Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductors, and more particularly, to a structure and method of minimizing shorting between epitaxial regions in small pitch fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). In an embodiment, a dielectric region may be formed in a middle portion of a gate structure. The gate structure be formed using a gate replacement process, and may cover a middle portion of a first fin group, a middle portion of a second fin group and an intermediate region of the substrate between the first fin group and the second fin group. The dielectric region may be surrounded by the gate structure in the intermediate region. The gate structure and the dielectric region may physically separate epitaxial regions formed on the first fin group and the second fin group from one another.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having air gap spacers that are formed as part of BEOL or MOL layers of the semiconductor devices are provided, as well as methods for fabricating such air gap spacers. For example, a method comprises forming a first metallic structure and a second metallic structure on a substrate, wherein the first and second metallic structures are disposed adjacent to each other with insulating material disposed between the first and second metallic structures. The insulating material is etched to form a space between the first and second metallic structures. A layer of dielectric material is deposited over the first and second metallic structures using a pinch-off deposition process to form an air gap in the space between the first and second metallic structures, wherein a portion of the air gap extends above an upper surface of at least one of the first metallic structure and the second metallic structure.

Abstract: A method and structures are used to fabricate a nanosheet semiconductor device. Nanosheet fins including nanosheet stacks including alternating silicon (Si) layers and silicon germanium (SiGe) layers are formed on a substrate and etched to define a first end and a second end along a first axis between which each nanosheet fin extends parallel to every other nanosheet fin. The SiGe layers are undercut in the nanosheet stacks at the first end and the second end to form divots, and a dielectric is deposited in the divots. The SiGe layers between the Si layers are removed before forming source and drain regions of the nanosheet semiconductor device such that there are gaps between the Si layers of each nanosheet stack, and the dielectric anchors the Si layers. The gaps are filled with an oxide that is removed after removing the dummy gate and prior to forming the replacement gate.

Abstract: FinFET devices and processes to prevent fin or gate collapse (e.g., flopover) in finFET devices are provided. The method includes forming a first set of trenches in a semiconductor material and filling the first set of trenches with insulator material. The method further includes forming a second set of trenches in the semiconductor material, alternating with the first set of trenches that are filled. The second set of trenches form semiconductor structures which have a dimension of fin structures. The method further includes filling the second set of trenches with insulator material. The method further includes recessing the insulator material within the first set of trenches and the second set of trenches to form the fin structures.

Abstract: A method for forming fins includes forming a three-color hardmask fin pattern on a fin base layer. The three-color hardmask fin pattern includes hardmask fins of three mutually selectively etchable compositions. Some of the fins of the first color are etched away with a selective etch that does not remove fins of a second color or a third color and that leaves at least one fin of the first color behind. The fins of the second color are etched away. Fins are etched into the fin base layer by anisotropically etching around remaining fins of the first color and fins of the third color.

Abstract: An etch back air gap (EBAG) process is provided. The EBAG process includes forming an initial structure that includes a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate and a liner disposed to line a trench defined in the dielectric layer. The process further includes impregnating a metallic interconnect material with dopant materials, filling a remainder of the trench with the impregnated metallic interconnect materials to form an intermediate structure and drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure. The drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure serves to drive the dopant materials out of the impregnated metallic interconnect materials and thereby forms a chemical- and plasma-attack immune material.

Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor fins, including, patterning a film stack to produce one or more sacrificial mandrels having sidewalls, exposing the sidewall on one side of the one or more sacrificial mandrels to an ion beam to make the exposed sidewall more susceptible to oxidation, oxidizing the opposite sidewalls of the one or more sacrificial mandrels to form a plurality of oxide pillars, removing the one or more sacrificial mandrels, forming spacers on opposite sides of each of the plurality of oxide pillars to produce a spacer pattern, removing the plurality of oxide pillars, and transferring the spacer pattern to the substrate to produce a plurality of fins.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a fin field effect transistor (finFET) having fin(s) with reduced dimensional variations, including forming a dummy fin trench within a perimeter of a fin pattern region on a substrate, forming a dummy fin fill in the dummy fin trench, forming a plurality of vertical fins within the perimeter of the fin pattern region, including border fins at the perimeter of the fin pattern region and interior fins located within the perimeter and inside the bounds of the border fins, wherein the border fins are formed from the dummy fin fill, and removing the border fins, wherein the border fins are dummy fins and the interior fins are active vertical fins.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a trench adjacent to a gate structure to expose a contact surface of one of a source region and a drain region. A sacrificial spacer may be formed on a sidewall of the trench and on a sidewall of the gate structure. A metal contact may then be formed in the trench to at least one of the source region and the drain region. The metal contact has a base width that is less than an upper surface width of the metal contact. The sacrificial spacer may be removed, and a substantially conformal dielectric material layer can be formed on sidewalls of the metal contact and the gate structure. Portions of the conformally dielectric material layer contact one another at a pinch off region to form an air gap between the metal contact and the gate structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a power rail to semiconductor devices comprising removing a portion of the gate structure forming a gate cut trench separating a first active region of fin structures from a second active region of fin structures. A conformal etch stop layer is formed in the gate cut trench. A fill material is formed on the conformal etch stop layer filling at least a portion of the gate cut trench. The fill material has a composition that is etched selectively to the conformal etch stop layer. A power rail is formed in the gate cut trench. The conformal etch stop layer obstructs lateral etching during forming the power rail to substantially eliminate power rail to gate structure shorting.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first stack of nanowires above a substrate with a first gate structure over, around, and between the first stack of nanowires and a second stack of nanowires above the substrate with a second gate structure over, around, and between the second stack of nanowires. The device also includes a first source/drain region contacting a first number of nanowires of the first nanowire stack and a second source/drain region contacting a second number of nanowires of the second nanowire stack such that the first number and second number of contacted nanowires are different.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a first middle-of-line (MOL) oxide layer and a second MOL oxide layer in the semiconductor structure. The first MOL oxide layer including multiple gate stacks formed on a substrate, and each gate stack of the gate stacks including a source/drain junction. A first nitride layer is formed over a silicide in the first MOL oxide layer. A second nitride layer is formed. Trenches are formed through the second nitride layer down to the source/drain junctions. A nitride cap of the plurality of gate stacks is selectively recessed. At least one self-aligned contact area (CA) element is formed within the first nitride layer. The first MOL oxide layer is selectively recessed. An air-gap oxide layer is deposited. The air gap oxide layer is reduced to the at least one self-aligned CA element and the first nitride layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor interconnect structure having a first electrically conductive structure having a plurality of bottom portions; a dielectric capping layer, at least a portion of the dielectric capping layer being in contact with a first bottom portion of the plurality of bottom portions; and a second electrically conductive structure in electrical contact with a second bottom portion of the plurality of bottom portions. A method of forming the interconnect structure is also provided.

Abstract: Techniques for dielectric isolation in bulk nanosheet devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a nanosheet device structure with dielectric isolation includes the steps of: optionally implanting at least one dopant into a top portion of a bulk semiconductor wafer, wherein the at least one dopant is configured to increase an oxidation rate of the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer; forming a plurality of nanosheets as a stack on the bulk semiconductor wafer; patterning the nanosheets to form one or more nanowire stacks and one or more trenches between the nanowire stacks; forming spacers covering sidewalls of the nanowire stacks; and oxidizing the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer through the trenches, wherein the oxidizing step forms a dielectric isolation region in the top portion of the bulk semiconductor wafer. A nanowire FET and method for formation thereof are also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes fins that have a 2D material, such as Graphene, upon at least the fin sidewalls. The thickness of the 2D material sidewall may be tuned to achieve desired finFET band gap control. Neighboring fins of the semiconductor structure form fin wells. The semiconductor structure may include a fin cap upon each fin and the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls of the fin and the bottom surface of the fin wells. The semiconductor structure may include a well-plug at the bottom of the fin wells and the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls and upper surface of the fins. The semiconductor structure may include both fin caps and well-plugs such that the 2D material is formed upon the sidewalls of the fins.

Abstract: Apparatuses relating to a microelectronic package are disclosed. In one such apparatus, a substrate has first contacts on an upper surface thereof. A microelectronic die has a lower surface facing the upper surface of the substrate and having second contacts on an upper surface of the microelectronic die. Wire bonds have bases joined to the first contacts and have edge surfaces between the bases and corresponding end surfaces. A first portion of the wire bonds are interconnected between a first portion of the first contacts and the second contacts. The end surfaces of a second portion of the wire bonds are above the upper surface of the microelectronic die. A dielectric layer is above the upper surface of the substrate and between the wire bonds. The second portion of the wire bonds have uppermost portions thereof bent over to be parallel with an upper surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming a fin structure from a bulk semiconductor substrate and forming an isolation region contacting a lower portion of a sidewall of the fin structure, wherein an upper portion of the sidewall of the fin structure is exposed. A sacrificial spacer is formed on the upper portion of the sidewall of the fin structure. The isolation regions are recessed to provide an exposed section of the sidewall of the fin structure. A doped semiconductor material is formed on the exposed section of the lower portion of the sidewall of the fin structure. Dopant is diffused from the doped semiconductor material to a base portion of the fin structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first trench on a mandrel line through a top mask layer and stopping at a middle mask layer; and a second trench on a non-mandrel line through the top mask layer and stopping at the middle mask layer. A spacer material is removed from a structure resulting from etching the first trench and the second trench. The device includes a first via structure, formed using a removable material, in the first trench; a second via structure, formed using a removable material, in the second trench; an air-gap formed in a third trench created at a location of the spacer; a fourth trench formed by etching, to remove the first via structure and a first portion of a bottom mask layer under the first via structure; and a self-aligned line-end via on the mandrel line formed by filling the fourth trench with a conductive metal.

Abstract: An array of semiconductor fins is formed on a top surface of a substrate. A dielectric material liner is formed on the surfaces of the array of semiconductor fins. A photoresist layer is applied and patterned such that sidewalls of an opening in the photoresist layer are parallel to the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins, and are asymmetrically laterally offset from a lengthwise direction passing through the center of mass of a semiconductor fin to be subsequently removed. An angled ion implantation is performed to convert a top portion of dielectric material liner into a compound material portion. The compound material portion is removed selective to the remaining dielectric material liner, and the physically exposed semiconductor fin can be removed by an etch or converted into a dielectric material portion by a conversion process. The dielectric material liner can be removed after removal of the semiconductor fin.