Abstract: A field effect transistor (FinFET) device includes a substrate, a fin structure, a shallow trench isolation and a gate structure. The fin structure is formed on a surface of the substrate and includes a base fin structure and an epitaxial fin structure formed on the base fin structure. The shallow trench isolation structure is formed on the surface of the substrate and includes a peripheral zone and a concave zone. The peripheral zone physically contacts with the fin structure. The gate structure is disposed on the epitaxial fin structure perpendicularly. A method of fabricating the aforementioned field effect transistor is also provided.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a holder, a brush, a moving element, a driving element and a pressure sensor. The holder is used for disposing a substrate thereon. The moving element is connected to the brush. The driving element is connected to the moving element for proving a lateral pushing power to the moving element such that the moving element and the brush jointly move. The pressure sensor is disposed close to the moving element for sensing the lateral pushing power when the moving element moves to contact with the pressure sensor along a lateral direction, in which the brush moves to laterally push the substrate after the lateral pushing power is sensed to reach a first threshold value by the pressure sensor such that the brush is abutted on the substrate when the brush cleans the substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating semiconductor patterns includes steps as follows: Firstly, a substrate is provided and has at least a first semiconductor pattern and at least a second semiconductor pattern, wherein a line width of the first semiconductor pattern is identical to a line width of the second semiconductor pattern. Then, a barrier pattern is formed over a surface of the first semiconductor pattern, and the second semiconductor pattern is exposed. Then, a surface portion of the second semiconductor pattern is reacted to form a sacrificial structure layer. Then, the barrier pattern and the sacrificial structure layer are removed, and the line width of the second semiconductor pattern is shrunken to be less than the line width of the first semiconductor pattern. A third semiconductor pattern having a line width can be further provided.

Abstract: A method for IC design is provided. Firstly, an IC design layout having a main feature with an original margin is received. Then, a first modified margin of the main feature is generated; and a first photolithography simulation procedure of the main feature with the first modified margin is performed to generate a first contour having a plurality of curves. Next, an equation of each of the curves is obtained; each equation of the curves is manipulated to obtain a vertex of each of the curves. After that, a first group of target points are assigned to the original margin. Each of the first group of target points respectively corresponds to one of the vertices. Finally, an optical proximity correction (OPC) procedure is performed by using the first group of target points to generate a second modified margin. An apparatus for IC design is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer, and a first metal plug structure, wherein a circuit element is disposed on the substrate. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the circuit element and on the substrate. The first metal plug structure, including a first barrier metal layer and a first metal interconnector, is embedded in the first dielectric layer. The first metal interconnector is in direct contact with the circuit element. The first barrier metal layer is disposed on the first metal interconnector; wherein the first barrier metal layer and the first metal interconnect have different metal materials.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a capacitor structure includes the following steps. Firstly, a substrate is provided. A first conductive layer, a first insulation layer, a second conductive layer and a second insulation layer are sequentially formed over the substrate. A hard mask material layer is formed on the second insulation layer. Then, the hard mask material layer is defined with a photo resist pattern, so that a hard mask is formed. After the photo resist pattern is removed, the second conductive layer is defined with the hard mask, so that a first electrode of the capacitor structure is formed.

Abstract: Shallow trench isolation structures in a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The method include steps hereinafter. A substrate is provided with a pad oxide layer and a first patterned photoresist layer thereon. A first trench is formed in the substrate corresponding to the first patterned photoresist layer. A first dielectric layer is deposited in the first trench and on the substrate. A second patterned photoresist layer is provided to form an opening in the first dielectric layer and a second trench in the substrate corresponding to the second patterned photoresist layer. A second dielectric layer is deposited covering the first trench and the second trench in the substrate and the first dielectric layer on the substrate. The second dielectric layer is removing by chemical-mechanical polishing until the first dielectric layer is exposed. The first dielectric layer on the substrate selectively is removed.

Abstract: An asymmetry compensation method used in a lithography overlay process and including steps of: providing a first substrate, wherein a circuit layout is disposed on the first substrate, a first mask layer and a second mask layer together having an x-axis allowable deviation range and an y-axis allowable deviation range relative to the circuit layout are stacked sequentially on the circuit layout, wherein the x-axis allowable deviation range is unequal to the y-axis allowable deviation range; and calculating an x-axis final compensation parameter and an y-axis final compensation parameter base on the unequal x-axis allowable deviation range and the y-axis allowable deviation range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating a CMOS image sensor including a plurality of steps. Firstly, a substrate is provided. Then, a pixel region covering most of the substrate and a logic circuit region on a periphery of the substrate are formed. After that, at least one trench is formed in the pixel region. Next, a deposition process is performed to fill the at least one trench and cover the pixel region. Then, a planarization process is performed to expose a surface of the pixel region. A first treatment on the exposed surface of the pixel region is next performed by applying a first cleaning solution including hydrogen fluoride (HF) and ethylene glycol (EG). Besides, an amount of HF is lesser than that of EG.

Abstract: Shallow trench isolation structures in a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The method include steps hereinafter. A substrate is provided with a pad oxide layer and a first patterned photoresist layer thereon. A first trench is formed in the substrate corresponding to the first patterned photoresist layer. A first dielectric layer is deposited in the first trench and on the substrate. A second patterned photoresist layer is provided to form an opening in the first dielectric layer and a second trench in the substrate corresponding to the second patterned photoresist layer. A second dielectric layer is deposited covering the first trench and the second trench in the substrate and the first dielectric layer on the substrate. The second dielectric layer is removing by chemical-mechanical polishing until the first dielectric layer is exposed. The first dielectric layer on the substrate selectively is removed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a LDNMOS device for an ESD protection structure, by means of disposing a metal portion above the isolation portion and overlapping thereof, so as to protect the internal device from ESD more completely, comprising: a substrate; an ILD; a deep N-well region; a P-body region; a doped region, the doped region defines a diffusion area on the top thereof; a Poly gate electrode; an isolation structure disposed between the Poly gate electrode and the doped region; a contact portion connecting to the diffusion area of the doped region; and a metal portion disposed above the doped region, connecting to the contact portion. Wherein there is an overlap between the isolation structure and the metal portion, the direction of the overlap is parallel to the direction of channel length.

Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same are provided wherein the integrated semiconductor device comprises a substrate a first stress-inducing layer, a second stress-inducing layer and an integrated circuit layer. The first stress-inducing layer covers on the substrate. The second stress-inducing layer partially covers on the first stress-inducing layer. The integrated circuit layer is bonded over the substrate.

Abstract: A method for post-OPC verification including of several steps is provided. First, a pre-OPC layout of an integrated circuit (IC) is received. Then, a first OPC procedure is performed to obtain a post-OPC layout of the IC. After that, a first extraction process is performed on the pre-OPC layout and a second extraction process is performed on the post-OPC layout to respectively obtain a first netlist and a second netlist by using a processor. Next, a verification process is performed by using the processor to determine whether an electrical network of the first netlist and an electrical network of the second netlist are identical. The verification process is then terminated if the electrical network of the first netlist and the electrical network of the second netlist are identical. An apparatus for post-OPC verification is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate, a plurality of isolation structures, at least a gate structure, a plurality of dummy gate structures and a plurality of epitaxial structures is provided. The substrate has an active area defined by the isolation structures disposed within the substrate. That is, the active area is defined between the isolation structures. The gate structure is disposed on the substrate and located within the active area. The dummy gate structures are disposed on the substrate and located out of the active area. The edge of each dummy gate structure is separated from the boundary of the active area with a distance smaller than 135 angstroms. The epitaxial structures are disposed within the active area and in a portion of the substrate on two sides of the gate structure. The invention also provided a method for fabricating semiconductor device.

Abstract: A method for compensating a slit illumination uniformity includes executing a first lithography operation and recording an initial slit uniformity profile; executing a slit uniformity optimization process and recording an optimized slit uniformity profile; and offsetting the optimized slit uniformity profile to obtain a working slit uniformity profile such that the working slit uniformity profile has a mean value closest to that of the initial slit uniformity profile.

Abstract: A method for IC design is provided. Firstly, an IC design layout having a main feature with an original margin is received. Then, a first modified margin of the main feature is generated; and a first photolithography simulation procedure of the main feature with the first modified margin is performed to generate a first contour having a plurality of curves. Next, an equation of each of the curves is obtained; each equation of the curves is manipulated to obtain a vertex of each of the curves. After that, a first group of target points are assigned to the original margin. Each of the first group of target points respectively corresponds to one of the vertices. Finally, an optical proximity correction (OPC) procedure is performed by using the first group of target points to generate a second modified margin. An apparatus for IC design is also provided.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, suitable for an input stage circuit including a first N channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor, is provided. The ESD protection circuit includes an P channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor and an impedance device, in which the PMOS transistor has a source coupled to a gate of the first NMOS transistor, and a drain coupled to a source of the first NMOS transistor, and the impedance device is coupled between a gate of the PMOS transistor and a first power rail to perform a initial-on ESD protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit formed by the PMOS transistor and the resistor is capable of increasing the turn-on speed of the ESD protection circuit and preventing the input stage circuit from a CDM ESD event.

Abstract: A manufacturing process of an etch stop layer is provided. The manufacturing process includes steps of providing a substrate; forming a gate stack structure over the substrate, wherein the gate stack structure at least comprises a dummy polysilicon layer and a barrier layer; removing the dummy polysilicon layer to define a trench and expose a surface of the barrier layer; forming a repair layer on the surface of the barrier layer and an inner wall of the trench; and forming an etch stop layer on the repair layer. In addition, a manufacturing process of the gate stack structure with the etch stop layer further includes of forming an N-type work function metal layer on the etch stop layer within the trench, and forming a gate layer on the N-type work function metal layer within the trench.

Abstract: A field-effect transistor comprises a substrate, a gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer, a metal gate electrode and a source/drain structure. The gate dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate. The barrier layer having a titanium-rich surface is disposed on the gate dielectric layer. The metal gate electrode is disposed on the titanium-diffused surface. The source/drain structure is formed in the substrate and adjacent to the metal gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor process of the present invention is described as follows. A substrate is provided, and a material layer is deposited on the substrate using an organic precursor as a reactant gas. A plasma treatment is conducted immediately after depositing the material layer, wherein plasma is continuously supplied during depositing the material layer and the plasma treatment. A pump-down step is conducted.