recessed dielectric material and exposed upper fin portions to preserve the uniform exposure height of the upper fin portions. The uniform exposure height of the exposed upper fin portions facilitates subsequent formation of one or more circuit structures above the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming raised S/D regions by partial EPI growth with a partial EPI liner therebetween and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming groups of fins extending above a STI layer; forming a gate over the groups of fins; forming a gate spacer on each side of the gate; forming a raised S/D region proximate to each spacer on each fin of the groups of fins, each raised S/D region having a top surface, vertical sidewalls, and an undersurface; forming a liner over and between each raised S/D region; removing the liner from the top surface of each raised S/D region and from in between a group of fins; forming an overgrowth region on the top surface of each raised S/D region; forming an ILD over and between the raised S/D regions; and forming a contact through the ILD, down to the raised S/D regions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a PMOS gate structure and a gate structure on adjacent field oxide. An epitaxy hard mask is formed over the gate structure on the field oxide so that the epitaxy hard mask overlaps the semiconductor material in PMOS source/drain region. SiGe semiconductor material is epitaxially formed in the source/drain regions, so that that a top edge of the SiGe semiconductor material at the field oxide does not extend more than one third of a depth of the SiGe in the source/drain region abutting the field oxide. Dielectric spacers on lateral surfaces of the gate structure on the field oxide extend onto the SiGe; at least one third of the SiGe is exposed. Metal silicide covers at least one third of a top surface of the SiGe. A contact has at least half of a bottom of the contact directly contacts the metal silicide on the SiGe.

Abstract: A method of forming raised S/D regions by partial EPI growth with a partial EPI liner therebetween and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming groups of fins extending above a STI layer; forming a gate over the groups of fins; forming a gate spacer on each side of the gate; forming a raised S/D region proximate to each spacer on each fin of the groups of fins, each raised S/D region having a top surface, vertical sidewalls, and an undersurface; forming a liner over and between each raised S/D region; removing the liner from the top surface of each raised S/D region and from in between a group of fins; forming an overgrowth region on the top surface of each raised S/D region; forming an ILD over and between the raised S/D regions; and forming a contact through the ILD, down to the raised S/D regions.

Abstract: A method includes forming at least one fin in a semiconductor substrate. A sacrificial gate structure is formed around a first portion of the at least one fin. Sidewall spacers are formed adjacent the sacrificial gate structure. The sacrificial gate structure and spacers expose a second portion of the at least one fin. An epitaxial material is formed on the exposed second portion. At least one process operation is performed to remove the sacrificial gate structure and thereby define a gate cavity between the spacers that exposes the first portion of the at least one fin. The first portion of the at least one fin is recessed to a first height less than a second height of the second portion of the at least one fin. A replacement gate structure is formed within the gate cavity above the recessed first portion of the at least one fin.