Abstract: In one aspect a semiconductor device as set forth herein can include a spacer having a first section of a first material and a second section of a second material, the second section disposed above a certain elevation and the first section disposed below the certain elevation. In one aspect a semiconductor device as set forth herein can include a conductive gate structure having a first length at elevations below a certain elevation and a second length at elevations above the certain elevation, the second length being less than the first length. A semiconductor device having one or more of a plural material spacer or a reduced length upper elevation conductive gate structure can feature a reduced likelihood of electrical shorting.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a barrier layer in the trench/via, forming a copper-based seed layer on the barrier layer, converting at least a portion of the copper-based seed layer into a copper-based nitride layer, depositing a bulk copper-based material on the copper-based nitride layer so as to overfill the trench/via and performing at least one chemical mechanical polishing process to remove excess materials positioned outside of the trench/via to thereby define a copper-based conductive structure. A device disclosed herein includes a layer of insulating material, a copper-based conductive structure positioned in a trench/via within the layer of insulating material and a copper-based silicon or germanium nitride layer positioned between the copper-based conductive structure and the layer of insulating material.

Abstract: In one aspect a semiconductor device as set forth herein can include a spacer having a first section of a first material and a second section of a second material, the second section disposed above a certain elevation and the first section disposed below the certain elevation. In one aspect a semiconductor device as set forth herein can include a conductive gate structure having a first length at elevations below a certain elevation and a second length at elevations above the certain elevation, the second length being less than the first length. A semiconductor device having one or more of a plural material spacer or a reduced length upper elevation conductive gate structure can feature a reduced likelihood of electrical shorting.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming isolation structures on FinFETs and other semiconductor devices, and the resulting devices that have such isolation structures. In one example, the method includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate, wherein the trenches define a fin for a FinFET device, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, wherein the layer of insulating material covers a lower portion of the fin but not an upper portion of the fin, forming a protective material on the upper portion of the fin, and performing a heating process in an oxidizing ambient to form a thermal oxide region on the covered lower portion of the fin.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming isolation structures on FinFETs and other semiconductor devices, and the resulting devices that have such isolation structures. In one example, the method includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate, wherein the trenches define a fin for a FinFET device, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, wherein the layer of insulating material covers a lower portion of the fin but not an upper portion of the fin, forming a protective material on the upper portion of the fin, and performing a heating process in an oxidizing ambient to form a thermal oxide region on the covered lower portion of the fin.

Abstract: A trench in an inter-layer dielectric formed on a semiconductor substrate is defined by a bottom and sidewalls. A copper barrier lines the trench with a copper-growth-promoting liner over the barrier. The trench has bulk copper filling it, and includes voids in the copper. The copper with voids is removed, including from the sidewalls, leaving a void-free copper portion at the bottom. Immersion in an electroless copper bath promotes upward growth of copper on top of the void-free copper portion without inward sidewall copper growth, resulting in a void-free copper fill of the trench.

Abstract: One method includes performing a first etching process to form a contact opening in a layer of insulating material that exposes a portion of a gate structure of the transistor, performing a second etching process on the exposed portion of the gate structure to thereby define a gate recess, selectively forming an oxidizable material in the gate recess, converting the oxidizable material to an oxide material, and forming a conductive contact in the contact opening that is conductively coupled to a source/drain region. A device includes an oxide material that is positioned at least partially in a recess formed in a gate structure, wherein the oxide material contacts a conductive contact and contacts a portion, but not all, of the exterior surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: One method discloses performing an etching process to form a contact opening in a layer of insulating material above at least a portion of a source/drain, region wherein, after the completion of the etching process, a portion of a gate structure of the transistor is exposed, selectively forming an oxidizable material on the exposed gate structure, converting at least a portion of the oxidizable material to an oxide material, and forming a conductive contact in the contact opening that is conductively coupled to the source/drain region. A novel transistor device disclosed herein includes an oxide material positioned between a conductive contact and a gate structure of the transistor, wherein the oxide material contacts the conductive contact and contacts a portion, but not all, of the exterior surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a barrier layer in the trench/via, forming a copper-based seed layer on the barrier layer, converting at least a portion of the copper-based seed layer into a copper-based nitride layer, depositing a bulk copper-based material on the copper-based nitride layer so as to overfill the trench/via and performing at least one chemical mechanical polishing process to remove excess materials positioned outside of the trench/via to thereby define a copper-based conductive structure. A device disclosed herein includes a layer of insulating material, a copper-based conductive structure positioned in a trench/via within the layer of insulating material and a copper-based silicon or germanium nitride layer positioned between the copper-based conductive structure and the layer of insulating material.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a barrier layer in the trench/via, forming a copper-based seed layer on the barrier layer, converting at least a portion of the copper-based seed layer into a copper-based nitride layer, depositing a bulk copper-based material on the copper-based nitride layer so as to overfill the trench/via and performing at least one chemical mechanical polishing process to remove excess materials positioned outside of the trench/via to thereby define a copper-based conductive structure. A device disclosed herein includes a layer of insulating material, a copper-based conductive structure positioned in a trench/via within the layer of insulating material and a copper-based silicon or germanium nitride layer positioned between the copper-based conductive structure and the layer of insulating material.

Abstract: One method discloses performing an etching process to form a contact opening in a layer of insulating material above at least a portion of a source/drain, region wherein, after the completion of the etching process, a portion of a gate structure of the transistor is exposed, selectively forming an oxidizable material on the exposed gate structure, converting at least a portion of the oxidizable material to an oxide material, and forming a conductive contact in the contact opening that is conductively coupled to the source/drain region. A novel transistor device disclosed herein includes an oxide material positioned between a conductive contact and a gate structure of the transistor, wherein the oxide material contacts the conductive contact and contacts a portion, but not all, of the exterior surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: A trench in an inter-layer dielectric formed on a semiconductor substrate is defined by a bottom and sidewalls. A copper barrier lines the trench with a copper-growth-promoting liner over the barrier. The trench has bulk copper filling it, and includes voids in the copper. The copper with voids is removed, including from the sidewalls, leaving a void-free copper portion at the bottom. Immersion in an electroless copper bath promotes upward growth of copper on top of the void-free copper portion without inward sidewall copper growth, resulting in a void-free copper fill of the trench.

Abstract: One method includes performing a first etching process to form a contact opening in a layer of insulating material that exposes a portion of a gate structure of the transistor, performing a second etching process on the exposed portion of the gate structure to thereby define a gate recess, selectively forming an oxidizable material in the gate recess, converting the oxidizable material to an oxide material, and forming a conductive contact in the contact opening that is conductively coupled to a source/drain region. A device includes an oxide material that is positioned at least partially in a recess formed in a gate structure, wherein the oxide material contacts a conductive contact and contacts a portion, but not all, of the exterior surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a barrier layer in the trench/via, forming a copper-based seed layer on the barrier layer, converting at least a portion of the copper-based seed layer into a copper-based nitride layer, depositing a bulk copper-based material on the copper-based nitride layer so as to overfill the trench/via and performing at least one chemical mechanical polishing process to remove excess materials positioned outside of the trench/via to thereby define a copper-based conductive structure. A device disclosed herein includes a layer of insulating material, a copper-based conductive structure positioned in a trench/via within the layer of insulating material and a copper-based silicon or germanium nitride layer positioned between the copper-based conductive structure and the layer of insulating material.

Abstract: A method includes forming a trench/via in a layer of insulating material, forming a first layer comprised of silicon or germanium on the insulating material in the trench/via, forming a copper-based seed layer on the first layer, converting at least a portion of the copper-based seed layer into a copper-based nitride layer, depositing a bulk copper-based material on the copper-based nitride layer so as to overfill the trench/via and performing at least one chemical mechanical polishing process to remove excess materials positioned outside of the trench/via to thereby define a copper-based conductive structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming metal-containing insulating material regions on a metal layer of a gate structure of a semiconductor device. In one example, the method includes forming a gate structure of a transistor, the gate structure comprising at least a first metal layer, and forming a first metal-containing insulating material region in the first metal layer by performing a gas cluster ion beam process using to implant gas molecules into the first metal layer.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the method includes forming a sacrificial mandrel overlying a base substrate. Sidewall spacers are formed adjacent sidewalls of the sacrificial mandrel. The sidewall spacers have a lower portion that is proximal to the base substrate, and the lower portion has a substantially perpendicular outer surface relative to the base substrate. The sidewall spacers also have an upper portion that is spaced from the base substrate. The upper portion has a sloped outer surface. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the base substrate and is conformal to at least a portion of the upper portion of the sidewall spacers. The upper portion of the sidewall spacers is removed after forming the first dielectric layer to form a recess having a re-entrant profile in the first dielectric layer. The re-entrant profile of the recess is straightened.

Abstract: In one disclosed embodiment, the present method for depositing a conductive capping layer on metal lines comprises forming metal lines on a dielectric layer, applying a voltage to the metal lines, and depositing the conductive capping layer on the metal lines. The applied voltage increases the selectivity of the deposition process used, thereby preventing the conductive capping layer from causing a short between the metal lines. The conductive capping layer may be deposited through electroplating, electrolessly, by atomic layer deposition (ALD), or by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), for example. In one embodiment, the present method is utilized to fabricate a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, the metal lines comprise copper lines, while the conductive capping layer may comprise tantalum or cobalt. The present method enables deposition of a capping layer having high electromigration resistance.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the method includes forming a sacrificial mandrel overlying a base substrate. Sidewall spacers are formed adjacent sidewalls of the sacrificial mandrel. The sidewall spacers have a lower portion that is proximal to the base substrate, and the lower portion has a substantially perpendicular outer surface relative to the base substrate. The sidewall spacers also have an upper portion that is spaced from the base substrate. The upper portion has a sloped outer surface. A first dielectric layer is formed overlying the base substrate and is conformal to at least a portion of the upper portion of the sidewall spacers. The upper portion of the sidewall spacers is removed after forming the first dielectric layer to form a recess having a re-entrant profile in the first dielectric layer. The re-entrant profile of the recess is straightened.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various methods of forming isolation structures on FinFETs and other semiconductor devices, and the resulting devices that have such isolation structures. In one example, the method includes forming a plurality of spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate, wherein the trenches define a fin for a FinFET device, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, wherein the layer of insulating material covers a lower portion of the fin but not an upper portion of the fin, forming a protective material on the upper portion of the fin, and performing a heating process in an oxidizing ambient to form a thermal oxide region on the covered lower portion of the fin.