Abstract: A semiconductor chip including a semiconductor substrate, an interconnect structure and a memory cell array is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a logic circuit. The interconnect structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the logic circuit, and the interconnect structure includes stacked interlayer dielectric layers and interconnect wirings embedded in the stacked interlayer dielectric layers. The memory cell array is embedded in the stacked interlayer dielectric layers. The memory cell array includes driving transistors and memory devices, and the memory devices are electrically connected the driving transistors through the interconnect wirings.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method of forming a ferroelectric memory device. In the method, a pair of source/drain regions is formed in a substrate. A gate dielectric and a gate electrode are formed over the substrate and between the pair of source/drain regions. A polarization switching structure is formed directly on a top surface of the gate electrode. By arranging the polarization switching structure directly on the gate electrode, smaller pad size can be realized, and more flexible area ratio tuning can be achieved compared to arranging the polarization switching structure under the gate electrode with the aligned sidewall and same lateral dimensions. In addition, since the process of forming gate electrode can endure higher annealing temperatures, such that quality of the ferroelectric structure is better controlled.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip including a semiconductor substrate, an interconnect structure and a memory cell array is provided. The semiconductor substrate includes a logic circuit. The interconnect structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the logic circuit, and the interconnect structure includes stacked interlayer dielectric layers and interconnect wirings embedded in the stacked interlayer dielectric layers. The memory cell array is embedded in the stacked interlayer dielectric layers. The memory cell array includes driving transistors and memory devices, and the memory devices are electrically connected the driving transistors through the interconnect wirings.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method of forming a ferroelectric memory device. In the method, a pair of source/drain regions is formed in a substrate. A gate dielectric and a gate electrode are formed over the substrate and between the pair of source/drain regions. A polarization switching structure is formed directly on a top surface of the gate electrode. By arranging the polarization switching structure directly on the gate electrode, smaller pad size can be realized, and more flexible area ratio tuning can be achieved compared to arranging the polarization switching structure under the gate electrode with the aligned sidewall and same lateral dimensions. In addition, since the process of forming gate electrode can endure higher annealing temperatures, such that quality of the ferroelectric structure is better controlled.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon germanium channel, a germanium-free interfacial layer, a high-k dielectric layer, and a metal gate electrode. The silicon germanium channel is over a substrate. The germanium-free interfacial layer is over the silicon germanium channel. The germanium-free interfacial layer is nitridated. The high-k dielectric layer is over the germanium-free interfacial layer. The metal gate electrode is over the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip structure. The integrated chip structure includes a multi-layer stack disposed on a substrate and having a plurality of conductive layers interleaved between a plurality of dielectric layers. A channel layer is arranged along a side of the multi-layer stack. A ferroelectric material is arranged between the channel layer and the side of the multi-layer stack. A plurality of oxygen scavenging layers are respectively arranged between the ferroelectric material and sidewalls of the plurality of conductive layers. The plurality of oxygen scavenger layers are entirely confined below the plurality of dielectric layers.

Abstract: Negative capacitance field-effect transistor (NCFET) and ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FE-FET) devices and methods of forming are provided. The gate dielectric stack includes a ferroelectric gate dielectric layer. An amorphous high-k dielectric layer and a dopant-source layer are deposited sequentially followed by a post-deposition anneal (PDA). The PDA converts the amorphous high-k layer to a polycrystalline high-k film with crystalline grains stabilized by the dopants in a crystal phase in which the high-k dielectric is a ferroelectric high-k dielectric. After the PDA, the remnant dopant-source layer may be removed. A gate electrode is formed over remnant dopant-source layer (if present) and the polycrystalline high-k film.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a wide-bandgap semiconductor material is provided. A substrate is provided, which includes a layer stack of a conductive material layer, a dielectric material layer, and a wide-bandgap semiconductor material layer. A mercury probe is disposed on a top surface of the wide-bandgap semiconductor material layer. Alternating-current (AC) capacitance of the layer stack is determined as a function of a variable direct-current (DC) bias voltage across the conductive material layer and the wide-bandgap semiconductor material layer. A material property of the wide-bandgap semiconductor material layer is extracted from a profile of the AC capacitance as a function of the DC bias voltage.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes: receiving a substrate; forming a transistor surrounded by a dielectric layer over the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer includes a through hole, and the transistor is formed in the through hole; forming a gate contact in the through hole to electrically connect the transistor; forming a ferroelectric layer over the gate contact in the through hole; forming an insulating layer conformal to and over the dielectric layer and the ferroelectric layer; removing a portion of the insulating layer to form a spacer in the through hole and over the ferroelectric layer; and forming a top electrode over the ferroelectric layer and between the spacer.

Abstract: Memory devices and methods of forming the memory devices are disclosed herein. The memory devices include a resistive memory array including a first resistive memory cell, a staircase contact structure adjacent the resistive memory array, and an inter-metal dielectric layer over the staircase contact structure. The memory devices further include a first diode and a second diode over the inter-metal dielectric layer. The memory devices further include a first conductive via electrically coupling the first diode to a first resistor of the first resistive memory cell and a second conductive via electrically coupling the second diode to a second resistor of the first resistive memory cell.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a thin film transistor over a semiconductor substrate. The thin film transistor comprising: a ferroelectric (FE) material contacting a word line, the FE material being a hafnium-comprising compound, and the hafnium-comprising compound comprising a rare earth metal; and an oxide semiconductor (OS) layer contacting a source line and a bit line, wherein the FE material is disposed between the OS layer and the word line.

Abstract: Circuit devices and methods of forming the same are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a workpiece that includes a substrate and a fin extending from the substrate, forming a first ferroelectric layer on the fin, forming a dummy gate structure over a channel region of the fin, forming a gate spacer over sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, forming an inter-level dielectric layer over the workpiece, removing the dummy gate structure to expose the first ferroelectric layer over the channel region of the fin, and forming a gate electrode over the exposed first ferroelectric layer over the channel region of the fin.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates a ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) device. In some embodiments, the FeFET device includes a ferroelectric layer having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side and a gate electrode disposed along the first side of the ferroelectric layer. The FeFET device further includes an OS channel layer disposed along the second side of the ferroelectric layer opposite to the first side and a pair of source/drain regions disposed on opposite sides of the OS channel layer. The FeFET device further includes a 2D contacting layer disposed along the OS channel layer. The OS channel layer has a first doping type, and the 2D contacting layer has a second doping type different than the first doping type.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an integrated chip device. The integrated chip device includes a plurality of conductive lines disposed over a substrate. The plurality of conductive lines are stacked onto one another and are separated from one another by dielectric layers interleaved between adjacent ones of the plurality of conductive lines. A ferroelectric layer is along sidewalls of the plurality of conductive lines and the dielectric layers. The ferroelectric layer separates a channel layer from the plurality of conductive lines. A species is disposed within the ferroelectric layer. The species has a concentration that decreases from the channel layer towards a surface of the ferroelectric layer that faces away from the channel layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device includes a substrate and first and second spacers on the substrate. The semiconductor device includes a gate stack between the first and second spacers. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer having a first portion formed on the substrate and a second portion formed on the first and second spacers. The first portion includes a crystalline material and the second portion comprises an amorphous material. The gate stack further includes a gate electrode on the first and second portions of the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes: receiving a substrate; forming a transistor surrounded by a dielectric layer over the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer includes a through hole, and the transistor is formed in the through hole; forming a gate contact in the through hole to electrically connect the transistor; forming a ferroelectric layer over the gate contact in the through hole; forming an insulating layer conformal to and over the dielectric layer and the ferroelectric layer; removing a portion of the insulating layer to form a spacer in the through hole and over the ferroelectric layer; and forming a top electrode over the ferroelectric layer and between the spacer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a three-dimensional memories is provided. A stack with multiple levels is formed, and each of the levels includes an isolation layer, a metal layer, and a semiconductor layer between the isolation layer and the metal layer. A first trench and a plurality of second trenches are formed along each parallel line in the stack of the levels. The isolation layers and the metal layers in the parallel lines are removed through the first trench and the second trenches, so as to expose the semiconductor layers in the parallel line. A plurality of memory cells are formed in the parallel lines of the levels. In each of the levels, each of the memory cells includes a transistor and a channel of the transistor is formed by the semiconductor layer in the parallel line.

Abstract: Memory devices and methods of forming the memory devices are disclosed herein. The memory devices include a resistive memory array including a first resistive memory cell, a staircase contact structure adjacent the resistive memory array, and an inter-metal dielectric layer over the staircase contact structure. The memory devices further include a first diode and a second diode over the inter-metal dielectric layer. The memory devices further include a first conductive via electrically coupling the first diode to a first resistor of the first resistive memory cell and a second conductive via electrically coupling the second diode to a second resistor of the first resistive memory cell.

Abstract: A management circuit is coupled to multiple processor cores for performing current suppression. The management circuit includes a detection circuit and a throttle signal generator. The detection circuit is operative to receive an activity signal from each processor core, and estimate a total current consumed by the plurality of processor cores based on activity signals. The activity signal indicates a current index proportional to current consumption of the processor core in a given time period. The throttle signal generator is operative to assert or de-assert throttle signals to the processor cores, one processor core at a time, based on one or more metrics calculated from the total current.

Abstract: A 3D memory array in which epitaxial source/drain regions which are horizontally merged and vertically unmerged are used as source lines and bit lines and methods of forming the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a memory array includes a first channel region over a semiconductor substrate; a first epitaxial region electrically coupled to the first channel region; a second epitaxial region directly over the first epitaxial region in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the semiconductor substrate; a dielectric material between the first epitaxial region and the second epitaxial region, the second epitaxial region being isolated from the first epitaxial region by the dielectric material; a gate dielectric surrounding the first channel region; and a gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric.