Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a first gate dielectric stack over the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric stack includes a first ferroelectric layer, and a first dielectric layer coupled to the first ferroelectric layer, wherein the first ferroelectric layer includes a first portion made of a ferroelectric material in orthorhombic phase, a second portion made of the ferroelectric material in monoclinic phase, and a third portion made of the ferroelectric material in tetragonal phase, wherein a total volume of the second portion is greater than a total volume of the first portion and the total volume of the first portion is greater than a total volume of the third portion.

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: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring wafer bonding and for detecting or determining defects in a wafer bond formed between two semiconductor wafers. A wafer bonding system includes a camera configured to monitor bonding between two semiconductor wafers. Wafer bonding defect detection circuitry receives video data from the camera, and detects a bonding defect based on the received video data.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. An exemplary method according to the present disclosure includes providing a workpiece comprising a first channel member directly over a first region of a substrate and a second channel member directly over the first channel member, the first channel member being vertically spaced apart from the second channel member, conformally forming a dielectric layer over the workpiece, conformally depositing a dipole material layer over the dielectric layer, after the depositing of the dipole material layer, performing a thermal treatment process to the workpiece, after the performing of the thermal treatment process, selectively removing the dipole material layer, and forming a gate electrode layer over the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A transistor includes a gate structure that has a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer. The first gate dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate. The first gate dielectric layer contains a first type of dielectric material that has a first dielectric constant. The second gate dielectric layer is disposed over the first gate dielectric layer. The second gate dielectric layer contains a second type of dielectric material that has a second dielectric constant. The second dielectric constant is greater than the first dielectric constant. The first dielectric constant and the second dielectric constant are each greater than a dielectric constant of silicon oxide.

Abstract: Embodiments include structures and methods for fabricating an MFM capacitor having a plurality of metal contacts. An embodiment may include a first metal strip, disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction, a ferroelectric blanket layer, disposed on the first metal strip, a second metal strip, disposed on the ferroelectric blanket layer and extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and a plurality of metal contacts disposed between the first metal strip and the second metal strip and located within an intersection region of the first metal strip and the second metal strip.

Abstract: A dummy gate electrode and a dummy gate dielectric are removed to form a recess between adjacent gate spacers. A gate dielectric is deposited in the recess, and a barrier layer is deposited over the gate dielectric. A first work function layer is deposited over the barrier layer. A first anti-reaction layer is formed over the first work function layer, the first anti-reaction layer reducing oxidation of the first work function layer. A fill material is deposited over the first anti-reaction layer.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first transistor stack over a substrate. The first transistor stack includes: a first transistor of a first conductivity type, and a second transistor of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The second transistor is above the first transistor. A plurality of first conductive lines is formed in a first metal layer above the first transistor stack. The plurality of first conductive lines includes, over the first transistor stack, a power conductive line configured to route power to the first transistor stack, one or more signal conductive lines configured to route one or more signals to the first transistor stack, and a shielding conductive line configured to shield the routed one or more signals. The one or more signal conductive lines are between the power conductive line and the shielding conductive line.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a metal gate layer over the substrate, a channel between a source region and a drain region in the substrate, and a ferroelectric layer, at least a portion of the ferroelectric layer is between the metal gate layer and the substrate, wherein the ferroelectric layer includes hafnium oxide-based material, the hafnium oxide-based material includes a first portion of hafnium oxide with orthorhombic phase, a second portion of hafnium oxide with monoclinic phase, and a third portion of the hafnium oxide with tetragonal phase, wherein a first volume of the first portion is greater than a second volume of the second portion, and the second volume of the second portion is greater than a third volume the third portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure of a first transistor. The semiconductor device includes a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure of a first transistor. The semiconductor device includes a third source/drain structure and a fourth source/drain structure of a second transistor. The second source/drain structure and the third source/drain structure merges as a common source/drain structure. The semiconductor device includes a first interconnect structure extending along a first lateral direction and disposed above the common source/drain structure. The semiconductor device includes a first dielectric structure interposed between the first interconnect structure and the common source/drain structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes first and second active areas extending in a first direction in a semiconductor substrate, first and second gate structures extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each of the first and second gate structures overlies each of the first and second active areas, a first metal-like defined (MD) segment extending in the second direction between the first and second gate structures and overlying each of the first and second active areas, and an isolation structure positioned between the first MD segment and the first active area. The first MD segment is electrically connected to the second active area and electrically isolated from a portion of the first active area between the first and second gate structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes two active areas extending in a first direction, two gate structures extending in a second direction, a first metal segment extending in the second direction in a first metal layer, second and third metal segments extending in the first direction in a second metal layer, and a gate via structure extending from the third metal segment to one of the gate structures. The gate structures overlie the active areas, the first metal segment overlies each of the active areas between the gate structures, the second metal segment overlies a first active area and overlies and is electrically connected to the first metal segment, and the first and second metal segments are electrically connected to the second active area, isolated from the first active area between the gate structures, and connected to the first active area outside the gate structures.

Abstract: A method of fabricating the semiconductor device includes forming a bit line structure over a substrate, forming a spacer structure on a sidewall of the bit line structure, partially removing an upper portion of the spacer structure to form a slope on the spacer structure slanting to the bit line structure, forming a landing pad material to cover the spacer structure and contact the slope, and removing at least a portion of the landing pad material to form a landing pad against the slope.

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 and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device comprises a gate, a ferroelectric layer disposed on the gate; a first channel layer disposed on the ferroelectric layer, a second channel layer disposed on the ferroelectric layer, and source and drain regions disposed on the first channel layer. The first channel layer includes a first thickness and the second channel layer includes a second thickness. A ratio of the first thickness and the second thickness is less than 3/5.

Abstract: A memory cell includes a write port and a read port. The write port includes two cross-coupled inverters that form a storage unit. The cross-coupled inverters are connected between a first power source signal line and a second power source signal line. The write port also includes a first local interconnect line in an interconnect layer that is connected to the second power source signal line. The read port includes a transistor that is connected to the storage unit in the write port and to the second power source signal line, and a second local interconnect line in the interconnect layer that is connected to the second power source signal line. The second local interconnect line in the read port is separate from the first local interconnect line in the write port.

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 device includes first and second gate electrodes, a word line and a first metal island. The first gate electrode corresponds to transistors of a memory cell. The second gate electrode is separated from the first gate electrode and corresponds to the transistors. The word line is coupled to the memory cell and located between the first and the second gate electrodes. The first metal island is configured to couple a first power supply to the memory cell. A first boundary of the first metal island is located between first and second boundaries of the first gate electrode and is located between first and second boundaries of the word line, and each of the first boundary of the first gate electrode and the first boundary of the word line is located between first and second boundaries of the first metal island.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: depositing a gate dielectric layer on a first fin and a second fin, the first fin and the second fin extending away from a substrate in a first direction, a distance between the first fin and the second fin decreasing along the first direction; depositing a sacrificial layer on the gate dielectric layer by exposing the gate dielectric layer to a self-limiting source precursor and a self-reacting source precursor, the self-limiting source precursor reacting to form an initial layer of a material of the sacrificial layer, the self-reacting source precursor reacting to form a main layer of the material of the sacrificial layer; annealing the gate dielectric layer while the sacrificial layer covers the gate dielectric layer; after annealing the gate dielectric layer, removing the sacrificial layer; and after removing the sacrificial layer, forming a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer.