Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a die, a molding surrounding the die, a first dielectric layer disposed over the die and the molding, and a second dielectric layer disposed between the first dielectric layer and the die, and between the first dielectric layer and the molding. A material content ratio in the first dielectric layer is substantially greater than that in the second dielectric layer. In some embodiments, the material content ratio substantially inversely affects a mechanical strength of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: In some implementations, one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a metal cap on a metal gate. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form one or more dielectric layers on the metal cap. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a recess to the metal cap within the one or more dielectric layers. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may perform a bottom-up deposition of metal material on the metal cap to form a metal plug within the recess and directly on the metal cap.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a metal back cover and an antenna module. The metal back cover includes a slot. The antenna module is located in the metal back cover. The antenna module includes a first radiator, second radiator, third radiator, fourth radiator, and fifth radiator. The first radiator has a feeding end. The second radiator connected to the first radiator has a contact portion which is connected to the metal back cover. The third radiator is connected to the second radiator and is located beside the first radiator. The third radiator has a first grounding terminal. The fourth radiator is connected to the second radiator and has a second grounding terminal. The fifth radiator is connected to the third radiator and the fourth radiator. Distances between the feeding end and the slot, the first grounding terminal and the slot, and the second grounding terminal and the slot all range from 3.5 mm to 10 mm.

Abstract: An interconnect structure and methods of forming the same are described. In some embodiments, the structure includes a first intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer disposed over a plurality of conductive features and a first passive component disposed on the first IMD layer in a first region of the substrate. The structure further includes a second passive component disposed on the first IMD layer in a second region of the substrate. The second passive component includes a first conductive layer, and the first conductive layer has a first thickness. The structure further includes a second IMD layer disposed on the first passive component in the first region and on the second passive component and a portion of the first IMD layer in the second region. The second IMD layer has a second thickness ranging from about five times to about 20 times the first thickness.

Abstract: A method includes providing a substrate of a first conductivity type, the substrate including a first circuit region and a second circuit region; forming a first well region of a second conductivity type in the first circuit region of the substrate; forming a first doped region of the second conductivity type in the first well region; forming a diode in the second circuit region of the substrate; forming a first transistor and a second transistor over the substrate in the first circuit region and the second circuit region, respectively; forming a discharge structure over the substrate to electrically couple the first doped region to the diode; and forming a metallization layer over the discharge structure to electrically couple the first transistor to the second transistor subsequent to the forming of the diode, wherein charges accumulated in the first well region are drained to the substrate through the discharge structure.

Abstract: An antenna module disposed on a substrate having a first and a second surface opposite to each other includes a microstrip line, a first radiator, a ground radiator and a ground plane. The microstrip line, the first radiator and the ground radiator are disposed on the first surface. The microstrip line includes a first and a second end opposite to each other. The first end includes a first feeding end. The first radiator is connected to the second end of the microstrip line. The ground radiator surrounds the microstrip line and the first radiator and has a first opening and two opposite grounding ends. The first end of the microstrip line is located in the first opening. A gap is formed between each grounding end and the first feeding end. The ground plane is disposed on the second surface. The ground radiator is connected to the ground plane.

Abstract: A plurality of openings is formed in a dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. The plurality of openings comprises a first opening extending to the semiconductor substrate, a second opening extending to a first depth that is substantially less than a thickness of the dielectric layer, and a third opening extending to a second depth that is substantially greater than the first depth. A multi-layer gate electrode is formed in the first opening. A thin resistor structure is formed in the second opening, and a connection structure is formed in the third opening, by filling the second and third openings substantially simultaneously with a resistor metal.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a fin structure, a metal gate and a first polysilicon strip. The fin structure is on the substrate. The metal gate is over the fin structure and is substantially perpendicular to the fin structure. The first polysilicon strip is at a first edge of the fin structure and is substantially parallel to the metal gate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates a back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) metallization stack having an air gap disposed between adjacent metal interconnect features, which provides for an inter-level dielectric material with a low dielectric constant. In some embodiments, the BEOL metallization stack has an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over a substrate. A metal interconnect layer is disposed within the ILD layer, and an air gap is arranged disposed within the ILD layer at a position between a first feature and a second feature of the metal interconnect layer. The air gap has an upper surface with a first curve that meets a second curve at a peak arranged below a top of the metal interconnect layer. The first curve becomes steeper as a distance from the peak decreases and the second curve becomes steeper as a distance from the peak decreases.

Abstract: A passive device and method of fabricating the passive device are disclosed herein. The capacitor structure incorporates a resistor and a capacitor. An exemplary method includes receiving a substrate that has undergone front end of line (FEOL) processing, and performing back end of line (BEOL) processing on the substrate, wherein a capacitor structure is formed over the substrate during the BEOL processing, the capacitor structure incorporating a resistor with a capacitor. The BEOL processing can include performing a first metallization process to form a bottom plate of the capacitor structure; forming a dielectric spacer of the capacitor structure over the bottom plate; forming a top plate of the capacitor structure over the dielectric spacer; and performing a second metallization process to form contacts coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate of the capacitor structure.

Abstract: A plurality of openings is formed in a dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. The plurality of openings comprises a first opening extending to the semiconductor substrate, a second opening extending to a first depth that is substantially less than a thickness of the dielectric layer, and a third opening extending to a second depth that is substantially greater than the first depth. A multi-layer gate electrode is formed in the first opening. A thin resistor structure is formed in the second opening, and a connection structure is formed in the third opening, by filling the second and third openings substantially simultaneously with a resistor metal.

Abstract: A plurality of openings is formed in a dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. The plurality of openings comprises a first opening extending to the semiconductor substrate, a second opening extending to a first depth that is substantially less than a thickness of the dielectric layer, and a third opening extending to a second depth that is substantially greater than the first depth. A multi-layer gate electrode is formed in the first opening. A thin resistor structure is formed in the second opening, and a connection structure is formed in the third opening, by filling the second and third openings substantially simultaneously with a resistor metal.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a fin structure, a metal gate and a first polysilicon strip. The fin structure is on the substrate. The metal gate is over the fin structure and is substantially perpendicular to the fin structure. The first polysilicon strip is at a first edge of the fin structure and is substantially parallel to the metal gate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates a back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) metallization stack having an air gap disposed between adjacent metal interconnect features, which provides for an inter-level dielectric material with a low dielectric constant. In some embodiments, the BEOL metallization stack has an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer disposed over a substrate. A metal interconnect layer is disposed within the ILD layer, and an air gap is arranged disposed within the ILD layer at a position between a first feature and a second feature of the metal interconnect layer. The air gap has an upper surface with a first curve that meets a second curve at a peak arranged below a top of the metal interconnect layer. The first curve becomes steeper as a distance from the peak decreases and the second curve becomes steeper as a distance from the peak decreases.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates a method of forming a back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) metallization layer having an air gap disposed between adjacent metal interconnect features, which provides for an inter-level dielectric material with a low dielectric constant, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a metal interconnect layer within a sacrificial dielectric layer overlying a substrate. The sacrificial dielectric layer is removed to form a recess extending between first and second features of the metal interconnect layer. A protective liner is formed onto the sidewalls and bottom surface of the recess, and then a re-distributed ILD layer is deposited within the recess in a manner that forms an air gap at a position between the first and second features of the metal interconnect layer. The air gap reduces the dielectric constant between the first and second features of the metal interconnect layer.

Abstract: A passive device and method of fabricating the passive device are disclosed herein. The capacitor structure incorporates a resistor and a capacitor. An exemplary method includes receiving a substrate that has undergone front end of line (FEOL) processing, and performing back end of line (BEOL) processing on the substrate, wherein a capacitor structure is formed over the substrate during the BEOL processing, the capacitor structure incorporating a resistor with a capacitor. The BEOL processing can include performing a first metallization process to form a bottom plate of the capacitor structure; forming a dielectric spacer of the capacitor structure over the bottom plate; forming a top plate of the capacitor structure over the dielectric spacer; and performing a second metallization process to form contacts coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate of the capacitor structure.

Abstract: A passive circuit device incorporating a resistor and a capacitor and a method of forming the circuit device are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the circuit device comprises a substrate and a passive device disposed on the substrate. The passive device includes a bottom plate disposed over the substrate, a top plate disposed over the bottom plate, a spacing dielectric disposed between the bottom plate and the top plate, a first contact and a second contact electrically coupled to the top plate, and a third contact electrically coupled to the bottom plate. The passive device is configured to provide a target capacitance and a first target resistance. The passive device may also include a second top plate disposed over the bottom plate and configured to provide a second target resistance, such that the second target resistance is different from the first target resistance.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an active region and a trench isolation. The active region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The trench isolation is disposed adjacent to the active region. The trench isolation includes a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is located on the lower portion. The upper portion has a width gradually decreased from a junction between the upper portion and the lower portion toward a top of the trench isolation. In a method for fabricating the semiconductor device, at first, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a trench in the semiconductor substrate. Then, an insulator fills the trench to form the trench isolation. Thereafter, the gate structure is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Then, the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a recess adjacent to the trench isolation. Thereafter, at least one doped epitaxial layer grows in the recess.

Abstract: A method of reliability testing of a semiconductor device is described. The embodiment, includes providing a capacitor including an insulating layer interposing two conductive layers. A plurality of voltages are provided to the capacitor including providing a first voltage and a second voltage greater than the first voltage. A leakage associated with the capacitor is measured while applying the second voltage. In an embodiment, the leakage measured while applying the second voltage indicates that a failure of the insulating layer of the capacitor has occurred. In an embodiment, the capacitor is an inter-digitated metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor. The reliability testing may be correlated to TDDB test results. The reliability testing may be performed at a wafer-level.

Abstract: As will be appreciated in more detail herein, the present disclosure provides for FinFET techniques whereby a FinFET channel region has a particular orientation with respect to the crystalline lattice of the semiconductor device to provide enhanced mobility, compared to conventional FinFETs. In particular, the present disclosure provides FinFETs with a channel region whose lattice includes silicon atoms arranged on (551) lattice plane. In this configuration, the sidewalls of the channel region are particularly smooth at the atomic level, which tends to promote higher carrier mobility and higher device performance than previously achievable.