Abstract: A single wafer etching apparatus and various methods implemented in the single wafer etching apparatus are disclosed. In an example, etching a silicon nitride layer in a single wafer etching apparatus includes: heating a phosphoric acid to a first temperature; heating a sulfuric acid to a second temperature; mixing the heated phosphoric acid and the heated sulfuric acid; heating the phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture to a third temperature; and etching the silicon nitride layer with the heated phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an interconnection structure in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer over a substrate and forming a dummy electrode in a first portion of the opening in the dielectric layer. The method further includes filling a second portion of the opening with a second work-function metal layer, wherein a top surface of the second work-function metal layer is below a top surface of the opening and removing the dummy electrode. The method further includes depositing a first work-function metal layer in the first and second portions, whereby the first work-function metal layer is over the second work-function metal layer in the opening and depositing a signal metal layer over the first work-function metal layer in the first and second portions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure on the substrate, the gate structure including a dummy gate, removing the dummy gate from the gate structure thereby forming a trench, forming a work function metal layer partially filling the trench, forming a fill metal layer filling a remainder of the trench, performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to remove portions of the metal layers outside the trench, and implanting Si, C, or Ge into a remaining portion of the fill metal layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a discrete nanostructured element at one or more predetermined locations on a substrate is presented. The method includes forming a mask member over the substrate. A window is formed in the mask member at each of one or more locations at which it is required to form the nanostructured element thereby to expose a portion of a surface of the substrate. A portion of the substrate exposed by the window at the one or more locations is removed to form one or more recesses in the substrate. The method further includes forming a layer of a nanostructure medium over a surface of the recess and annealing the structure thereby to form the nanostructured element in each of the one or more recesses. The nanostructured element includes a portion of the nanostructure medium and has an external dimension along at least two substantially orthogonal directions of less than substantially 100 nm.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. An exemplary method for fabricating the semiconductor device comprises providing a substrate; forming pad oxide layers over a frontside and a backside of the substrate; forming hardmask layers over the pad oxide layers on the frontside and the backside of the substrate; and thinning the hardmask layer over the pad oxide layer on the frontside of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an interconnection structure in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer over a substrate and forming a dummy electrode in a first portion of the opening in the dielectric layer. The method further includes filling a second portion of the opening with a second work-function metal layer, wherein a top surface of the second work-function metal layer is below a top surface of the opening and removing the dummy electrode. The method further includes depositing a first work-function metal layer in the first and second portions, whereby the first work-function metal layer is over the second work-function metal layer in the opening and depositing a signal metal layer over the first work-function metal layer in the first and second portions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a metal gate on the substrate, the metal gate having a first gate resistance, removing a portion of the metal gate thereby forming a trench; and forming a conductive structure within the trench such that a second gate resistance of the conductive structure and remaining portion of the metal gate is lower than the first gate resistance.

Abstract: This description relates to a method for fabricating an interconnection structure in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). The method includes forming a first opening in a dielectric layer over a substrate and partially filling the first opening with a second work-function metal layer, wherein a top surface of the second work-function metal layer is below a top surface of the first opening. The method further includes forming a second opening adjoining the first opening in the dielectric layer over the substrate and depositing a first work-function metal layer in the first and second openings, whereby the first work-function metal layer is over the second work-function metal layer in the first opening. The method further includes depositing a signal metal layer over the first work-function metal layer in the first and second openings and planarizing the signal metal layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises selectively forming a first layer over a first and second exposed portions of a substrate. The first and second exposed portions are of different sizes and are located adjacent to a first and second active devices. During the first layer formation, a gas mixture comprising first and second source gases that function as growth components for forming the first layer and a reactant gas that functions as an etching component for controlling selectivity of the first layer growth is provided. The reactant gas is different from the first and second source gases and one of first and second source gases forms the first layer at a faster rate over the first exposed portion as compared to the second exposed portion and the other source gas exhibits an opposite behavior.

Abstract: A single wafer etching apparatus and various methods implemented in the single wafer etching apparatus are disclosed. In an example, etching a silicon nitride layer in a single wafer etching apparatus includes: heating a phosphoric acid to a first temperature; heating a sulfuric acid to a second temperature; mixing the heated phosphoric acid and the heated sulfuric acid; heating the phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture to a third temperature; and etching the silicon nitride layer with the heated phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixture.

Abstract: The applications discloses a semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a first active region, a second active region, and an isolation region having a first width interposed between the first and second active regions; a P-metal gate electrode over the first active region and extending over at least ? of the first width of the isolation region; and an N-metal gate electrode over the second active region and extending over no more than ? of the first width. The N-metal gate electrode is electrically connected to the P-metal gate electrode over the isolation region.

Abstract: This description relates to a method for fabricating an interconnection structure in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). The method includes forming a first opening in a dielectric layer over a substrate and partially filling the first opening with a second work-function metal layer, wherein a top surface of the second work-function metal layer is below a top surface of the first opening. The method further includes forming a second opening adjoining the first opening in the dielectric layer over the substrate and depositing a first work-function metal layer in the first and second openings, whereby the first work-function metal layer is over the second work-function metal layer in the first opening. The method further includes depositing a signal metal layer over the first work-function metal layer in the first and second openings and planarizing the signal metal layer.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to an interconnection structure for N/P metal gates. An exemplary structure for an interconnection structure comprises a first gate electrode having a first portion of a first work-function metal layer under a first portion of a signal metal layer; and a second gate electrode having a second portion of the first work-function metal layer interposed between a second work-function metal layer and a second portion of the signal metal layer, wherein the second portion of the signal metal layer is over the second portion of the first work-function metal layer, wherein the second portion of the signal metal layer and the first portion of the signal metal layer are continuous, and wherein a maximum thickness of the second portion of the signal metal layer is less than a maximum thickness of the first portion of the signal metal layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device having a transistor. The transistor includes a substrate and first and second wells that are disposed within the substrate. The first and second wells are doped with different types of dopants. The transistor includes a first gate that is disposed at least partially over the first well. The transistor further includes a second gate that is disposed over the second well. The transistor also includes source and drain regions. The source and drain regions are disposed in the first and second wells, respectively. The source and drain regions are doped with dopants of a same type.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. An exemplary method for fabricating the semiconductor device comprises providing a substrate; forming pad oxide layers over a frontside and a backside of the substrate; forming hardmask layers over the pad oxide layers on the frontside and the backside of the substrate; and thinning the hardmask layer over the pad oxide layer on the frontside of the substrate.

Abstract: The applications discloses a semiconductor device comprising a substrate having a first active region, a second active region, and an isolation region having a first width interposed between the first and second active regions; a P-metal gate electrode over the first active region and extending over at least ? of the first width of the isolation region; and an N-metal gate electrode over the second active region and extending over no more than ? of the first width. The N-metal gate electrode is electrically connected to the P-metal gate electrode over the isolation region.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. An exemplary method for fabricating the semiconductor device comprises providing a substrate; forming pad oxide layers over a frontside and a backside of the substrate; forming hardmask layers over the pad oxide layers on the frontside and the backside of the substrate; and thinning the hardmask layer over the pad oxide layer on the frontside of the substrate.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to an interconnection structure for N/P metal gates. An exemplary structure for an interconnection structure comprises a first gate electrode having a first portion of a first work-function metal layer under a first portion of a signal metal layer; and a second gate electrode having a second portion of the first work-function metal layer interposed between a second work-function metal layer and a second portion of the signal metal layer, wherein the second portion of the signal metal layer is over the second portion of the first work-function metal layer, wherein the second portion of the signal metal layer and the first portion of the signal metal layer are continuous, and wherein a maximum thickness of the second portion of the signal metal layer is less than a maximum thickness of the first portion of the signal metal layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure on the substrate, the gate structure including a dummy gate, removing the dummy gate from the gate structure thereby forming a trench, forming a work function metal layer partially filling the trench, forming a fill metal layer filling a remainder of the trench, performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to remove portions of the metal layers outside the trench, and implanting Si, C, or Ge into a remaining portion of the fill metal layer.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. An exemplary method for fabricating the semiconductor device comprises providing a substrate; forming pad oxide layers over a frontside and a backside of the substrate; forming hardmask layers over the pad oxide layers on the frontside and the backside of the substrate; and thinning the hardmask layer over the pad oxide layer on the frontside of the substrate.