Abstract: An apparatus comprising a source or drain of a field effect transistor (FET), a first dielectric between a portion of the source or drain and a FET gate, the first dielectric comprising silicon nitride, and a second dielectric above at least a portion of the first dielectric, the second dielectric comprising silicon oxide doped with at least one of oxygen or carbon, the second dielectric having a dielectric constant lower than the first dielectric.

Abstract: One or more transistors may have gate structures with differing sidewall slopes. The gate structures may be over stacks of channel regions in nanosheets (or nanoribbons or nanowires), and the differing gate profiles may correspond to differing electrical characteristics. Transistors with metal gate structures may be tuned by strategically etching the gate structures, for example, using lower etch powers, higher etch temperatures, and/or longer etch durations, to achieve substantially vertical gate profiles.

Abstract: An IC device may have layout with reduced N-P boundary effect. The IC device may include two rows of transistors. The first row may include one or more P-type transistors. The second row may include N-type transistors. The gate electrode of a P-type transistor may include different conductive materials from the gate electrode of a N-type transistor. Each P-type transistor in the first row may be over a N-type transistor in the second row and contact the N-type transistor in the second row. For instance, the gate of the P-type transistor may contact the gate of the N-type transistor. Vacancy diffusion may occur at the boundary of the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor, causing N-P boundary effect. At least one or more other N-type transistors in the second row do not contact any P-type transistor, which can mitigate the N-P boundary effect in the IC device.

Abstract: Described herein are integrated circuit devices that include both nanoribbon-based transistors and fin-shaped transistors. The nanoribbon transistors may have shorter channel lengths than the fin transistors. In addition, the nanoribbon transistors may have thinner gate dielectrics than the fin transistors.

Abstract: An IC device may include an array of transistors. The transistors may have separate gate electrodes. A gate electrode may include polysilicon. The gate electrodes may be separated from each other by one or more electrical insulators. The separated gate electrodes have shorter lengths, compared with connected gate electrodes, which can optimize the performance of the IC device due to local layout effect. Also, the IC device may include conductive structures crossing the support structures of multiple transistors. Such conductive structures may cause strain in the IC device, which can boost the local layout effect. The conductive structures may be insulated from a power plane. Alternatively or additionally, the IC device may include dielectric structures, which may be formed by removing gate electrodes in some of the transistors and providing a dielectric material into the openings. The presence of the dielectric structures can further boost the local layout effect.

Abstract: Fabrication method for nanoribbon-based transistors and associated transistor arrangements, IC structures, and devices are disclosed. An example fabrication method is based on patterning a foundation over which a superlattice is provided so that a single superlattice may be used to form both PMOS and NMOS stacks of nanoribbons. An example IC structure includes a support, an NMOS stack of nanoribbons stacked vertically above one another over the support, and a PMOS stack of nanoribbons stacked vertically above one another over the support, wherein at least one of the nanoribbons of the NMOS stack is vertically offset with respect to at least one of the nanoribbons of the PMOS stack.

Abstract: An IC device includes a backside FTI separating a first transistor from a second transistor. The FTI may be between a source region of the first transistor and a drain region of the second transistor. The source region of the first transistor and the drain region of the second transistor may be different portions of a semiconductor structure, e.g., a fin or nanoribbon. The IC device may also include a frontside metal layer. The semiconductor structure may have a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The first surface of the semiconductor structure may be closer to the metal layer and larger than the second surface of the semiconductor structure. The FTI may have a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The first surface of the FTI may be closer to the metal layer but smaller than the second surface of the FTI.

Abstract: A metal gate fabrication method for nanoribbon-based transistors and associated transistor arrangements, IC structures, and devices are disclosed. An example IC structure fabricated using metal gate fabrication method described herein may include a first stack of N-type nanoribbons, a second stack of P-type nanoribbons, a first gate region enclosing portions of the nanoribbons of the first stack and including an NWF material between adjacent nanoribbons of the first stack, and a second gate region enclosing portions of the nanoribbons of the second stack and including a PWF material between adjacent nanoribbons of the second stack, where the second gate region includes the PWF material at sidewalls of the nanoribbons of the second stack and further includes the NWF material so that the PWF material is between the sidewalls of the nanoribbons of the second stack and the NWF material.

Abstract: Fabrication methods that employ an etch stop layer to assist subfin removal during fabrication of nanoribbon-based transistors are disclosed. An example fabrication method includes providing a stack of nanoribbons above a subfin, where the nanoribbons and the subfin include one or more semiconductor materials; depositing an etch stop layer over a top of the subfin and around portions of the nanoribbons; removing the etch stop layer from around the portions of the nanoribbons; providing a gate dielectric material around the portions of the nanoribbons and over the etch stop layer over the top of the subfin; depositing a gate electrode material around the portions of the nanoribbons; and performing an etch to remove the subfin without substantially removing the etch stop layer.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include one or more gate cuts having a hybrid material structure. A semiconductor device includes a gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. The gate structure may be interrupted, for example, between two transistors with a gate cut that includes a hybrid structure having both a low-k dielectric material and a high-k dielectric material. The gate cut includes an outer layer having a high-k dielectric material and a dielectric fill on the dielectric layer having a low-k dielectric material. The inclusion of low-k dielectric material reduces the parasitic capacitance between adjacent conductive layers around or within the gate cut.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having source or drain contacts with enhanced contact area, and methods of fabricating integrated circuit structures having source or drain contacts with enhanced contact area, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires. A gate structure is over the plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires. An epitaxial source or drain structure is at an end of the plurality of horizontally stacked nanowires. A conductive contact structure is vertically over the epitaxial source or drain structure. The conductive contact structure has a lower portion extending over the top and along upper portions of sides of the epitaxial source or drain structure, and has an upper portion on the lower portion. The upper portion has a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion.

Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having recessed trench contacts and deep boundary vias are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a plurality of gate lines extending over a plurality of semiconductor nanowire stack channel structures. A plurality of trench contacts extends over a plurality of source or drain structures, where a first one of the plurality of trench contacts has a recess therein. A backside metal routing layer is extending beneath the plurality of gate lines and beneath the plurality of trench contacts. A conductive structure couples the backside metal routing layer to a second one of the one or more of the plurality of trench contacts. The conductive structure includes a pillar portion in contact with the second one of the plurality of trench contacts, the pillar portion on a line portion, the line portion in contact with and extending along the backside metal routing layer.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. A transfer transistor is configured for coupling the photodiode to the floating diffusion. The transfer transistor includes a vertical transfer gate extending a first depth in a depthwise direction from the first surface into the semiconductor substrate. A transistor is coupled to the floating diffusion. The transistor includes: a planar gate disposed proximate to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of vertical gate electrodes, each extending a respective depth into the semiconductor substrate from the planar gate in the depthwise direction. The respective depth of at least one of the plurality of vertical gate electrodes is the same as the first depth of the vertical transfer gate.

Abstract: Image sensors include a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and a transistor operatively coupled to the photodiode. The transistor includes a nonplanar structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, which is bounded by two outer trench structures formed in the semiconductor substrate. Isolation deposits are disposed within the two outer trench structures formed in the semiconductor substrate. A gate includes a planar gate and two fingers extending into one of two inner trench structures formed in the semiconductor substrate between the nonplanar structure and a respective one of the two outer trench structures. This structure creates an electron channel extending along a plurality of sidewall portions of the nonplanar structure in a channel width plane.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an image sensor includes, for each of a plurality of photosensitive pixels of the image sensor, forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate of the image sensor, and depositing temporary transfer gate material in and above the trench. The method further includes, after the step of depositing temporary transfer gate material, high-temperature annealing at least a portion of the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the method includes, after the step of high-temperature annealing, (a) removing the temporary transfer gate material, thereby reopening the trench, (b) depositing a passivation lining, having a high-k dielectric, in the reopened trench, and (c) depositing metal on the high-k dielectric passivation lining to form a metal vertical transfer gate in the trench and extending above the trench.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an image sensor includes, for each of a plurality of photosensitive pixels of the image sensor, forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate of the image sensor, and depositing temporary transfer gate material in and above the trench. The method further includes, after the step of depositing temporary transfer gate material, high-temperature annealing at least a portion of the semiconductor substrate. In addition, the method includes, after the step of high-temperature annealing, (a) removing the temporary transfer gate material, thereby reopening the trench, (b) depositing a passivation lining, having a high-k dielectric, in the reopened trench, and (c) depositing metal on the high-k dielectric passivation lining to form a metal vertical transfer gate in the trench and extending above the trench.