Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a gate structure having a first conductive material above a semiconductor substrate, gate spacers on opposing sides of the first conductive material, and a first interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer surrounding the gate spacers and the first conductive material. An upper portion of the first conductive material is recessed. The gate spacers are recessed until a height of the gate spacers is less than a height of the gate structure. An isolation liner is deposited above the gate spacers and the first conductive material. A portion of the isolation liner is removed so that a top surface of the first conductive material is exposed. A second conductive material is deposited in a contact hole created above the first conductive material and the gate spacers to form a gate contact.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, self-aligned gate cap, comprises a gate located on a substrate; a gate cap surrounding a side of the gate; a contact region self-aligned to the gate; and a low dielectric constant oxide having a dielectric constant of less than 3.9 located on top of the gate. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of forming a self-aligned contact comprises removing at least a portion of an interlayer dielectric layer to expose a top surface of a gate cap located on a substrate; recessing the gate cap to form a recessed area; depositing a low dielectric constant oxide having a dielectric constant of less than 3.9 in the recessed area; and polishing a surface of the low dielectric constant oxide to expose a contact area.

Abstract: A source/drain contact includes a first portion arranged on a substrate and extending between a first gate and a second gate; a second portion arranged on the first portion and extending over the first gate and the second gate, the second portion including a partially recessed liner and a metal disposed on the partially recessed liner, and the partially recessed liner arranged on an endwall of the second portion and in contact with the first portion; and an oxide disposed around the second portion and on the first gate and the second gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a set of fin structures having a set of fin ends at a respective vertical surface of a fin structure and is separated by a set of trenches from other fin structures. Each of the fin structures has a top surface which is higher than a top surface of a dielectric material in the set of trenches. A set of dielectric blocks is disposed at the set of fin ends, the dielectric blocks having a top surface level with or above the top surfaces of the fin structures which inhibit excessive epitaxial growth at the fin ends.

Abstract: A method for forming contacts on a semiconductor device includes forming trenches by etching an etch stop layer formed on an interlayer dielectric and etching the interlayer dielectric to expose source and drain regions between gate structures and depositing conductive material in the trenches and over the etch stop layer to a height above the etch stop layer. A resist is patterned on the conductive material with shapes over selected source and drain regions. The conductive material is subtractively etched to remove the conductive material from over the etch stop layer and to recess the conductive material into the trenches without the shapes to form self-aligned contacts below the shapes and lines in the trenches.

Abstract: The method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device begins with cutting a set of long fins into a set of fins of a FinFET structure, the set of fins having respective cut faces of a set of cut faces located at respective fin ends of a set of fin ends. A photoresist layer is patterned over the set of fin ends of the set of fins of the FinFET structure. The photoresist pattern over the set of fin ends differs from the photoresist pattern over other areas of the FinFET structure as the photoresist pattern over the set of fin ends protects the first dielectric material at the set of fin ends. A set of dielectric blocks is formed at the set of fin ends, wherein each of the dielectric blocks covers at least one cut face. The set of dielectric blocks prevents epitaxial growth at the set of fin ends in a subsequent epitaxial growth step.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of semiconductor fins from an upper semiconductor layer located on a first region of a bulk semiconductor substrate of a structure and then forming at least one gate structure straddling a portion of semiconductor fins. A portion of the lower semiconductor layer from beneath the upper semiconductor layer is then removed to form a vertical semiconductor portion which contacts the bulk semiconductor substrate and at least one of the semiconductor fins. A dielectric layer (e.g., a spacer layer) is then deposited over the structure and laterally surrounds the vertical semiconductor portion such that semiconductor fins and the at least one gate structure are partially isolated from the first region of the bulk semiconductor substrate by the dielectric layer.

Abstract: The method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device begins with cutting a set of long fins into a set of fins of a FinFET structure. Each of the set of fins has respective cut faces located at the fin ends of a set of fin ends. A photoresist layer is patterned over the set of fin ends on the set of fins of the FinFET structure. The set of fins are isolated from one another by a first dielectric material. The photoresist is patterned over the set of fin ends so that it differs from the photoresist pattern over other areas of the FinFET structure. A set of dielectric blocks is formed on the set of fin ends using the photoresist pattern. The set of dielectric blocks prevents epitaxial growth at the set of fin ends in a subsequent epitaxial growth step.

Abstract: A method for forming contacts on a semiconductor device includes forming trenches by etching an etch stop layer formed on an interlayer dielectric and etching the interlayer dielectric to expose source and drain regions between gate structures and depositing conductive material in the trenches and over the etch stop layer to a height above the etch stop layer. A resist is patterned on the conductive material with shapes over selected source and drain regions. The conductive material is subtractively etched to remove the conductive material from over the etch stop layer and to recess the conductive material into the trenches without the shapes to form self-aligned contacts below the shapes and lines in the trenches.

Abstract: A method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device is described. The method includes cutting the fins of FinFET structure to form a set of exposed fin ends. A set of sidewall spacers are formed on the set of exposed fin ends, forming a set of spacer covered fin ends. The set of sidewall spacers prevent epitaxial growth at the set of spacer covered fin ends. A semiconductor device includes a set of fin structures having a set of fin ends. A set of inhibitory layers are disposed at the set of fin ends to inhibit excessive epitaxial growth at the fin ends.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of semiconductor fins from an upper semiconductor layer located on a first region of a bulk semiconductor substrate of a structure and then forming at least one gate structure straddling a portion of semiconductor fins. A portion of the lower semiconductor layer from beneath the upper semiconductor layer is then removed to form a vertical semiconductor portion which contacts the bulk semiconductor substrate and at least one of the semiconductor fins. A dielectric layer (e.g., a spacer layer) is then deposited over the structure and laterally surrounds the vertical semiconductor portion such that semiconductor fins and the at least one gate structure are partially isolated from the first region of the bulk semiconductor substrate by the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of forming such structures are disclosed. In an embodiment, the semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a dielectric layer, and a plurality of gates, including a first gate and a pair of adjacent gates. The method comprises forming gate caps on the adjacent gates, including etching portions of the gate electrodes in the adjacent gates to recess the gate electrodes therein, and forming the caps above the recessed gate electrodes. Conductive metal trenches are formed in the dielectric layer, on the sides of the first gate; and after forming the trenches, a contact is formed over the gate electrode of the first gate and over and on one of the conductive trenches. In embodiments, the contact is a gate contact, and in other embodiments, the contact is a non-gate contact.

Abstract: A device having an electrostatic discharge structure includes a bulk substrate having a first dopant conductivity, first wells formed adjacent to a surface of the bulk substrate, including a second dopant conductivity, and second wells formed adjacent to the surface of the bulk substrate within the first wells, including the first dopant conductivity. A supply bus is formed in one of the first wells outside the second well. A ground bus has a first portion formed in another first well outside the second well, and a second portion is formed inside the second well such that a charge input to the second wells is dissipated without accumulating in the bulk substrate.

Abstract: A multi-gate finFET structure and formation thereof. The multi-gate finFET structure has a first gate structure that includes an inner side and an outer side. Adjacent to the first gate structure is a second gate structure. The inner side of the first gate structure faces, at least in part, the second gate structure. A stress-inducing material fills a fin cut trench that is adjacent to the outer side of the first gate structure. An epitaxial semiconductor layer fills, at least in part, an area between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including one or more semiconductor devices on a wafer. The one or more devices having source/drain junctions. The semiconductor structure further includes a recessed middle-of-line (MOL) oxide layer, and an air-gap oxide layer including one or more introduced air-gaps. The air-gap oxide layer is positioned over the one or more semiconductor devices and the MOL oxide layer. A nitride layer is positioned over the one or more semiconductor devices. Trenches are formed through the nitride layer down to the source/drain junctions. A silicide fills the trenches.

Abstract: After forming a gate stack straddling a portion of each semiconductor fin of a plurality of semiconductor fins located over a substrate, a gate liner is formed on sidewalls of a lower portion of the gate stack that contacts the plurality of semiconductor fins and a gate spacer having a width greater than a width of the gate liner is formed on sidewalls of an upper portion of the gate stack that is located above the plurality of semiconductor fins. The width of the gate spacer thus is not limited by the fin pitch, and can be optimized to improve the device performance.

Abstract: A method for filling gaps between structures includes forming a plurality of high aspect ratio structures adjacent to one another with gaps, forming a first dielectric layer on tops of the structures and conformally depositing a spacer dielectric layer over the structures. The spacer dielectric layer is removed from horizontal surfaces and a protection layer is conformally deposited over the structures. The gaps are filled with a flowable dielectric, which is recessed to a height along sidewalls of the structures by a selective etch process such that the protection layer protects the spacer dielectric layer on sidewalls of the structures. The first dielectric layer and the spacer dielectric layer are exposed above the height using a higher etch resistance than the protection layer to maintain dimensions of the spacer layer dielectric through the etching processes. The gaps are filled by a high density plasma fill.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure formed based on selectively recessing a middle-of-line (MOL) oxide layer of the semiconductor structure including multiple gate stacks formed on a substrate. A cap layer of the multiple gate stacks is selectively recessed. An air-gap oxide layer introducing one or more air-gaps is deposited. Chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) is performed on the deposited air-gap oxide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a first device region and a second device region. First trench isolation structures surround the first and second device regions and extend below first and second pedestal portions of the semiconductor substrate. A first semiconductor material fin stack is located above the first pedestal portion of the semiconductor substrate, and a second semiconductor material fin stack is located above the second pedestal portion of the semiconductor substrate. Second trench isolation structures are located at ends of each first and second semiconductor material fin stacks. A portion of each second trench isolation structure is located directly between a bottommost surface of the first or second semiconductor material fin stack and the first or second pedestal portion of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for preventing epitaxial growth in a semiconductor device is described. The method cuts the fins of a FinFET structure to form a set of exposed fin ends. A plasma nitridation process is performed to the set of exposed fin ends. The plasma nitridation process forms a set of nitride layer covered fin ends. Dielectric material is deposited over the FinFET structure. The dielectric is etched to reveal sidewalls of the fins and the set of nitride layer covered fin ends. The nitride layer prevents epitaxial growth at the set of spacer covered fin ends.