Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate electrode structure over a channel region, wherein the gate electrode structure includes a gate dielectric layer disposed over the first channel region, a gate electrode disposed over the gate dielectric layer, and insulating spacers disposed over opposing sidewalls of the gate electrode, wherein the gate dielectric layer is disposed over opposing sidewalls of the gate electrode. An interlayer dielectric layer is formed over opposing sidewalls of the insulating spacers. The insulating spacers are removed from an upper portion of the opposing sidewalls of the gate electrode to form trenches between the opposing sidewalls of the upper portion of the gate electrode and the interlayer dielectric layer, and the trenches are filled with an insulating material.

Abstract: A contact stack of a semiconductor device includes a source/drain feature, a silicide layer wrapping around the source/drain feature, a seed metal layer in direct contact with the silicide layer, and a conductor in contact with the seed metal layer. The contact stack excludes a metal nitride layer in direct contact with the silicide layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a first gate structure and a second gate structure aligned along a direction, a first metal layer disposed over the first gate structure, a second metal layer disposed over the second gate structure, and a gate isolation structure extending between the first gate structure and the second gate structure as well as between the first metal layer and the second metal layer.

Abstract: The present invention is a metal shielding apparatus; it includes a cover shielding and a bottom shielding. The cover shielding has a number of holes while the bottom shielding has a number of jutted points. The holes and the jutted points can be used for alignment when combining these two covers. And there is at least one raised part among the jutted points for a better fitting of the cover and bottom shieldings and further prevents from the looseness. Furthermore, the holes, jutted points and raised parts can also be setup on the cover and the bottom shieldings interchangeably for the same effect.