Abstract: The application provides a multi-phase power converter circuit and a control circuit thereof. The multi-phase power converter circuit receives an input voltage at a voltage input terminal, outputs an output voltage at a voltage output terminal, and includes a power stage circuit. The power stage circuit is coupled to the voltage input terminal and a phase output terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the power stage circuit, the phase output terminal and the voltage output terminal, generates an error signal according to a phase current of the phase output terminal, the output voltage and a reference voltage, generates a compensation signal according to the reference voltage and the error signal, generates a ramp signal according to the error signal, and controls the power stage circuit to operate according to a predetermined duty ratio when the ramp signal crosses the compensation signal, so as to increase the phase current.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a power supply circuit and an undershoot suppression circuit thereof. The undershoot suppression circuit includes a rising edge determination circuit, a falling edge determination circuit and a pulse generation circuit. The rising edge determination circuit detects a difference voltage between an output voltage of the power supply circuit and a reference voltage, and outputs a clock control signal with a first voltage level when the difference voltage is greater than a threshold voltage. The falling edge determination circuit detects the output voltage, and outputs a reset signal with the first voltage level when the output voltage is not smaller than the reference voltage. The pulse generation circuit generates an undershoot suppression pulse according to the clock control signal with the first voltage level and the reset signal with the first voltage level, so that the output voltage approaches the reference voltage.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices including air spacers formed in a backside interconnect structure and methods of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a device includes a first transistor structure; a front-side interconnect structure on a front-side of the first transistor structure; and a backside interconnect structure on a backside of the first transistor structure, the backside interconnect structure including a first dielectric layer on the backside of the first transistor structure; a first via extending through the first dielectric layer, the first via being electrically coupled to a first source/drain region of the first transistor structure; a first conductive line electrically coupled to the first via; and an air spacer adjacent the first conductive line, the first conductive line defining a first side boundary of the air spacer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an interconnect structure includes: forming a first dielectric layer; forming a mask; patterning the first dielectric layer through the mask to form a trench, an inner surface of the trench having two first portions opposite to each other along an X direction, two second portions opposite to each other along a Y direction, and a bottom portion; forming a second dielectric layer over the mask and the patterned first dielectric layer, and along an inner surface of the trench; etching the second dielectric layer by directing an etchant in a predetermined direction such that a first part of the second dielectric layer on the two first portions and the bottom portion is removed, and a second part of the second dielectric layer on the second portions of the trench remains and is formed into two reinforcing spacers; and forming a trench-filling element.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer, a stack of semiconductor layers disposed over the first dielectric layer, a gate structure wrapping around each of the semiconductor layers and extending lengthwise along a direction, and a dielectric fin structure and an isolation structure disposed on opposite sides of the stack of semiconductor layers and embedded in the gate structure. The dielectric fin structure has a first width along the direction smaller than a second width of the isolation structure along the direction. The isolation structure includes a second dielectric layer extending through the gate structure and the first dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer extending through the first dielectric layer and disposed on a bottom surface of the gate structure and a sidewall of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a source/drain (S/D) region, one or more dielectric layers over the S/D region, one or more semiconductor channel layers connected to the S/D region, an isolation structure under the S/D region and the one or more semiconductor channel layers, and a via under the S/D region and electrically connected to the S/D region. A lower portion of the via is surrounded by the isolation structure and an upper portion of the via extends vertically between the S/D region and the isolation structure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor device with backside source/drain contacts formed using a buried source/drain feature and a semiconductor cap layer formed between the buried source/drain feature and a source/drain region. The buried source/drain feature and the semiconductor cap layer enable self-aligned backside source/drain contact and backside isolation. The semiconductor cap layer functions as an etch stop layer during backside contact formation while enabling source/drain region growth without fabrication penalty, such as voids in the source/drain regions.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device is provided. The method includes depositing a first dielectric layer; depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; etching a trench opening in the second dielectric layer, wherein the trench opening exposes a first sidewall of the second dielectric layer and a second sidewall of the second dielectric layer, the first sidewall of the second dielectric layer extends substantially along a first direction, and the second sidewall of the second dielectric layer extends substantially along a second direction different from the first direction in a top view; forming a via etch stop layer on the first sidewall of the second dielectric layer, wherein the second sidewall of the second dielectric layer is free from coverage by the via etch stop layer; forming a conductive line in the trench opening; and forming a conductive via over the conductive line.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an isolation structure, a source/drain region over the isolation structure, a gate structure over the isolation structure and adjacent to the source/drain region, an interconnect layer over the source/drain region and the gate structure, an isolating layer below the gate structure, and a contact structure under the source/drain region. The contact structure has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is below the second portion. The second portion extends through the isolating layer and protrudes above the isolating layer. A portion of the isolating layer is vertically between the gate structure and the first portion of the contact structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a stack of semiconductor nanostructures over a base structure and a first epitaxial structure and a second epitaxial structure sandwiching the semiconductor nanostructures. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate stack wrapped around each of the semiconductor nanostructures and a backside conductive contact connected to the second epitaxial structure. A first portion of the backside conductive contact is directly below the base structure, and a second portion of the backside conductive contact extends upwards to approach a bottom surface of the second epitaxial structure. The semiconductor device structure further includes an insulating spacer between a sidewall of the base structure and the backside conductive contact.

Abstract: Provided are FinFET devices and methods of forming the same. A FinFET device includes a substrate, a metal gate strip, gate spacers and a dielectric helmet. The substrate has fins. The metal gate strip is disposed across the fins and has a reversed T-shaped portion between two adjacent fins. The gate spacers are disposed on opposing sidewalls of the metal gate strip. A dielectric helmet is disposed over the metal gate strip.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a substrate having a front side and a back side, forming a shallow trench in the substrate from the front side, forming a liner layer including a first dielectric material in the shallow trench, depositing a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material on the liner layer to form an isolation feature in the shallow trench, forming an active region surrounded by the isolation feature, forming a gate stack on the active region, forming a source/drain (S/D) feature on the active region and on a side of the gate stack, thinning down the substrate from the back side such that the isolation feature is exposed, etching the active region to expose the S/D feature from the back side to form a backside trench, and forming a backside via feature landing on the S/D feature and surrounded by the liner layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing thereof are provided. The method comprises: forming a gate electrode over a substrate; forming source/drain regions beside the gate electrode; forming contact plugs on the source/drain regions; forming a dielectric layer over the contact plugs and the gate electrode; forming first openings and a second opening in the dielectric layer to expose portions of the contact plugs and a portion of the gate electrode respectively; performing a pre-clean process such as applying an ozone-containing source to the exposed portions of the contact plugs and the gate electrode; performing a surface treatment to the first and second openings to passivate sidewalls of the first and second openings; forming a conductive layer to fill the first openings and the second opening in a same deposition process by using a same metal precursor; and performing a planarization process.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a substrate at a front side of the integrated circuit. A first gate all around transistor is disposed on the substrate. The first gate all around transistor includes a channel region including at least one semiconductor nanostructure, source/drain regions arranged at opposite sides of the channel region, and a gate electrode. A shallow trench isolation region extends into the integrated circuit from the backside. A backside gate plug extends into the integrated circuit from the backside and contacts the gate electrode of the first gate all around transistor. The backside gate plug laterally contacts the shallow trench isolation region at the backside of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: An embodiment is a device including a first die and a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The device also includes an active device on the first surface of the substrate. The device also includes a first interconnect structure on the first surface of the substrate. The device also includes a through substrate via extending through the first interconnect structure and the substrate to the second surface of the substrate, the through substrate via being electrically coupled to metallization patterns in the first interconnect structure. The device also includes one or more material-filled trench structures extending from the second surface of the substrate into the substrate, the one or more material-filled trench structures being electrically isolated from the through substrate via.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes multiple first semiconductor nanostructures over a substrate and multiple second semiconductor nanostructures over the substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a dielectric structure between the first semiconductor nanostructures and the second semiconductor nanostructures. The semiconductor device structure further includes a metal gate stack wrapped around the first semiconductor nanostructures and the second semiconductor nanostructures. The metal gate stack has a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer extends along a sidewall of a lower portion of the dielectric structure. A topmost surface of the gate dielectric layer is between a topmost surface of the first semiconductor nanostructures and a topmost surface of the dielectric structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device having a dielectric structure between a source/drain (S/D) structure and a contact structure. The semiconductor device includes a S/D structure on a substrate, a dielectric structure on a top surface of the S/D structure, and a S/D contact structure on the S/D structure and the dielectric structure. A portion of the S/D contact structure is in contact with a top surface of the dielectric structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer. A gate structure is disposed over the semiconductor layer. A spacer is disposed on a sidewall of the gate structure. A height of the spacer is greater than a height of the gate structure. A liner is disposed on the gate structure and on the spacer. The spacer and the liner have different material compositions.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a converter circuit, a power stage circuit and a temperature balancing method. The converter circuit includes power stage circuits and a control circuit. The power stage circuit includes a power circuit, a temperature sense circuit, a current sense circuit and a current feedback control circuit. The temperature sense circuit senses a temperature of the power stage circuit, to output a temperature sense value. The current sense circuit senses an output current of the power circuit, to output a current sense value. The current feedback control circuit compares the temperature sense value with a highest temperature value of the power stage circuits, and outputs one of the current sense value and adjusted current sense value to the control circuit according to a comparison result of the temperature sense value and the highest temperature value.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure has a frontside and a backside. The semiconductor structure includes an isolation structure at the backside; one or more transistors at the frontside, wherein the one or more transistors have source/drain epitaxial features; two metal plugs through the isolation structure and contacting two of the source/drain electrodes from the backside; and a dielectric liner filling a space between the two metal plugs, wherein the dielectric liner partially or fully surrounds an air gap between the two metal plugs.