Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming transistor devices having reduced parasitic contact resistance relative to conventional devices. The techniques can be implemented, for example, using a standard contact stack such as a series of metals on, for example, silicon or silicon germanium (SiGe) source/drain regions. In accordance with one example such embodiment, an intermediate boron doped germanium layer is provided between the source/drain and contact metals to significantly reduce contact resistance. Numerous transistor configurations and suitable fabrication processes will be apparent in light of this disclosure, including both planar and non-planar transistor structures (e.g., FinFETs), as well as strained and unstrained channel structures. Graded buffering can be used to reduce misfit dislocation. The techniques are particularly well-suited for implementing p-type devices, but can be used for n-type devices if so desired.

Abstract: Epitaxial oxide plugs are described for imposing strain on a channel region of a proximate channel region of a transistor. The oxide plugs form epitaxial and coherent contact with one or more source and drain regions adjacent to the strained channel region. The epitaxial oxide plugs can be used to either impart strain to an otherwise unstrained channel region (e.g., for a semiconductor body that is unstrained relative to an underlying buffer layer), or to restore, maintain, or increase strain within a channel region of a previously strained semiconductor body. The epitaxial crystalline oxide plugs have a perovskite crystal structure in some embodiments.

Abstract: Integrated circuit transistor structures and processes are disclosed that reduce n-type dopant diffusion, such as phosphorous or arsenic, from the source region and the drain region of a germanium n-MOS device into adjacent channel regions during fabrication. The n-MOS transistor device may include at least 70% germanium (Ge) by atomic percentage. In an example embodiment, source and drain regions of the transistor are formed using a low temperature, non-selective deposition process of n-type doped material. In some embodiments, the low temperature deposition process is performed in the range of 450 to 600 degrees C. The resulting structure includes a layer of doped mono-crystyalline silicon (Si), or silicon germanium (SiGe), on the source/drain regions. The structure also includes a layer of doped amorphous Si:P (or SiGe:P) on the surfaces of a shallow trench isolation (STI) region and the surfaces of contact trench sidewalls.

Abstract: A transistor includes a body of semiconductor material, where the body has laterally opposed body sidewalls and a top surface. A gate structure contacts the top surface of the body. A source region contacts a first one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls and a drain region contacts a second one of the laterally opposed body sidewalls. A first isolation region is under the source region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the source region. A second isolation region is under the drain region and has a top surface in contact with a bottom surface of the drain region. Depending on the transistor configuration, a major portion of the inner-facing sidewalls of the first and second isolation regions contact respective sidewalls of either a subfin structure (e.g., FinFET transistor configurations) or a lower portion of a gate structure (e.g., gate-all-around transistor configuration).

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for customization of fin-based transistor devices to provide a diverse range of channel configurations and/or material systems within the same integrated circuit die. In accordance with one example embodiment, sacrificial fins are removed and replaced with custom semiconductor material of arbitrary composition and strain suitable for a given application. In one such case, each of a first set of the sacrificial fins is recessed or otherwise removed and replaced with a p-type material, and each of a second set of the sacrificial fins is recessed or otherwise removed and replaced with an n-type material. The p-type material can be completely independent of the process for the n-type material, and vice-versa. Numerous other circuit configurations and device variations are enabled using the techniques provided herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for a layered substrate. A layered substrate may include a core comprising graphite. The layered substrate may also include a coating layer comprising a coating material that surrounds the core, wherein the coating material has a melting point that is greater than a melting point of silicon.

Abstract: Integrated circuit transistor structures are disclosed that reduce band-to-band tunneling between the channel region and the source/drain region of the transistor, without adversely increasing the extrinsic resistance of the device. In an example embodiment, the structure includes one or more spacer configured to separate the source and/or drain from the channel region. The spacer(s) regions comprise a semiconductor material that provides a relatively high conduction band offset (CBO) and a relatively low valence band offset (VBO) for PMOS devices, and a relatively high VBO and a relatively low CBO for NMOS devices. In some cases, the spacer includes silicon, germanium, and carbon (e.g., for devices having germanium channel). The proportions may be at least 10% silicon by atomic percentage, at least 85% germanium by atomic percentage, and at least 1% carbon by atomic percentage. Other embodiments are implemented with III-V materials.

Abstract: Integrated circuit transistor structures are disclosed that reduce n-type dopant diffusion, such as phosphorous or arsenic, from the source region and the drain region of a germanium n-MOS device into adjacent shallow trench isolation (STI) regions during fabrication. The n-MOS transistor device may include at least 75% germanium by atomic percentage. In an example embodiment, the structure includes an intervening diffusion barrier deposited between the n-MOS transistor and the STI region to provide dopant diffusion reduction. In some embodiments, the diffusion barrier may include silicon dioxide with carbon concentrations between 5 and 50% by atomic percentage. In some embodiments, the diffusion barrier may be deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques to achieve a diffusion barrier thickness in the range of 1 to 5 nanometers.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained source or drain structures on an insulator layer, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained source or drain structures on an insulator layer, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes an insulator layer above a substrate. A vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires is over the insulator layer. A gate stack is surrounding a channel region of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires, and the gate stack is on the insulator layer. A pair of epitaxial source or drain structures is at first and second ends of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires and on the insulator layer. Each of the pair of epitaxial source or drain structures has a compressed or an expanded lattice.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having source or drain structures with a high germanium concentration capping layer are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes source or drain structures including an epitaxial structure embedded in a fin at a side of a gate stack. The epitaxial structure has a lower semiconductor layer and a capping semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer with an abrupt interface between the capping semiconductor layer and the lower semiconductor layer. The lower semiconductor layer includes silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of less than 40% at the abrupt interface. The capping semiconductor layer includes silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 50% at the abrupt interface and throughout the capping semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Approaches for fabricating an integrated circuit structure including a titanium silicide material, and the resulting structures, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor fin above a substrate, a gate electrode over the top and adjacent to the sidewalls of a portion of the semiconductor fin. A titanium silicide material is in direct contact with each of first and second epitaxial semiconductor source or drain structures at first and second sides of the gate electrode. The titanium silicide material is conformal with and hermetically sealing a non-flat topography of each of the first and second epitaxial semiconductor source or drain structures. The titanium silicide material has a total atomic composition including 95% or greater stoichiometric TiSi2.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having high surface germanium concentrations are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin having a lower fin portion and an upper fin portion. A gate stack is over the upper fin portion of the fin, the gate stack having a first side opposite a second side. A first source or drain structure has an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the first side of the gate stack. A second source or drain structure has an epitaxial structure embedded in the fin at the second side of the gate stack. Each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures includes silicon, germanium and boron, the germanium having an atomic concentration of greater than 55% at a top surface of each of the epitaxial structures of the first and second source or drain structures.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include transistor devices and methods of making such devices. In an embodiment, the transistor device comprises a stack of semiconductor channels with a first source/drain region on a first end of the semiconductor channels and a second source/drain region on a second end of the semiconductor channels. In an embodiment, the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region have a top surface and a bottom surface. In an embodiment, the transistor device further comprises a first source/drain contact electrically coupled to the top surface of the first source/drain region, and a second source/drain contact electrically coupled to the bottom surface of the second source/drain region. In an embodiment, the second source/drain contact is separated from the second source/drain region by an interfacial layer.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained source or drain structures on a gate dielectric layer, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained source or drain structures on a gate dielectric layer, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes an insulator layer above a substrate. A vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires is over the insulator layer. A pair of epitaxial source or drain structures is at first and second ends of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires and on the insulator layer. A gate stack is surrounding a channel region of the vertical arrangement of horizontal semiconductor nanowires. The gate stack includes a high-k dielectric layer continuous with and having a same composition as the insulator layer.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained dual nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having strained dual nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of nanowires above a substrate. Individual ones of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires are biaxially tensilely strained. The integrated circuit structure also includes a second vertical arrangement of nanowires above the substrate. Individual ones of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires are biaxially compressively strained. The individual ones of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires are laterally staggered with the individual ones of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires.

Abstract: Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having germanium-doped nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having germanium-doped nanowire/nanoribbon channel structures, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a vertical arrangement of nanowires above a substrate. Individual ones of the vertical arrangement of nanowires have a relatively higher germanium concentration at a lateral mid-point of the nanowire than at lateral ends of the nanowire.

Abstract: Examples include techniques for managing high priority (HP) and low priority (LP) write transaction requests by a storage device. An embodiment includes receiving, at a storage controller for a storage device, a write transaction request from a requestor to write data to one or more memory devices in the storage device. When the write transaction request is for a high priority (HP) write, coalescing the write data into a transaction buffer in a memory of the storage device, sending an acknowledgment for the write transaction request to the requestor, and writing the write data into the one or more memory devices. When the write transaction request is for a low priority (LP) write, writing the write data into the one or more memory devices, and then sending an acknowledgment for the write transaction request to the requestor.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for achieving multiple fin dimensions on a single die or semiconductor substrate. In some cases, multiple fin dimensions are achieved by lithographically defining (e.g., hardmasking and patterning) areas to be trimmed using a trim etch process, leaving the remainder of the die unaffected. In some such cases, the trim etch is performed on only the channel regions of the fins, when such channel regions are re-exposed during a replacement gate process. The trim etch may narrow the width of the fins being trimmed (or just the channel region of such fins) by 2-6 nm, for example. Alternatively, or in addition, the trim may reduce the height of the fins. The techniques can include any number of patterning and trimming processes to enable a variety of fin dimensions and/or fin channel dimensions on a given die, which may be useful for integrated circuit and system-on-chip (SOC) applications.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). In an embodiment, the HEMT comprises a heterojunction channel that includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer. In an embodiment a first interface layer is between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and a second interface layer is over the first interface layer. In an embodiment, the HEMT further comprises a source contact, a drain contact, and a gate contact between the source contact and the drain contact.

Abstract: Systems and methods of optimizing a gate profile for performance and gate fill are disclosed. A semiconductor device having an optimized gate profile includes a semiconductor substrate and a fin extending above the semiconductor substrate. A pair of source and drain regions are disposed on opposite sides of a channel region. A gate stack is disposed over the channel region, where the gate stack includes a top portion separated from a bottom portion by a tapered portion. The top portion and at least a portion of the tapered portion are disposed above the fin.