Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming an isolation layer over a substrate. The method includes forming a spacer layer over the first fin, the second fin, and the isolation layer. The method includes forming a gate dielectric layer in the first trench and covering the first fin, the second fin, and the isolation layer exposed by the first trench. The method includes partially removing the gate dielectric layer to form a second trench in the gate dielectric layer and between the first fin and the second fin. The method includes forming a gate electrode in the first trench of the spacer layer and over the gate dielectric layer.

Abstract: An IC structure and a method of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, an exemplary method of forming the IC structure forming a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin protruding from a substrate, forming a high-k metal gate (HKMG) structure over the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin, forming a trench to separate the HKMG structure into two portions, conformally depositing a first dielectric layer in the trench, depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer to fill the trench, wherein the second dielectric layer includes nitrogen, and the first dielectric layer is free of nitrogen, and planarizing the first dielectric layer and second dielectric layer to form a gate isolation structure in the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode, a first cap insulating layer disposed over the first gate electrode, first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the first gate electrode and the first cap insulating layer and second sidewall spacers disposed over the first sidewall spacers. The semiconductor device further includes a first protective layer formed over the first cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers. The first protective layer has a ?-shape having a head portion and two leg portions in a cross section along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method for forming the semiconductor structure includes forming first fin structures and a second fin structures over a substrate, forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack that extend in a first direction across the first fin structures and the second fin structures, respectively, and etching the first gate stack and the second gate stack to form a first trench through the first gate stack and a second trench through the second gate stack. A first dimension of the first trench in the first direction is greater than a second dimension of the second trench in the first direction. The method further includes forming a first gate cutting structure and a second gate cutting structure in the first trench and the second trench, respectively.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes receiving a semiconductor substrate that includes an integrated circuit (IC) cell and a well tap cell surrounding the IC cell; forming first fin active regions in the well tap cell and second fin active regions in the IC cell; forming a hard mask within the well tap cell, wherein the hard mask includes openings that define first source/drain (S/D) regions on the first fin active region of the well tap cell; forming gate stacks on the second fin active regions within the IC cell and absent from the well tap cell, wherein the gate stacks define second S/D regions on the second fin active regions; epitaxially growing first S/D features in the first S/D regions using the hard mask to constrain the epitaxially growing; and forming contacts landing on the first S/D features within the well tap cell.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. An exemplary method according to the present disclosure includes receiving a workpiece including a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin penetrating from a substrate and separated by a first isolation feature, and a gate structure intersecting the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The method also includes removing the gate structure and portions of the first semiconductor fin, the second semiconductor fin, and the first isolation feature disposed directly under the gate structure to form a fin isolation trench, forming a dielectric layer over the workpiece to substantially fill the fin isolation trench, and planarizing the dielectric layer to form a fin isolation structure in the fin isolation trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source via having a body portion and a barrier layer surrounding the body portion, and the body portion is in physical contact with the source contact. Furthermore, the barrier layer includes at least one sidewall section separating the source via from an adjacent via structure. As such, the via to via leakage may be prevented. Overall, by providing a semiconductor device having the above structures, the contact resistance is reduced, and the device performance is further improved.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source region and a drain region, a first source contact, a first drain contact, a first drain via and a first source via. The source region and the drain region are located over a substrate. The first source contact is disposed on the source region, and the first drain contact is disposed on the drain region. The first drain via is connected to the first drain contact, wherein the first drain via includes a barrier-less body portion. The first source via is connected to the first source contact, wherein the first source via includes a body portion and a barrier layer surrounding the body portion, and a size of the first source via is greater than a size of the first drain via.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate structure formed over a fin structure. The semiconductor device structure includes an S/D structure formed over the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure, and a first dielectric layer formed over the gate structure and the S/D structure. The semiconductor device structure includes an S/D contact structure formed in the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer formed over the S/D contact structure. The semiconductor device structure includes a first conductive via formed in the second dielectric layer, and the first conductive via is directly over the S/D contact structure or directly over the gate structure. The first conductive via has a protruding portion that is lower than the top surface of the S/D contact structure or lower than the top surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: A method and device according to the present disclosure includes a substrate that has a first transistor terminal such as a source feature and a second transistor terminal such as another source feature. Contact structures are formed on each source/drain feature. After forming the contact structures, a via opening is formed in dielectric materials above the contact structures, which is filled to form a non-linear via that extends from the contact on the first source feature to the contact on the second source feature. The non-linear via may include an outline in a top view of an undulating-shape having convex and/or concave portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate and a fin formed above the substrate. The fin provides active regions for two devices, such as gate-all-around transistors. The semiconductor device also includes a fin-insulating structure positioned to electrically isolate the active regions for the two devices. The fin-insulating structure is formed in a trench, with a first portion adjacent the fin and a second portion below the fin and extending into the substrate. The fin-insulating structure includes an oxide liner in the second portion of the trench, but not the first portion. The fin-insulating structure is further filled with an insulating material such as silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming semiconductor fins at a first conductivity type region and a second conductivity type region of a substrate, forming a sacrificial gate structure across a portion of the semiconductor fins, wherein the sacrificial gate structure comprises a sacrificial gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate electrode layer over the sacrificial gate dielectric layer, and the sacrificial gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor fins of the first conductivity type region is asymmetrical in thickness between a top and a sidewall of the semiconductor fins. The method also includes forming a gate spacer on opposite sidewalls of the sacrificial gate structure, recessing the semiconductor fins not covered by the sacrificial gate structure and the gate spacer, forming source/drain feature on the recessed semiconductor fins, and removing the sacrificial gate structure to expose the top of the semiconductor fins.

Abstract: In one exemplary aspect, a method for semiconductor manufacturing comprises forming first and second silicon nitride features on sidewall surfaces of a contact hole, where the contact hole is disposed in a dielectric layer and above a source/drain (S/D) feature. The method further comprises forming a contact plug in the contact hole, the contact plug being electrically coupled to the S/D feature, removing a top portion of the contact plug to create a recess in the contact hole, forming a hard mask layer in the recess, and removing the first and second silicon nitride features via selective etching to form first and second air gaps, respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode, a first cap insulating layer disposed over the first gate electrode, first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the first gate electrode and the first cap insulating layer and second sidewall spacers disposed over the first sidewall spacers. The semiconductor device further includes a first protective layer formed over the first cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers. The first protective layer has a ?-shape having a head portion and two leg portions in a cross section along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes receiving a semiconductor substrate that includes an integrated circuit (IC) cell and a well tap cell surrounding the IC cell; forming first fin active regions in the well tap cell and second fin active regions in the IC cell; forming a hard mask within the well tap cell, wherein the hard mask includes openings that define first source/drain (S/D) regions on the first fin active region of the well tap cell; forming gate stacks on the second fin active regions within the IC cell and absent from the well tap cell, wherein the gate stacks define second S/D regions on the second fin active regions; epitaxially growing first S/D features in the first S/D regions using the hard mask to constrain the epitaxially growing; and forming contacts landing on the first S/D features within the well tap cell.

Abstract: In one exemplary aspect, a method for semiconductor manufacturing comprises forming first and second silicon nitride features on sidewall surfaces of a contact hole, where the contact hole is disposed in a dielectric layer and above a source/drain (S/D) feature. The method further comprises forming a contact plug in the contact hole, the contact plug being electrically coupled to the S/D feature, removing a top portion of the contact plug to create a recess in the contact hole, forming a hard mask layer in the recess, and removing the first and second silicon nitride features via selective etching to form first and second air gaps, respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode, a first cap insulating layer disposed over the first gate electrode, first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the first gate electrode and the first cap insulating layer and second sidewall spacers disposed over the first sidewall spacers. The semiconductor device further includes a first protective layer formed over the first cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers. The first protective layer has a n-shape having a head portion and two leg portions in a cross section along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first field effect transistor (FET) including a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate electrode. The first gate electrode includes a first lower metal layer and a first upper metal layer. The first lower metal layer includes a first underlying metal layer in contact with the first gate dielectric layer and a first bulk metal layer. A bottom of the first upper metal layer is in contact with an upper surface of the first underlying metal layer and an upper surface of the first bulk metal layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes receiving a semiconductor substrate that includes an integrated circuit (IC) cell and a well tap cell surrounding the IC cell; forming first fin active regions in the well tap cell and second fin active regions in the IC cell; forming a hard mask within the well tap cell, wherein the hard mask includes openings that define first source/drain (S/D) regions on the first fin active region of the well tap cell; forming gate stacks on the second fin active regions within the IC cell and absent from the well tap cell, wherein the gate stacks define second S/D regions on the second fin active regions; epitaxially growing first S/D features in the first S/D regions using the hard mask to constrain the epitaxially growing; and forming contacts landing on the first S/D features within the well tap cell.

Abstract: A FinFET device structure is provided. The FinFET device structure includes a fin structure formed over a substrate, and the substrate includes a first region and a second region. A gate structure is formed over a fin structure and a first S/D structure has a first volume. A second S/D structure has a second volume, and the second volume is lower than the first volume. A first contact structure is formed over the first S/D structure and a first conductive via is formed over the first contact structure. A power line is formed over the first conductive via, and the power line is electrically connected to the first S/D structure by the first conductive via and the first contact structure.