Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array comprising a plurality of memory cells arranged over a plurality of rows, the rows including a plurality of word lines, respectively, a first group of the memory cells coupled to an even-numbered one of the word lines and a second group of the memory cells coupled to an odd-numbered one of the word lines. The even-numbered word line is disposed in a first one of a plurality of metallization layers formed vertically above a substrate, wherein the even-numbered word line extends along a first lateral direction and includes a first stitch portion extending in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction. The odd-numbered word line is disposed in a second one of the plurality of metallization layers, wherein the odd-numbered word line extends along the first lateral direction and includes a second stitch portion extending in the second lateral direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including fin field-effect transistors, includes a first gate structure extending in a first direction, a second gate structure extending the first direction and aligned with the first gate structure in the first direction, a third gate structure extending in the first direction and arranged in parallel with the first gate structure in a second direction crossing the first direction, a fourth gate structure extending the first direction, aligned with the third gate structure and arranged in parallel with the second gate structure, an interlayer dielectric layer disposed between the first to fourth gate electrodes, and a separation wall made of different material than the interlayer dielectric layer and disposed between the first and third gate structures and the second and fourth gate structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin structure with a fin top surface disposed on the substrate, a source/drain (S/D) region disposed on the fin structure, a gate structure disposed on the fin top surface, and a gate spacer with first and second spacer portions disposed between the gate structure and the S/D region. The first spacer portion extends above the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the gate structure. The second spacer portion extends below the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the S/D region.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device having a channel extension structure. The semiconductor device includes a channel structure on a substrate. The channel structure includes a central portion and an end portion. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure wrapped around the central portion of the channel structure, a source/drain (S/D) structure on the substrate and adjacent to the end portion of the channel structure, and an extension structure between the channel structure and the S/D structure. The extension structure has a first sidewall having a first height and adjacent to the end portion of the channel structure and a second sidewall having a second height and adjacent to the S/D structure greater than the first height.

Abstract: In a method of forming a gate-all-around field effect transistor (GAA FET), a fin structure is formed. The fin structure includes a plurality of stacked structures each comprising a dielectric layer, a CNT over the dielectric layer, a support layer over the CNT. A sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure, an isolation insulating layer is formed, a source/drain opening is formed by patterning the isolation insulating layer, the support layer is removed from each of the plurality of stacked structures in the source/drain opening, and a source/drain contact layer is formed in the source/drain opening. The source/drain contact is formed such that the source/drain contact is in direct contact with only a part of the CNT and a part of the dielectric layer is disposed between the source/drain contact and the CNT.

Abstract: A method includes forming first semiconductive sheets over a substrate and arranged in a vertical direction, and second semiconductive sheets over the substrate and arranged in the vertical direction, wherein a number of the second semiconductive sheets is different than a number of the first semiconductive sheets; forming first source/drain regions on either side of each of the first semiconductive sheets, and second source/drain regions on either side of each of the second semiconductive sheets; forming a first gate around each of the first semiconductive sheets, and a second gate around each of the second semiconductive sheets.

Abstract: A manufacturing method includes the following steps: forming a semiconductor structure, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a wafer, a plurality of dummy gates and a dielectric layer, and the dummy gates are formed on the wafer, and the dielectric layer is formed on the dummy gates; forming an epitaxy layer between adjacent two of the dummy gates, wherein there is a nodule remained on the dielectric layer in process of forming the epitaxy layer; and removing the nodule by using an ultrashort laser beam.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a plurality of first nanostructures stacked over a substrate in a vertical direction. The semiconductor device structure includes a first gate structure surrounding the first nanostructures. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first gate spacer layer formed adjacent to the first gate structure. A topmost first nanostructure has a first portion below the gate spacer layer and a second portion below the first gate structure, and the first portion has a first height along the vertical direction, the second portion has a second height along the vertical direction, and the first height is greater than the second height.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A 2D material layer is formed over a bottom metal layer. A top metal layer is formed over the 2D material layer. An oxidation treatment is performed to the 2D material layer to form an oxide region interfacing both the 2D material layer and the top metal layer.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first conductive pattern is formed in a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over a substrate, a second ILD layer is formed over the first conductive pattern and the first ILD layer, a via contact is formed in the second ILD layer to contact an upper surface of the first conductive pattern, a second conductive pattern is formed over the via contact wherein a part of an upper surface of the via contact is exposed from the second conductive pattern in plan view, a part of the via contact is etched by using the second conductive pattern as an etching mask, thereby forming a space between the via contact and the second ILD layer, and a third ILD layer is formed over the second ILD layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a photoresist layer over a substrate. A first precursor and a second precursor are combined. The first precursor is an organometallic having a formula: MaRbXc, where M is one or more of Sn, Bi, Sb, In, and Te, R is one or more of a C7-C11 aralkyl group, a C3-C10 cycloalkyl group, a C2-C10 alkoxy group, and a C2-C10 alkylamino group, X is one or more of a halogen, a sulfonate group, and an alkylamino group, and 1?a?2, b?1, c?1, and b+c?4, and the second precursor is one or more of water, an amine, a borane, and a phosphine. The photoresist layer is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to form a latent pattern. The latent pattern is developed by applying a developer to the selectively exposed photoresist layer.

Abstract: An overlay error measurement method includes disposing a lower-layer pattern over a substrate that includes disposing a first pattern having a first plurality of first sub-patterns extending in a first interval along a first direction and being arranged with a first pitch in a second direction crossing the first direction. The method includes disposing a second pattern having a second plurality of second sub-patterns extending in a second interval along the first direction and being arranged with a second pitch, smaller than the first pitch, in the second direction crossing the first direction. The second sub-patterns are disposed interleaved between the first sub-patterns. The method includes disposing an upper-layer pattern including a third pattern having the first pitch and at least partially overlapping with the lower-layer pattern over the lower-layer pattern and determining an overlay error between the lower-layer pattern and the upper-layer pattern.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a layout; performing an optimization process to the layout to generate an optimized layout, wherein the optimization process comprising simulating a mask image of a photomask based on the layout; simulating an aerial image projected on a photoresist layer based on the mask image; simulating a resist image of the photoresist layer based on the aerial image; simulating an etch image of a layer underneath the photoresist layer based on the resist image; and performing an inverse lithographic technology (ILT) process to generate the optimized layout, wherein the ILT process is performed based on the mask image, the aerial image, the resist image, and the etch image; and fabricating a photomask based on the optimized layout.

Abstract: An interconnection structure includes a semiconductor substrate that is formed with a first metal trench and a second metal trench, a first metal via, a second metal via, a third metal trench and a fourth metal trench. The first metal via is disposed over and connected to the first metal trench. The second metal via is disposed over and connected to the second metal trench. The third metal trench is disposed over and connected to the first metal via. The fourth metal trench that is disposed over and connected to the second metal via. A thickness of the third metal trench is different from a thickness of the fourth metal trench.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes dividing a number of dies along an x axis in a die matrix in each exposure field in an exposure field matrix delineated on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the x axis is parallel to one edge of a smallest rectangle enclosing the exposure field matrix. A number of dies is divided along a y axis in the die matrix, wherein the y axis is perpendicular to the x axis. Sequences SNx0, SNx1, SNx, SNxr, SNy0, SNy1, SNy, and SNyr are formed. p*(Nbx+1)?2 stepping operations are performed in a third direction and first sequence exposure/stepping/exposure operations and second sequence exposure/stepping/exposure operations are performed alternately between any two adjacent stepping operations as well as before a first stepping operation and after a last stepping operation. A distance of each stepping operation in order follows the sequence SNx.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet mask, including forming a multilayer Mo/Si stack including alternating Mo and Si layers over a first major surface of a mask substrate, and forming a capping layer over the multilayer Mo/Si stack. An absorber layer is formed on the capping layer, and a hard mask layer is formed over the absorber layer. The hard mask layer is patterned to form a hard mask layer pattern. The hard mask layer pattern is extended into the absorber layer to expose the capping layer and form a mask pattern. A border pattern is formed around the mask pattern. The border pattern is extended through the multilayer Mo/Si stack to expose the mask substrate and form a trench surrounding the mask pattern. A passivation layer is formed along sidewalls of the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a well, a plurality of channel sheets, a source/drain region, a contact, a gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer and a spacer. The gate electrode includes at least one inner gate electrode and a top gate electrode. The inner gate electrode is located between the plurality of channel sheets. The top gate electrode is located upon a top of the plurality of channel sheets. The top gate electrode includes a first stage top gate and a second stage top gate. The first stage top gate is stacked on the second stage top gate, and a first gate length of the first stage top gate is less than a second gate length of the second stage top gate. The gate dielectric layer surrounds the gate electrode. The spacer includes at least one inner spacer and a top spacer.

Abstract: A bonding tool for bonding semiconductor dies to a semiconductor wafer is provided. The bonding tool includes a wafer chuck, an edge support, a hard plate, and a buffer layer. The wafer chuck carries the semiconductor wafer and the semiconductor dies placed on the semiconductor wafer. The edge support is disposed on the wafer chuck, the semiconductor wafer and the semiconductor dies are laterally surrounded by the edge support, and a top surface of the edge support substantially levels with surfaces of the semiconductor dies. The hard plate is movably disposed over the semiconductor dies, the edge support and the wafer chuck. The buffer layer is disposed on a bottom surface of the hard plate, and the buffer layer is in contact with the top surface of the edge support and the semiconductor dies when the hard plate moves towards the edge support.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an underlying structure is formed over a substrate. A film is formed over the underlying structure. Surface topography of the film is measured and the surface topography is stored as topography data. A local etching is performed by using directional etching and scanning the substrate so that an entire surface of the film is subjected to the directional etching. A plasma beam intensity of the directional etching is adjusted according to the topography data.

Abstract: A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for carrying out a method is disclosed. The method includes: generating a schematic of an integrated circuit including a plurality of components, each of the components associated with a format, the format indicating a matching group that represents a respective circuit functionality; merging a first device array layout, which corresponds to a first subset of the components that share a first matching group, and a second device array layout, which corresponds to a second subset of the components that share a second matching group, to form a third device array layout, in response to detecting that the first device array layout and the second device array layout share a same cell type; forming a first layer enclosing the third device array layout; inserting dummy patterns surrounding the first layer; and inserting a guard ring further surrounding the dummy patterns.