Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a semiconductor device and the resulting structure. A nanosheet stack of alternating nanosheets of a sacrificial semiconductor material nanosheet and a semiconductor channel material nanosheet and a dielectric nanosheet as a top layer of the nanosheet stack is provided above a semiconductor substrate. A dummy gate with a gate cap and spacers on the sidewalls straddle over the nanosheet stack. End portions of the sacrificial semiconductor material nanosheets are recessed. A dielectric spacer material layer is formed. A source/drain region is formed on the sidewalls of each semiconductor channel material nanosheet. The dummy gate and gate cap are removed. Each sacrificial semiconductor material nanosheet is removed. A functional gate structure is formed that wraps around each suspended semiconductor channel material nanosheet. A self-aligned source/drain contact region is formed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to fabrication methods and resulting structures that provide metal gate N/P boundary control in an integrated circuit (IC) using an active gate cut and recess processing scheme. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a gate cut is formed in an N/P boundary between an n-type field effect transistor (FET) and a p-type FET. A first portion of a first work function metal is removed over a channel region of the n-type FET. The gate cut prevents etching a second portion of the first work function metal. The first portion of the first work function metal is replaced with a second work function metal. The gate cut is recessed, and a conductive region is formed on the recessed surface of the gate cut. The conductive region provides electrical continuity across the N/P boundary.

Abstract: An antifuse structure including a first metal line, a top via above and directly contacting the first metal line, a second metal line, and a conductive etch stop layer separating both the first metal line and the second metal line from an underlying layer, where a first portion of the conductive etch stop layer directly beneath the first metal line comprises a first extension region and a second portion of the conductive etch stop layer directly beneath the second metal line comprises a second extension region opposite the first extension region.

Abstract: A fin stack including compressively strained and tensile-strained semiconductor fin regions allows CMOS fabrication to form vertically stacked p-type FinFETs and n-type FinFETs. Aspect ratio trapping within a semiconductor base region within the fin stack provides a relaxed semiconductor base region on which uniaxially strained regions are grown. A dielectric layer may be formed to electrically isolate the compressively strained semiconductor fin region from the tensile-strained semiconductor fin region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an interconnect in a first dielectric layer, and forming a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer. In the method, an etch stop layer is formed on the second dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer is formed on the etch stop layer. A trench and an opening are formed in the third and second dielectric layers, respectively. A barrier layer is deposited in the trench and in the opening, and on a top surface of the interconnect. The method also includes removing the barrier layer from the top surface of the interconnect and from a bottom surface of the trench, and depositing a conductive fill layer in the trench and in the opening, and on the interconnect. A bottom surface of the trench includes the etch stop layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a first metal line, a top via above and directly contacting the first metal line, a second metal line adjacent to the first metal line, a first dielectric contacting sidewalls of the top via, a second dielectric directly between the first dielectric and the second metal line, and an air gap located between the first metal line and the second metal line, and below both the first dielectric and the second dielectric.

Abstract: A method of forming a vertical transistor is provided. The method includes forming a first set of vertical fins in a first row on a first bottom source/drain layer, and a second set of vertical fins in a second row on a second bottom source/drain layer, wherein the vertical fins in the same row are separated by a spacing with a sidewall-to-sidewall distance, SD, and the vertical fins in the same column of adjacent rows are separated by a gap having a gap distance, GD. The method further includes forming a gate metal layer on the first set of vertical fins and the second set of vertical fins, wherein the gate metal layer does not fill in the gap between vertical fins in the same column, and forming a cover layer plug in the remaining gap after forming the gate metal layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a metal line that has an upper surface defining a periphery; a dielectric spacer that is formed around the periphery of the upper surface of the metal line; and a metal via that contacts the metal line and the dielectric spacer adjacent to the periphery of the upper surface. A method for making a semiconductor structure includes depositing a spacer around the periphery of an upper surface of a metal line; and depositing a via onto the metal line, so that a part of the via overlaps the spacer.

Abstract: A structure and a method for fabricating interconnections for an integrated circuit device are described. The method forms a metal interconnection pattern having a first barrier layer and a copper layer in a set of trenches in a first dielectric layer over a substrate. In a selected area, the first dielectric layer is removed to so that the first barrier layer can be removed at the exposed vertical surfaces. A thin second barrier layer is deposited over the exposed vertical surfaces of the first copper layer. A structure includes a first feature formed in a first dielectric layer which has a first barrier layer disposed on vertical surfaces of the first dielectric layer and surrounds opposing vertical surfaces and a bottom surface of a copper layer.

Abstract: A method is presented for reducing capacitance coupling. The method includes forming a nanosheet stack including alternating layers of a first material and a second material over a substrate, forming a source/drain epi for a first device, depositing a sacrificial material over the source/drain epi, forming a source/drain epi for a second device over the sacrificial material, and removing the sacrificial material to define an airgap directly between the source/drain epi for the first device and the source/drain epi for the second device.

Abstract: A first metal interconnection pattern is formed over a substrate. A spacer layer is selectively deposited on the exposed surfaces of the first metal interconnection pattern. Subsequently, a metal overburden layer is deposited on the spacer layer. The excess portion of the metal overburden layer is removed, i.e., that portion deposited over a top surface of the metal interconnection pattern and the spacer layer. This forms a second metal interconnection pattern. The elements of the second metal interconnection pattern are located between respective elements of the first metal interconnection pattern.

Abstract: An interconnect structure that in one embodiment can include a first metal line level having a first metal line, a second metal line level having a second metal line, and a via line level present between the first and second metal line levels. The via line level includes a via interlevel dielectric surrounding a via stack. The via stack may include an interface metal portion that is in contact with the first metal line, a via intralevel dielectric on the interface metal portion, and a cap metal portion in contact with the second metal line and extending through the via intralevel dielectric into contact with the interface metal portion. In some embodiments, the length of the interface metal portion of the via is greater than a width of the interface metal portion of the via stack.

Abstract: An electrical communication structure that includes a plurality of metal line levels, a first metal line in a first metal line level of the plurality of line levels, and a second metal line in an upper metal line level of the plurality of line levels. A base of the second metal line is atop a metal etch stop layer that is aligned with edges of the second metal line. The electrical communication structure further includes a via that extends from the first metal line to the second metal line through the plurality of line levels. the via is not in electrical communication with at least one an intermediate metal line within the plurality of line levels between the first metal line level and the upper metal line level. The via has a metal fill that is in direct contact with a metal fill of the first metal line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a self-aligned contact gate dielectric cap, or “SAC cap” over the gate stack and spacer. A SAC cap ear exists over the sidewall of a top portion of the spacer at a location where no S/D contact is formed. A method of forming the semiconductor device comprises: (i) forming gate stack; (ii) recessing ILD to create topography of the gate stack; (iii) forming selective gate cap deposition over the gate stack; and/or (iv) forming self-aligned contact with respect to the selective gate cap.

Abstract: A MIM capacitor and related methods of fabricating the MIM capacitor. The MIM capacitor includes a bottom capacitor plate including a plurality of trenches defined therein, and a top capacitor plate. The MIM capacitor also includes a capacitor insulating layer disposed between the top capacitor plate and the bottom capacitor plate and within the plurality of trenches. Further, the MIM capacitor includes a first electrode electrically connected to the bottom capacitor plate, and a second electrode electrically connected to the top capacitor plate.

Abstract: A method including forming a plurality of nanosheet layers on a substrate and forming a plurality of first sacrificial layers on the substrate, wherein the plurality of nanosheet layers and the plurality of first sacrificial layers are arranged in alternating layers, where the plurality of first sacrificial layers is comprised of a first material. Selectively removing the plurality of first sacrificial layers and forming a plurality of second sacrificial layers where the plurality of first sacrificial layers were removed, where the plurality of second sacrificial layers is comprised of a second material, where the first material and the second material are different. Recessing the plurality of second sacrificial layers at an even rate.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe semiconductor devices that include semiconductor structures and methods of forming the semiconductor structures. The methods may include forming a subtractive line from a bottom metal layer and a sacrificial hard mask above the bottom metal layer, depositing a scaffolding material around the subtractive line, forming a via mask over a via portion of the sacrificial hard mask and the scaffolding material, etching the sacrificial hard mask that is not covered by the via mask, to form a sacrificial via, removing the via mask and the scaffolding material, depositing a low-? layer around the subtractive line and the sacrificial via, removing the sacrificial via to form a via hole within the low-? layer, and forming a top via by metallizing the via hole.

Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming the interconnect structure are provided. The interconnect structure includes a source drain contact above and contacting a source drain region of a semiconductor device. The interconnect structure also includes a via above and contacting the source drain contact. The via includes a lower portion with an uppermost surface that contacts a lowermost surface of an interlayer dielectric.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method of forming an integrated circuit having a single-damascene line-via interconnect. The method includes forming a via trench in a first dielectric layer. A first portion of a barrier layer is formed within the via trench, and a second portion of the barrier layer is formed over the first dielectric layer. A conductive region is formed and includes a conductive via element and a conductive via overburden. The conductive via element is within the via trench; a first portion of the conductive via overburden is over the second portion of the barrier layer; and a second portion of the conductive via overburden is over the conductive via. Planarization is applied to the conductive region and stopped at the second portion of the barrier layer. The conductive via element is coupled at a line-via interface to a conductive line of the single-damascene line-via interconnect.

Abstract: The present invention relates to integrated circuits and related method steps for forming an IC chip. The method steps result in semiconductor device structures that include redundant same via level formation using a top via subtractive etch and bottom via from dual damascene etch techniques. In embodiments, the same level redundancy via option is optional. Provision of redundant same via level connections using dual damascene processes improves device resistance and capacitive performance. Further method steps result in semiconductor device structures that include a direct super via connection bypassing subtractive etch metal level via formations. These highlighted method steps increase design flexibility—and reduce device footprint (by skipping a metal level) with the benefit of reduced via connection height and shorter metal connections.