Abstract: A method is performed to a structure that includes a substrate with first and second regions for logic and RF devices respectively, first fin and first gate structure over the first region, second fin and second gate structure over the second region, and gate spacers over sidewalls of the gate structures. The method includes performing a first etching to the first fin to form a first recess; and performing a second etching to the second fin to form a second recess. The first and second etching are tuned to differ in at least one parameter such that the first recess is shallower than the second recess and a first distance between the first recess and the first gate structure along the first fin lengthwise is smaller than a second distance between the second recess and the second gate structure along the second fin lengthwise.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided and includes a semiconductor fin protruding from a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor fin includes plural pairs of semiconductor layers on the semiconductor substrate, each pair of semiconductor layers consists of a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type. The second semiconductor layer is stacked on and contacts the first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first mask layer over a dielectric layer. The first mask layer has a trench. The trench has an inner wall and a bottom surface. The method includes forming a second mask layer in the trench. The method includes removing the second mask layer covering the bottom surface to form a second trench in the second mask layer. The second trench exposes the bottom surface and is over a first portion of the dielectric layer. The remaining second mask layer covers the inner wall. The method includes removing the first portion, the first mask layer, and the second mask layer to form a third trench in the dielectric layer. The method includes forming a conductive structure in the third trench.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a front surface, a back surface opposite to the front surface, a light-sensing region close to the front surface, and a trench adjacent to the light-sensing region. The image sensor device includes a light-blocking structure positioned in the trench to absorb or reflect incident light.

Abstract: A FinFET device structure and method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures over a substrate, and the substrate includes a first region and a second region. The method includes forming a plurality of isolation structures surrounding the fin structures, and a top surface of each of the isolation structures is lower than a top surface of each of the fin structures, and the isolation structures include first isolation structures over the first region and second isolation structures over the second region. The method includes forming a mask layer on the first isolation structures to expose the second isolation structures and removing a portion of the second isolation structures, such that a top surface of each of the second isolation structures is lower than a top surface of each of the first isolation structures.

Abstract: A method for forming an image sensor device is provided. The method includes forming a photodetector in a semiconductor substrate and forming a shielding layer over the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer over the shielding layer and partially removing the dielectric layer to form a recess. The method further includes partially removing the shielding layer through the recess. In addition, the method includes forming a filter in the recess after the shielding layer is partially removed.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an exemplary asymmetric CPP layout for a semiconductor structure with a different gate pitch over the source and the drain regions to mitigate gate-to-gate parasitic capacitances over the drain region, thus improving cutoff frequency. For example, the semiconductor structure can include a fin on a substrate. The semiconductor structure can also include first and second gate structures formed on the fin and separated by a first space. The semiconductor structure can also include a third gate structure formed on the fin between the first and the second gate structures. The third gate structure can be separated from the first gate structure by a second pitch and separated from the second gate structure by a third pitch that is greater than the second pitch. The semiconductor structure further includes a source region formed between the first and third gate structures, and a drain region formed between the third and the second gate structures.

Abstract: A method of fabricating tantalum nitride barrier layer in an ultra low threshold voltage semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a high-k dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. Subsequently, a tantalum nitride barrier layer is formed on the high-k dielectric layer. The tantalum nitride barrier layer has a Ta:N ratio between 1.2 and 3. Next, a plurality of first metal gates is formed on the tantalum nitride barrier layer. The first metal gates are patterned, and then a second metal gate is formed on the tantalum nitride barrier layer.

Abstract: A FinFET device structure and method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures over a substrate, and the substrate includes a first region and a second region. The method includes forming a plurality of isolation structures surrounding the fin structures, and a top surface of each of the isolation structures is lower than a top surface of each of the fin structures, and the isolation structures include first isolation structures over the first region and second isolation structures over the second region. The method includes forming a mask layer on the first isolation structures to expose the second isolation structures and removing a portion of the second isolation structures, such that a top surface of each of the second isolation structures is lower than a top surface of each of the first isolation structures.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a substrate is provided. A hard mask and a mask layer are formed on a first region and a second region of the substrate. The substrate is recessed using the hard mask and the mask layer to form a fin structure in the first region and a raised structure in the second region. First isolation structures and second isolation structures are formed on lower portions of opposite sidewalls of the fin structure and opposite sidewalls of the raised structure. A first gate structure is formed on a portion of the fin structure, and a second gate structure is formed on a portion of the raised structure. A first source and a first drain are formed on opposite sides of the first gate structure, and a second source and a second drain are formed on opposite sides of the second gate structure.

Abstract: Gate stacks for improving integrated circuit device performance and methods for fabricating such gate stacks are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes forming a gate stack over a substrate and at least partially removing the gate stack, thereby forming an opening. A multi-function layer is deposited in the opening and a work function layer is deposited over the multi-function layer. The multi-function layer includes nitrogen and one of titanium or tantalum. The work function layer includes nitrogen and one of titanium or tantalum. A concentration of the nitrogen of the work function layer is different than a concentration of the nitrogen of the multi-function layer. In some implementations, the concentration of the nitrogen of the work function layer from about 2% to about 5% and the concentration of the nitrogen of the multi-function layer from about 5% to about 15%.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) is provided. The method includes: patterning a substrate to form a plurality of trenches in the substrate and at least one semiconductor fin between the trenches; forming a plurality of insulators in the trenches; forming a patterned photoresist on the insulators, wherein sidewalls of the semiconductor fin are partially covered by the patterned photoresist, and at least one area of the sidewalls is exposed by the patterned photoresist; by using the patterned photoresist as a mask, partially removing the semiconductor fin from the at least one area of the sidewalls exposed by the patterned photoresist so as to form at least one recess on the sidewalls of the semiconductor fin; removing the patterned photoresist after forming the at least one recess; and forming a gate stack to partially cover the semiconductor fin and the insulators.

Abstract: A method of fabricating tantalum nitride barrier layer in an ultra low threshold voltage semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a high-k dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. Subsequently, a tantalum nitride barrier layer is formed on the high-k dielectric layer. The tantalum nitride barrier layer has a Ta:N ratio between 1.2 and 3. Next, a plurality of first metal gates is formed on the tantalum nitride barrier layer. The first metal gates are patterned, and then a second metal gate is formed on the tantalum nitride barrier layer.

Abstract: A structure of an under bump metallization and a method of forming the same are provided. The under bump metallization has a redistribution via hole, viewed from the top, in a round shape or a polygon shape having an angle between adjacent edges greater than 90°. Therefore, the step coverage of the later formed metal layer can be improved.

Abstract: A structure and a formation method of a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a fin structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack covering a portion of the fin structure and an epitaxially grown source/drain structure over the fin structure and adjacent to the gate stack. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor protection layer over the epitaxially grown source/drain structure. The semiconductor protection layer has an atomic concentration of silicon greater than that of the epitaxially grown source/drain structure.

Abstract: A FinFET including a substrate, a plurality of insulators and a gate stack is provided. The substrate comprises a plurality of trenches and at least one semiconductor fin between the trenches, wherein the semiconductor fin comprises at least one groove, and the at least one groove is located on a top surface of the semiconductor fin. The insulators are disposed in the trenches. The gate stack partially covers the semiconductor fin, the at least one groove and the insulators.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate, a photosensitive unit, a first grid and a color filter. The photosensitive unit is located within the substrate. The first grid is located above the substrate, and the first grid has a first portion and a second portion above the first portion, wherein the second portion has a rounded top surface extending from a sidewall of the first portion of the first grid. The color filter is located above the photosensitive unit and in contact with the rounded top surface of the second portion of the first grid.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a source/drain region, a composite layer and a plug. The source/drain region and the composite layer are over the substrate. The composite layer includes a first sublayer having a first material, a second sublayer having a second material, and a third sublayer having the first material. A bandgap of the second material is larger than that of the first material. The second sublayer is between the first sublayer and the third sublayer. The plug is through the composite layer, and electrically connected to the source/drain region. The plug includes a first portion laterally adjoining the first sublayer, a second portion laterally adjoining the second sublayer, and a third portion laterally adjoining the third sublayer, and a first width of the first portion and a third width of the third portion is smaller than a second width of the second portion.

Abstract: A light guide grid can include a grid structure having a plurality of intersecting grid lines, each grid line having a width w, and a plurality of openings for photosensor elements between intersecting grid lines. The grid structure has a diagonal grid width between two adjacent ones of the plurality of openings in a diagonal direction. The diagonal grid width has a value exceeding approximately ?3 w. An image sensor can include a light guide grid having a grid structure as described above and further include a micro-lens such as a sinking micro-lens and a color filter. A method of fabricating a light guide grid can include forming a grid above at least one photo sensor, the grid having intersecting grid lines of width w and a diagonal grid width in a diagonal direction having a value exceeding approximately ?3 w.

Abstract: A structure and a formation method of a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a fin structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a gate stack covering a portion of the fin structure and an epitaxially grown source/drain structure over the fin structure and adjacent to the gate stack. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor protection layer over the epitaxially grown source/drain structure. The semiconductor protection layer has an atomic concentration of carbon greater than that of the epitaxially grown source/drain structure.