Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of channel layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device also includes an active gate structure comprising a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of channel layers. The semiconductor device further includes a gate spacer extending along a sidewall of the upper portion of the active gate structure. The gate spacer has a bottom surface. Moreover, a dummy gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate spacer and a topmost channel layer of plurality of channel layers. The dummy gate dielectric layer is in contact with a top surface of the topmost channel layer, the bottom surface of the gate spacer, and the sidewall of the gate structure.

Abstract: A cyclic process including an etching process, a passivation process, and a pumping out process is provided to prevent over etching of the sacrificial gate electrode, particularly when near a high-k dielectric feature. The cyclic process solves the problems of failed gate electrode layer at an end of channel region and enlarges filling windows for replacement gate structures, thus improving channel control. Compared to state-of-art solutions, embodiments of the present disclosure also enlarge volume of source/drain regions, thus improving device performance.

Abstract: A method includes forming an active channel region, forming a dummy channel region, forming a first gate dielectric layer over the active channel region, forming a second gate dielectric layer over the dummy channel region, removing the second gate dielectric layer from the dummy channel region, forming a gate isolation region over and contacting the dummy channel region, and forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack. The first gate stack is on the active channel region. The gate isolation region separates the first gate stack from the second gate stack.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming semiconductor fins on a substrate. A first dummy gate is formed over the semiconductor fins. A recess is formed in the first dummy gate, and the recess is disposed between the semiconductor fins. A dummy fin material is formed in the recess. A portion of the dummy fin material is removed to expose an upper surface of the first dummy gate and to form a dummy fin. A second dummy gate is formed on the exposed upper surface of the first dummy gate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor fin extending along a first direction. The semiconductor device includes a second semiconductor fin also extending along the first direction. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric fin disposed between the first and second semiconductor fins, wherein the dielectric fin also extends along the first direction. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the gate structure comprising a first portion and a second portion. A top surface of the dielectric fin is vertically above respective top surfaces of the first and second semiconductor fins. The first portion and the second portion are electrically isolated by the dielectric fin. The first portion of the gate structure overlays an edge portion of the first semiconductor fin, and the second portion of the gate structure overlays a non-edge portion of the second semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a fin structure with a fin top surface disposed on the substrate, a source/drain (S/D) region disposed on the fin structure, a gate structure disposed on the fin top surface, and a gate spacer with first and second spacer portions disposed between the gate structure and the S/D region. The first spacer portion extends above the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the gate structure. The second spacer portion extends below the fin top surface and is disposed along a sidewall of the S/D region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes plurality of fin structures extending in first direction on semiconductor substrate. Fin structure's lower portion is embedded in first insulating layer. First gate electrode and second gate electrode structures extend in second direction substantially perpendicular to first direction over of fin structures and first insulating layer. The first and second gate electrode structures are spaced apart and extend along line in same direction. First and second insulating sidewall spacers are arranged on opposing sides of first and second gate electrode structures. Each of first and second insulating sidewall spacers contiguously extend along second direction. A second insulating layer is in region between first and second gate electrode structures. The second insulating layer separates first and second gate electrode structures. A third insulating layer is in region between first and second gate electrode structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes etch selectivity tuning to enlarge epitaxy process windows. Through modification of etching processes and careful selection of materials, improvements in semiconductor device yield and performance can be delivered. Etch selectivity is controlled by using dilute gas, using assistive etch chemicals, controlling a magnitude of bias power used in the etching process, and controlling an amount of passivation gas used in the etching process, among other approaches. A recess is formed in a dummy fin in a region of the semiconductor where epitaxial growth occurs to further enlarge the epitaxy process window.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor fin extending from a substrate, and a gate structure extending across the semiconductor fin. From a plan view, the semiconductor fin includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall, an end surface extending along a different direction than the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a first corner portion connecting the first sidewall and the end surface. The first corner portion is more rounded than the first sidewall and the end surface.

Abstract: A device includes a substrate, a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure, an isolation structure, and a gate stack. The substrate has a semiconductor fin. The shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is over the substrate and laterally surrounding the semiconductor fin. The isolation structure is disposed on a top surface of the STI structure. The gate stack crosses the semiconductor fin, over the STI structure, and in contact with a sidewall the isolation structure, in which the gate stack includes a high-k dielectric layer extending from a sidewall of the semiconductor fin to the top surface of the STI structure and terminating prior to reaching the sidewall of the isolation structure, and the high-k dielectric layer is in contact with the top surface of the STI structure. The gate stack includes a gate electrode over the high-k dielectric layer and in contact with the sidewall of the isolation structure.

Abstract: An embodiment device includes a first source/drain region over a semiconductor substrate and a dummy fin adjacent the first source/drain region. The dummy fin comprising: a first portion comprising a first film and a second portion over the first portion, wherein the second portion comprises: a second film; and a third film. The third film is between the first film and the second film, and the third film is made of a different material than the first film and the second film. A width of the second portion is less than a width of the first portion. The device further comprises a gate stack along sidewalls of the dummy fin.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy gate stack, etching the dummy gate stack to form an opening, depositing a first dielectric layer extending into the opening, and depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer and extending into the opening. A planarization process is then performed to form a gate isolation region including the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The dummy gate stack is then removed to form trenches on opposing sides of the gate isolation region. The method further includes performing a first etching process to remove sidewall portions of the first dielectric layer, performing a second etching process to thin the second dielectric layer, and forming replacement gates in the trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric fin that is formed over the substrate and extends along a first direction. The semiconductor device includes a gate isolation structure vertically disposed above the dielectric fin. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The gate structure includes a first portion and a second portion separated by the gate isolation structure and the dielectric fin. The first portion of the gate structure presents a first beak profile and the second portion of the gate structure presents a second beak profile. The first and second beak profiles point toward each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes plurality of fin structures extending in first direction on semiconductor substrate. Fin structure's lower portion is embedded in first insulating layer. First gate electrode and second gate electrode structures extend in second direction substantially perpendicular to first direction over of fin structures and first insulating layer. The first and second gate electrode structures are spaced apart and extend along line in same direction. First and second insulating sidewall spacers are arranged on opposing sides of first and second gate electrode structures. Each of first and second insulating sidewall spacers contiguously extend along second direction. A second insulating layer is in region between first and second gate electrode structures. The second insulating layer separates first and second gate electrode structures. A third insulating layer is in region between first and second gate electrode structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor device and a semiconductor fin on the semiconductor substrate, in which the semiconductor fin has a fin isolation structure at a common boundary that is shared by the two cells. The fin isolation structure has an air gap extending from a top of the semiconductor fin to a stop layer on the semiconductor substrate. The air gap divides the semiconductor fin into two portions of the semiconductor fin. The fin isolation structure includes a dielectric cap layer capping a top of the air gap.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate including a semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a conduction channel of a transistor disposed above the substrate. The conduction channel and the substrate include a similar semiconductor material. The semiconductor device includes a source/drain region extending from an end of the conduction channel. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric structure. The source/drain region is electrically coupled to the conduction channel and electrically isolated from the substrate by the dielectric structure.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed towards semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices. The methods include forming fins in a device region and forming other fins in a multilayer stack of semiconductor materials in a multi-channel device region. A topmost nanostructure may be exposed in the multi-channel device region by removing a sacrificial layer from the top of the multilayer stack. Once removed, a stack of nanostructures are formed from the multilayer stack. A native oxide layer is formed to a first thickness over the topmost nanostructure and to a second thickness over the remaining nanostructures of the stack, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. A gate dielectric is formed over the fins in the device region. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric in the device region and surrounding the native oxide layer in the multi-channel device region.

Abstract: A method includes following steps. A substrate is etched using a hard mask as an etch mask to form a fin. A bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer is over the fin. A recess is formed in the BARC layer to expose a first portion of the hard mask. A protective coating layer is formed at least on a sidewall of the recess in the BARC layer. A first etching step is performed to remove the first portion of the hard mask to expose a first portion of the fin, while leaving a second portion of the fin covered under the protective coating layer and the BARC layer. A second etching step is performed to lower a top surface of the first portion of the fin to below a top surface of the second portion of the fin.

Abstract: An embodiment method includes forming first dummy gate stack and a second dummy gate stack over a semiconductor fin. A portion of the semiconductor fin is exposed by an opening between the first dummy gate stack and the second dummy gate stack. The method further includes etching the portion of the semiconductor fin to extend the opening into the semiconductor fin. A material of the semiconductor fin encircles the opening in a top-down view of the semiconductor fin. The method further includes epitaxially growing a source/drain region in the opening on the portion of the semiconductor fin.

Abstract: A device includes a fin protruding from a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack over and along a sidewall of the fin; a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate stack and along the sidewall of the fin; an epitaxial source/drain region in the fin and adjacent the gate spacer; and a corner spacer between the gate stack and the gate spacer, wherein the corner spacer extends along the sidewall of the fin, wherein a first region between the gate stack and the sidewall of the fin is free of the corner spacer, wherein a second region between the gate stack and the gate spacer is free of the corner spacer.