Abstract: An embodiment is a semiconductor device including a first channel region over a semiconductor substrate, a second channel region over the first channel region, a first gate stack over the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the first channel region and the second channel region, a first inner spacer extending from the first channel region to the second channel region and along a sidewall of the first gate stack, a second inner spacer extending from the first channel region to the second channel region and along a sidewall of the first inner spacer, the second inner spacer having a different material composition than the first inner spacer, and a first source/drain region adjacent the first channel region, the second channel region, and the second inner spacer, the first and second inner spacers being between the first gate stack and the first source/drain region.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a dummy gate structure over a nanostructure, where the nanostructure overlies a fin that protrudes above a substrate, where the nanostructure comprises alternating layers of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material; forming openings in the nanostructure on opposing sides of the dummy gate structure, the openings exposing end portions of the first semiconductor material and end portions of the second semiconductor material; recessing the exposed end portions of the first semiconductor material to form first sidewall recesses; filling the first sidewall recesses with a multi-layer spacer film; removing at least one sublayer of the multi-layer spacer film to form second sidewall recesses; and forming source/drain regions in the openings after removing at least one sublayer, where the source/drain regions seal the second sidewall recesses to form sealed air gaps.

Abstract: A test structure for 3D memory arrays and methods of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a memory array includes a first word line over a semiconductor substrate and extending in a first direction; a second word line over the first word line and extending in the first direction; a memory film contacting the first word line and the second word line; an oxide semiconductor (OS) layer contacting a first source line and a first bit line, the memory film being between the OS layer and each of the first word line and the second word line; and a test structure over the first word line and the second word line, the test structure including a first conductive line electrically coupling the first word line to the second word line, the first conductive line extending in the first direction.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a replacement metal gate in a FinFET or nanoFET which utilizes a conductive metal fill. The conductive metal fill has an upper surface which has a fin shape which may be used for a self-aligned contact.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices including fin-shaped isolation structures and methods of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a fin extending from a semiconductor substrate; a shallow trench isolation (STI) region over the semiconductor substrate adjacent the fin; and a dielectric fin structure over the STI region, the dielectric fin structure extending in a direction parallel to the fin, the dielectric fin structure including a first liner layer in contact with the STI region; and a first fill material over the first liner layer, the first fill material including a seam disposed in a lower portion of the first fill material and separated from a top surface of the first fill material, a first carbon concentration in the lower portion of the first fill material being greater than a second carbon concentration in an upper portion of the first fill material.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: first source/drain regions; a first insulating fin between the first source/drain regions, the first insulating fin including a first lower insulating layer and a first upper insulating layer; second source/drain regions; and a second insulating fin between the second source/drain regions, the second insulating fin including a second lower insulating layer and a second upper insulating layer, the first lower insulating layer and the second lower insulating layer including the same dielectric material, the first upper insulating layer and the second upper insulating layer including different dielectric materials.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having improved gate electrode structures and methods of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, the gate structure including a high-k dielectric layer; an n-type work function layer over the high-k dielectric layer; an anti-reaction layer over the n-type work function layer, the anti-reaction layer including a dielectric material; a p-type work function layer over the anti-reaction layer, the p-type work function layer covering top surfaces of the anti-reaction layer; and a conductive cap layer over the p-type work function layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a multi-layer stack of alternating first layers of a first semiconductor material and second layers of a second semiconductor material on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first recess through the multi-layer stack, and laterally recessing sidewalls of the second layers of the multi-layer stack. The sidewalls are adjacent to the first recess. The method further includes forming inner spacers with respective seams adjacent to the recessed second layers of the multi-layer stack and performing an anneal treatment on the inner spacers to close the respective seams.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate, a first transistor and a second transistor is provided. The first transistor includes a first gate structure over the first semiconductor fin. The first gate structure includes a first high-k layer and a first work function layer sequentially disposed on the substrate, a material of the first work function layer may include metal carbide and aluminum, and a content of aluminum in the first work function layer is less than 10% atm. The second transistor includes a second gate structure. The second gate structure includes a second high-k layer and a second work function layer sequentially disposed on the substrate. A work function of the first work function layer is greater than a work function of the second work function layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a nanostructure field-effect transistor (nano-FET) device includes: forming a fin structure that includes a fin and alternating layers of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material overlying the fin; forming a dummy gate structure over the fin structure; forming source/drain regions over the fin structure on opposing sides of the dummy gate structure; removing the dummy gate structure to expose the first and second semiconductor materials under the dummy gate structure; selectively removing the exposed first semiconductor material, where after the selectively removing, the exposed second semiconductor material remains to form nanostructures, where different surfaces of the nanostructures have different atomic densities of the second semiconductor material; forming a gate dielectric layer around the nanostructures, thicknesses of the gate dielectric layer on the different surfaces of the nanostructures being formed substantially the same; and forming a gate electrode

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a first gate dielectric on a first channel region of a first semiconductor feature; a first gate electrode on the first gate dielectric; a second gate dielectric on a second channel region of a second semiconductor feature, the second gate dielectric having a greater crystallinity than the first gate dielectric; and a second gate electrode on the second gate dielectric.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first trench and a second trench in a base structure. The first trench has a first aspect ratio, and the second trench has a second aspect ratio lower than the first aspect ratio. A deposition process is then performed to deposit a layer. The layer includes a first portion extending into the first trench, and a second portion extending into the second trench. The first portion has a first thickness. The second portion has a second thickness greater than the first thickness by a first difference. The method further includes performing an etch-back process to etch the layer. After the etch-back process, the first portion has a third thickness, and the second portion has a fourth thickness. A second difference between the third thickness and the fourth thickness is smaller than the first difference.

Abstract: A method includes forming a fin protruding over a substrate; forming a conformal oxide layer over an upper surface and along sidewalls of the fin; performing an anisotropic oxide deposition or an anisotropic plasma treatment to form a non-conformal oxide layer over the upper surface and along the sidewalls of the fin; and forming a gate electrode over the fin, the conformal oxide layer and the non-conformal oxide layer being between the fin and the gate electrode.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy gate oxide on a wafer, and the dummy gate oxide is formed on a sidewall and a top surface of a protruding semiconductor fin in the wafer. The formation of the dummy gate oxide may include a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) process in a deposition chamber, and the PECVD process includes applying a Radio Frequency (RF) power to a conductive plate below the wafer. The method further includes forming a dummy gate electrode over the dummy gate oxide, removing the dummy gate electrode and the dummy gate oxide to form a trench between opposing gate spacers, and forming a replacement gate in the trench.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: a channel region; a gate dielectric layer on the channel region; a first work function tuning layer on the gate dielectric layer, the first work function tuning layer including a p-type work function metal; a barrier layer on the first work function tuning layer; a second work function tuning layer on the barrier layer, the second work function tuning layer including a n-type work function metal, the n-type work function metal different from the p-type work function metal; and a fill layer on the second work function tuning layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of forming is provided. The semiconductor structure includes nanostructures separated from one another and stacked over a substrate, a gate stack wrapping around the nanostructures, and a dielectric fin structure laterally spaced apart from the nanostructures by the gate stack. The dielectric fin structure include a lining layer and a fill layer nested within the lining layer. The lining layer is made of a carbon-containing dielectric material, and a carbon concentration of the lining layer varies in a direction from the gate stack to the lining layer.

Abstract: A method includes patterning a trench and depositing a first insulating material along sidewalls and a bottom surface of the trench using a conformal deposition process. Depositing the first insulating material includes forming a first seam between a first portion of the first insulating material on a first sidewall of the trench and a second portion of the first insulating material on a second sidewall of the trench. The method further includes etching the first insulating material below a top of the trench and depositing a second insulating material over the first insulating material and in the trench using a conformal deposition process. Depositing the second insulating material comprises forming a second seam between a first portion of the second insulating material on the first sidewall of the trench and a second portion of the second insulating material on a second sidewall of the trench.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure includes forming alternating first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers stacked over a substrate. The method also includes etching the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers to form a fin structure. The method also includes oxidizing the first semiconductor layers to form first oxidized portions of the first semiconductor layers and oxidizing the second semiconductor layers to form second oxidized portions of the second semiconductor layers. The method also includes removing the oxides over the sidewalls of the second semiconductor layers. After removing the second oxidized portions, an upper layer of the second semiconductor layers is narrower than a lower layer of the second semiconductor layers. The method also includes removing the first semiconductor layers to form a gate opening between the second semiconductor layers. The method also includes forming a gate structure in the gate opening.

Abstract: A structure includes a semiconductor substrate including a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, a first transistor in the first semiconductor region, and a second transistor in the second semiconductor region. The first transistor includes a first gate dielectric over the first semiconductor region, a first work function layer over and contacting the first gate dielectric, and a first conductive region over the first work function layer. The second transistor includes a second gate dielectric over the second semiconductor region, a second work function layer over and contacting the second gate dielectric, wherein the first work function layer and the second work function layer have different work functions, and a second conductive region over the second work function layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a FinFET includes at last the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is patterned to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor fins located between two adjacent trenches of the trenches. Gate stacks is formed over portions of the semiconductor fins. Strained material portions are formed over the semiconductor fins revealed by the gate stacks. First metal contacts are formed over the gate stacks, the first metal contacts electrically connecting the strained material portions. Air gaps are formed in the FinFET at positions between two adjacent gate stacks and between two adjacent strained materials.