Abstract: Metallization structures under a semiconductor device layer. A metallization structure in alignment with semiconductor fin may be on a side of the fin opposite a gate stack. Backside and/or frontside substrate processing techniques may be employed to form such metallization structures on a bottom of a semiconductor fin or between bottom portions of two adjacent fins. Such metallization structures may accompany interconnect metallization layers that are over a gate stack, for example to increase metallization layer density for a given number of semiconductor device layers.

Abstract: Semiconductor nanowire devices having cavity spacers and methods of fabricating cavity spacers for semiconductor nanowire devices are described. For example, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of vertically stacked nanowires disposed above a substrate, each of the nanowires including a discrete channel region. A common gate electrode stack surrounds each of the discrete channel regions of the plurality of vertically stacked nanowires. A pair of dielectric spacers is on either side of the common gate electrode stack, each of the pair of dielectric spacers including a continuous material disposed along a sidewall of the common gate electrode and surrounding a discrete portion of each of the vertically stacked nanowires. A pair of source and drain regions is on either side of the pair of dielectric spacers.

Abstract: Through gate fin isolation for non-planar transistors in a microelectronic device, such as an integrated circuit (IC). In embodiments, ends of adjacent semiconductor fins are electrically isolated from each other with an isolation region that is self-aligned to gate electrodes of the semiconductor fins enabling higher transistor packing density and other benefits. In an embodiment, a single mask is employed to form a plurality of sacrificial placeholder stripes of a fixed pitch, a first subset of placeholder stripes is removed and isolation cuts made into the semiconductor fins in openings resulting from the first subset removal while a second subset of the placeholder stripes is replaced with gate electrodes.

Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide capacitance with a memory cell of an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, a transistor of the memory cell includes structures variously formed in or on a first side of a semiconductor substrate. After processing to form the transistor structures, thinning is performed to expose a second side of the semiconductor substrate, the second side opposite the first side. Processing in or on the exposed second side of the semiconductor substrate is subsequently performed to form in the semiconductor substrate a capacitor that extends to couple to one of the transistor structures. In another embodiment, the capacitor is coupled to accumulate charge based on activation of a channel of the transistor. The capacitor is further coupled to send charge from the memory cell via the second side.

Abstract: Through gate fin isolation for non-planar transistors in a microelectronic device, such as an integrated circuit (IC). In embodiments, ends of adjacent semiconductor fins are electrically isolated from each other with an isolation region that is self-aligned to gate electrodes of the semiconductor fins enabling higher transistor packing density and other benefits. In an embodiment, a single mask is employed to form a plurality of sacrificial placeholder stripes of a fixed pitch, a first subset of placeholder stripes is removed and isolation cuts made into the semiconductor fins in openings resulting from the first subset removal while a second subset of the placeholder stripes is replaced with gate electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus including an array of at least two vertically stacked layers of integrated circuit device components separated by a dielectric layer on a substrate, wherein each of the at least two vertically stacked layers includes a laterally disposed contact point; and an electrically conductive interconnection coupled to a lateral edge of the contact point of each of the at least two vertically stacked layers and bridging the dielectric layer. A method including forming an array of at least two vertically stacked layers of integrated circuit device components separated by a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming a trench that exposes a lateral contact point of each of the at least two vertically stacked layers; depositing a polymer in the trench, wherein the polymer preferentially aligns to a material of the lateral contact point and bridges the dielectric layer; and modifying or replacing the polymer with an electrically conductive material.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure is provided which comprises: a stack of source regions of a stack of transistors and a stack of drain regions of the stack of transistors; and a gate stack that forms gate regions for the stack of transistors, wherein the gate stack comprises traces of a first polymer of a block copolymer, the block copolymer comprising the first polymer and a second polymer.

Abstract: Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other.

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: Methods and apparatus for gettering impurities in semiconductors are disclosed. A disclosed example multilayered die includes a substrate material, a component layer below the substrate material, and an impurity attractant region disposed in the substrate material.

Abstract: Vertical integration schemes and circuit elements architectures for area scaling of semiconductor devices are described. In an example, an inverter structure includes a semiconductor fin separated vertically into an upper region and a lower region. A first plurality of gate structures is included for controlling the upper region of the semiconductor fin. A second plurality of gate structures is included for controlling the lower region of the semiconductor fin. The second plurality of gate structures has a conductivity type opposite the conductivity type of the first plurality of gate structures.

Abstract: Nanowire structures having wrap-around contacts are described. For example, a nanowire semiconductor device includes a nanowire disposed above a substrate. A channel region is disposed in the nanowire. The channel region has a length and a perimeter orthogonal to the length. A gate electrode stack surrounds the entire perimeter of the channel region. A pair of source and drain regions is disposed in the nanowire, on either side of the channel region. Each of the source and drain regions has a perimeter orthogonal to the length of the channel region. A first contact completely surrounds the perimeter of the source region. A second contact completely surrounds the perimeter of the drain region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to formation of fins with different active channel heights in a tri-gate or a Fin-FET device. In an embodiment, at least two fins are formed on a front side of the substrate. A gate structure extends over a top surface and a pair of sidewalls of at least a portion of the fins. In an embodiment, the substrate is thinned to expose the bottom surface of the fins. Next, backside etching may be performed on each fin to form active channel regions. The fins may be recessed to different depths, forming active channel regions with differing heights.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming dual-strain fins for co-integrated n-MOS and p-MOS devices. The techniques can be used to monolithically form tensile-strained fins to be used for n-MOS devices and compressive-strained fins to be used for p-MOS devices utilizing the same substrate, such that a single integrated circuit (IC) can include both of the devices. In some instances, the oppositely stressed fins may be achieved by employing a relaxed SiGe (rSiGe) layer from which the tensile and compressive-strained material can be formed. In some instances, the techniques include the formation of tensile-stressed Si and/or SiGe fins and compressive-stressed SiGe and/or Ge fins using a single relaxed SiGe layer to enable the co-integration of n-MOS and p-MOS devices, where each set of devices includes preferred materials and preferred stress/strain to enhance their respective performance. In some cases, improvements of at least 25% in drive current can be obtained.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for incorporating high mobility strained channels into fin-based NMOS transistors (e.g., FinFETs such as double-gate, trigate, etc), wherein a stress material is cladded onto the channel area of the fin. In one example embodiment, a germanium or silicon germanium film is cladded onto silicon fins in order to provide a desired tensile strain in the core of the fin, although other fin and cladding materials can be used. The techniques are compatible with typical process flows, and cladding deposition can occur at a plurality of locations within typical process flow. In various embodiments, fins may be formed with a minimum width (or later thinned) so as to improve transistor performance. In some embodiments, a thinned fin also increases tensile strain across the core of a cladded fin. In some cases, strain in the core may be further enhanced by adding an embedded silicon epitaxial source and drain.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for incorporating high mobility strained channels into fin-based NMOS transistors (e.g., FinFETs such as double-gate, trigate, etc), wherein a stress material is cladded onto the channel area of the fin. In one example embodiment, a germanium or silicon germanium film is cladded onto silicon fins in order to provide a desired tensile strain in the core of the fin, although other fin and cladding materials can be used. The techniques are compatible with typical process flows, and cladding deposition can occur at a plurality of locations within typical process flow. In various embodiments, fins may be formed with a minimum width (or later thinned) so as to improve transistor performance. In some embodiments, a thinned fin also increases tensile strain across the core of a cladded fin. In some cases, strain in the core may be further enhanced by adding an embedded silicon epitaxial source and drain.

Abstract: Vertical integration schemes and circuit elements architectures for area scaling of semiconductor devices are described. In an example, an inverter structure includes a semiconductor fin separated vertically into an upper region and a lower region. A first plurality of gate structures is included for controlling the upper region of the semiconductor fin. A second plurality of gate structures is included for controlling the lower region of the semiconductor fin. The second plurality of gate structures has a conductivity type opposite the conductivity type of the first plurality of gate structures.

Abstract: Nanowire structures having wrap-around contacts are described. For example, a nanowire semiconductor device includes a nanowire disposed above a substrate. A channel region is disposed in the nanowire. The channel region has a length and a perimeter orthogonal to the length. A gate electrode stack surrounds the entire perimeter of the channel region. A pair of source and drain regions is disposed in the nanowire, on either side of the channel region. Each of the source and drain regions has a perimeter orthogonal to the length of the channel region. A first contact completely surrounds the perimeter of the source region. A second contact completely surrounds the perimeter of the drain region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are stacked channel structures for metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and related circuit elements, computing devices, and methods. For example, a stacked channel structure may include: a semiconductor substrate having a substrate lattice constant; a fin extending away from the semiconductor substrate, the fin having an upper region and a lower region; a first transistor in the lower region, wherein the first transistor has a first channel, the first channel has a first lattice constant, and the first lattice constant is different from the substrate lattice constant; and a second transistor in the upper region, wherein the second transistor has a second channel, the second channel has a second lattice constant, and the second lattice constant is different from the substrate lattice constant.