Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for non-destructive inspection of cell etch redeposition. In some embodiments of the method, a grayscale image of a plurality of cells on a wafer is captured. The grayscale image provides a top down view of the cells and, in some embodiments, is captured in situ after etching to form the cells. The cells are identified in the grayscale image to determine non-region of interest (non-ROI) pixels corresponding to the cells. The non-ROI pixels are subtracted from the grayscale image to determine ROI pixels. The ROI pixels are remaining pixels after the subtracting and correspond to material on sidewalls of, and in recesses between, the cells. An amount of etch redeposition on the sidewalls and in the recesses is then scored based on gray levels of the ROI pixels. Further, the wafer is processed based on the score.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated device, including a substrate; a gate overlying the substrate; a channel layer separated from the gate by a dielectric and overlying the gate; source/drain regions on the channel layer, the gate extending between the source/drain regions; an insertion layer conforming to an upper surface of the channel layer and comprising a first material; and a passivation layer conforming to an upper surface of the insertion layer and comprising a second material different from the first material; where the passivation layer has a higher density than the insertion layer, such that the passivation layer mitigates the diffusion of environmental materials towards the channel layer, and where the insertion layer mitigates the diffusion of the second material from the passivation layer into the channel layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection method including: depositing a dielectric material over a substrate to form an interconnect-level dielectric (ILD) layer; patterning the ILD layer to form via structures in the ILD layer; depositing an electrically conductive material to form an inspection layer on the ILD layer and in the via structures; optically inspecting light reflected from the inspection layer to generate image data; and detecting any defects in the via structures by analyzing the image data.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an interconnect, a memory cell, and a plurality of first barrier structures. The interconnect is disposed over the substrate. The memory cell is disposed in the interconnect within a memory region of the substrate, where the memory cell includes a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor includes a gate, source/drain elements respectively standing at two opposite sides of the gate, and a channel disposed between the source/drain elements and overlapped with the gate. The capacitor is disposed over the transistor and electrically coupled to one of the source/drain elements. The plurality of first barrier structures line sidewalls and bottom surfaces of the source/drain elements, and each include a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer disposed between the source/drain elements and the first barrier layer, where a first absorption interface is disposed between the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a method for non-destructive inspection of cell etch redeposition. In some embodiments of the method, a grayscale image of a plurality of cells on a wafer is captured. The grayscale image provides a top down view of the cells and, in some embodiments, is captured in situ after etching to form the cells. The cells are identified in the grayscale image to determine non-region of interest (non-ROI) pixels corresponding to the cells. The non-ROI pixels are subtracted from the grayscale image to determine ROI pixels. The ROI pixels are remaining pixels after the subtracting and correspond to material on sidewalls of, and in recesses between, the cells. An amount of etch redeposition on the sidewalls and in the recesses is then scored based on gray levels of the ROI pixels. Further, the wafer is processed based on the score.

Abstract: A capacitor includes a bottom capacitor plate including a rough upper surface with a root mean square (RMS) surface roughness of at least 1.14, a capacitor dielectric layer on the bottom capacitor plate and contacting the rough upper surface of the bottom capacitor plate, and an upper capacitor plate on the capacitor dielectric layer. A semiconductor device includes a transistor located on a substrate, a dielectric layer on the transistor, and a capacitor in the dielectric layer and including a bottom capacitor plate connected to a source region of the transistor and having a rough upper surface with a root mean square (RMS) surface roughness of at least 1.14.

Abstract: A device structure can be formed by forming a layer stack comprising a continuous bottom electrode material layer, a continuous dielectric layer, and a continuous dielectric metal oxide layer; increasing an oxygen-to-metal ratio in a top surface portion of the continuous dielectric metal oxide layer by incorporating oxygen atoms into the top surface portion of the continuous dielectric metal oxide layer; depositing a continuous semiconductor layer over the continuous dielectric metal oxide layer; and patterning the continuous semiconductor layer and the layer stack to form a patterned layer stack including a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer, a dielectric metal oxide layer, and a semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method including forming a gate electrode over a substrate, forming a ferroelectric layer over the gate electrode, forming a channel layer over the ferroelectric layer, forming a capping layer over the channel layer, wherein the capping layer includes one or more of CeOx, BeOx, InOx, GaOx, AlOx, SnOx, VOx, WOx, TiOx, ZrOx, NbOx, HfOx, SiOx, TaOx, a binary metal oxide based on any combination of the preceding metal oxides, or a ternary metal oxide based on any combination of the preceding metal oxides, annealing, after forming the capping layer, at a temperature less than 350° C., forming a dielectric layer over the capping layer, and forming a source contact and a drain contact in the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a hydrogen sensing stacked layer disposed over the semiconductor substrate, and a protection layer disposed on the hydrogen sensing stacked layer. The hydrogen sensing stacked layer comprises a hydrogen-free oxide layer and a metal oxide layer disposed on the hydrogen-free oxide layer.

Abstract: A field-effect transistor (FET), selectively switchable between first and second states, includes: source and drain regions and a channel region disposed therebetween; a gate arranged to selectively receive a bias voltage which switches the FET between the first and second states; a memory structure between the gate and the channel region, structure including a first portion which is anti-ferroelectric and a second portion which is ferroelectric, both portions being polarized in a first direction when the FET is in the first state; and a depolarization dielectric layer disposed proximate to the memory structure. When the FET is set to the first state, the depolarization dielectric layer destabilizes a polarization of the second portion of the memory structure while maintaining a polarization of the first portion.

Abstract: Costs may be avoided and yields improved by applying scanning probe microscopy to substrates in the midst of an integrated circuit fabrication process sequence. Scanning probe microscopy may be used to provide conductance data. Conductance data may relate to device characteristics that are normally not available until the conclusion of device manufacturing. The substrates may be selectively treated to ameliorate a condition revealed by the data. Some substrates may be selectively discarded based on the data to avoid the expense of further processing. A process maintenance operation may be selectively carried out based on the data.

Abstract: Costs may be avoided and yields improved by applying scanning probe microscopy to substrates in the midst of an integrated circuit fabrication process sequence. Scanning probe microscopy may be used to provide conductance data. Conductance data may relate to device characteristics that are normally not available until the conclusion of device manufacturing. The substrates may be selectively treated to ameliorate a condition revealed by the data. Some substrates may be selectively discarded based on the data to avoid the expense of further processing. A process maintenance operation may be selectively carried out based on the data.

Abstract: A method includes setting a current level of a write signal to a first non-zero value for a first period of time. The write signal is provided to a memory element during the first period of time. The current level of the write signal is adjusted from the first non-zero value to a second non-zero value, different from the first non-zero value, for a second period of time. The write signal is provided to the memory element during the second period of time. The current level of the write signal is adjusted from the second non-zero value to a third value, different from the first non-zero value and different from the second non-zero value, for a third period of time. The write signal is provided to the memory element during the third period of time.

Abstract: A memory device includes a first SRAM cell, a second SRAM cell, a first inter transistor and a second inter transistor. The first SRAM cell includes two first pull-up transistors, two first pull-down transistors, and two first pass-gate transistors. The second SRAM cell includes two second pull-up transistors, two second pull-down transistors, and two second pass-gate transistors. The first inter transistor and the second inter transistor are electrically connected to the first SRAM cell and the second SRAM cell.

Abstract: A second metal structure such as a metal plug is formed over a first metal structure, such as a metal line, by causing metal material from the first metal structure to migrate into an opening in a dielectric layer over the first metal structure. The metal material, which may be copper, is of a type that undergoes a reduction in density as it oxidizes. Migration is induced using gases that alternately oxidize and reduce the metal material. Over many cycles, the metal material migrates into the opening. In some embodiments, the migrated metal material partially fills the opening. In some embodiments, the migrated metal material completely fills the opening.

Abstract: A method includes setting a current level of a write signal to a first non-zero value for a first period of time. The write signal is provided to a memory element during the first period of time. The current level of the write signal is adjusted from the first non-zero value to a second non-zero value, different from the first non-zero value, for a second period of time. The write signal is provided to the memory element during the second period of time. The current level of the write signal is adjusted from the second non-zero value to a third value, different from the first non-zero value and different from the second non-zero value, for a third period of time. The write signal is provided to the memory element during the third period of time.

Abstract: A second metal structure such as a metal plug is formed over a first metal structure, such as a metal line, by causing metal material from the first metal structure to migrate into an opening in a dielectric layer over the first metal structure. The metal material, which may be copper, is of a type that undergoes a reduction in density as it oxidizes. Migration is induced using gases that alternately oxidize and reduce the metal material. Over many cycles, the metal material migrates into the opening. In some embodiments, the migrated metal material partially fills the opening. In some embodiments, the migrated metal material completely fills the opening.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, ground level circuitry, a plurality of stacked memory arrays and a plurality of sense amplifier units. The ground level circuitry is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The stacked memory arrays are disposed at an elevated level over the ground level circuitry. The sense amplifier units are disposed on the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled to the stacked memory arrays, wherein at least a portion of each of the sense amplifier units is disposed at the elevated level over the ground level circuitry.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric field effect transistor (Anti-FeFET) of a memory cell includes an antiferroelectric layer instead of a ferroelectric layer. The antiferroelectric layer may operate based on a programmed state and an erased state in which the antiferroelectric layer is in a fully polarized alignment and a non-polarized alignment (or a random state of polarization), respectively. This enables the antiferroelectric layer in the FeFET to provide a sharper/larger voltage drop for an erase operation of the FeFET (e.g., in which the FeFET switches or transitions from the programmed state to the erased state) relative to a ferroelectric material layer that operates based on switching between two opposing fully polarized states.

Abstract: A memory array and a method for forming the memory array are disclosed. The memory array includes memory elements, selectors and conductive vias. Each selector includes two pairs of fin structures. The conductive vias are electrically coupled to the two pairs of fin structures of the selectors.