Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate disposed over the substrate, a source/drain disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate, and an insulating layer disposed over sidewalls of the gate and at least a portion of a surface of the source/drain. In some embodiments, the insulating layer includes a first side facing the gate or the source, and includes a second side opposite to the first side. The insulating layer includes dopants, and a concentration of the dopants is reduced from the second side to the first side of the insulating layer.

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 method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dummy gate structure on a substrate, forming gate spacers on sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, and depositing an interlayer dielectric layer around the gate spacers. The method also includes removing the dummy gate structure to form a space between the gate spacers, and forming a gate structure in the space, wherein the gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer over the gate dielectric layer. The method further includes removing a portion of the gate electrode layer to form a recess that is surrounded by the gate dielectric layer. In addition, the method includes implanting on the interlayer dielectric layer to form a strained layer for bending the gate dielectric layer and the gate spacers towards the recess.

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: 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 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 tape cell surrounding the IC cell; forming first fin active regions in the well tape cell and second fin active regions in the IC cell; forming a hard mask within the well tape cell, wherein the hard mask includes openings that define first source/drain (S/D) regions on the first fin active region of the well tape cell; forming gate stacks on the second fin active regions within the IC cell and absent from the well tape 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 tape cell.

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: 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.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dummy gate structure on a substrate, forming gate spacers on sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, and depositing an interlayer dielectric layer around the gate spacers. The method also includes removing the dummy gate structure to form a space between the gate spacers, and forming a gate structure in the space, wherein the gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer over the gate dielectric layer. The method further includes removing a portion of the gate electrode layer to form a recess that is surrounded by the gate dielectric layer. In addition, the method includes implanting on the interlayer dielectric layer to form a strained layer for bending the gate dielectric layer and the gate spacers towards the recess.

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 tape cell surrounding the IC cell; forming first fin active regions in the well tape cell and second fin active regions in the IC cell; forming a hard mask within the well tape cell, wherein the hard mask includes openings that define first source/drain (S/D) regions on the first fin active region of the well tape cell; forming gate stacks on the second fin active regions within the IC cell and absent from the well tape 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 tape cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate disposed over the substrate, a source/drain disposed in the substrate at two sides of the gate, and an insulating layer disposed over sidewalls of the gate and at least a portion of a surface of the source/drain. In some embodiments, the insulating layer includes a first side facing the gate or the source, and includes a second side opposite to the first side. The insulating layer includes dopants, and a concentration of the dopants is reduced from the second side to the first side of the insulating layer.

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: 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 invention discloses a method comprising: forming a sacrificial polysilicon gate (of a transistor) and a polysilicon resistor; and replacing said sacrificial polysilicon gate (of said transistor) with a metal gate while covering said polysilicon resistor.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, GaAs-based optoelectronic devices have an active region that includes a well layer composed of a compressively-strained semiconductor that is free, or substantially free, of nitrogen disposed between two barrier layers composed of a nitrogen- and indium-containing semiconductor.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, GaAs-based optoelectronic devices have an active region that includes a well layer composed of a compressively-strained semiconductor that is free, or substantially free, of nitrogen disposed between two barrier layers composed of a nitrogen- and indium-containing semiconductor.