Abstract: Cell circuits having a diffusion break with avoided or reduced adjacent semiconductor channel strain relaxation and related methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a cell circuit includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a semiconductor channel structure(s) of a second semiconductor material disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor material applies a stress to the formed semiconductor channel structure(s) to induce a strain in the semiconductor channel structure(s) for increasing carrier mobility. A diffusion break comprising a dielectric material extends through a surrounding structure of an interlayer dielectric, and the semiconductor channel structure(s) and at least a portion of the substrate. The relaxation of strain in areas of the semiconductor channel structure(s) adjacent to the diffusion break is reduced or avoided, because the semiconductor channel structure(s) is constrained by the surrounding structure.

Abstract: Cell circuits having a diffusion break with avoided or reduced adjacent semiconductor channel strain relaxation and related methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a cell circuit includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a semiconductor channel structure(s) of a second semiconductor material disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor material applies a stress to the formed semiconductor channel structure(s) to induce a strain in the semiconductor channel structure(s) for increasing carrier mobility. A diffusion break comprising a dielectric material extends through a surrounding structure of an interlayer dielectric, and the semiconductor channel structure(s) and at least a portion of the substrate. The relaxation of strain in areas of the semiconductor channel structure(s) adjacent to the diffusion break is reduced or avoided, because the semiconductor channel structure(s) is constrained by the surrounding structure.

Abstract: Cell circuits having a diffusion break with avoided or reduced adjacent semiconductor channel strain relaxation and related methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a cell circuit includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a semiconductor channel structure(s) of a second semiconductor material disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor material applies a stress to the formed semiconductor channel structure(s) to induce a strain in the semiconductor channel structure(s) for increasing carrier mobility. A diffusion break comprising a dielectric material extends through a surrounding structure of an interlayer dielectric, and the semiconductor channel structure(s) and at least a portion of the substrate. The relaxation of strain in areas of the semiconductor channel structure(s) adjacent to the diffusion break is reduced or avoided, because the semiconductor channel structure(s) is constrained by the surrounding structure.

Abstract: A method of producing a FinFET device with fin pitch of less than 20 nm is presented. In accordance with some embodiments, fins are deposited on sidewall spacers, which themselves are deposited on mandrels. The mandrels can be formed by lithographic processes while the fins and sidewall spacers formed by deposition technologies.

Abstract: Middle-of-line (MOL) complementary power rail(s) in integrated circuits (ICs) for reduced semiconductor device resistance, and related methods are disclosed. In exemplary aspects, to reduce or mitigate an increase in resistance in the cell power rails in the IC, a complementary power rail(s) is formed in a MOL layer(s) of the IC and coupled to cell power rail(s) formed in a metal layer in a front-end-of-line (FEOL) layer in the IC. In exemplary aspects, the MOL layer(s) in which the complementary power rail is formed is in a layer below the metal layer in the FEOL layer in which the cell power rail is formed. The complementary power rail has the effect of reducing the resistance of the cell power rail, and thus has the effect of reducing the resistance of FET(s) coupled to the cell power rail thereby increasing performance.

Abstract: A standard cell CMOS device includes metal oxide semiconductor transistors having gates formed from gate interconnects. The gate interconnects extend in a first direction. The device further includes M1 layer interconnects. The M1 layer interconnects are parallel to the gate interconnects and extend in the first direction only. The device further includes a M0 layer interconnect. The M0 layer interconnect extends directly over a first gate interconnect and extends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction only. The M0 layer interconnect is below the M1 layer and is isolated from directly connecting to the first gate interconnect. The device further includes a layer interconnect that is different from the M1 layer interconnects and the M0 layer interconnect. The layer interconnect is connected to the M0 layer interconnect and is directly connected to a second gate electrode.

Abstract: A method of forming a fin structure that includes forming a plurality of fin structures from a bulk semiconductor substrate and forming a dielectric spacer on a sidewall of each fin structure in the plurality of fin structure. A semiconductor spacer is formed on a sidewall of the dielectric spacer. A dielectric fill is formed in the space between the adjacent fin structures. The semiconductor spacer and a portion of the fin structures that is present below a lower surface of the dielectric spacer are oxidized. Oxidizing a base portion of the fin structures produces a first strain and oxidizing the semiconductor spacer produces a second strain that is opposite the first strain.

Abstract: Cell circuits having a diffusion break with avoided or reduced adjacent semiconductor channel strain relaxation and related methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a cell circuit includes a substrate of semiconductor material and a semiconductor channel structure(s) of a second semiconductor material disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor material applies a stress to the formed semiconductor channel structure(s) to induce a strain in the semiconductor channel structure(s) for increasing carrier mobility. A diffusion break comprising a dielectric material extends through a surrounding structure of an interlayer dielectric, and the semiconductor channel structure(s) and at least a portion of the substrate. The relaxation of strain in areas of the semiconductor channel structure(s) adjacent to the diffusion break is reduced or avoided, because the semiconductor channel structure(s) is constrained by the surrounding structure.

Abstract: A method of producing a FinFET device with fin pitch of less than 20 nm is presented. In accordance with some embodiments, fins are deposited on sidewall spacers, which themselves are deposited on mandrels. The mandrels can be formed by lithographic processes while the fins and sidewall spacers formed by deposition technologies.

Abstract: A cell circuit includes a first power rail, having a first line length, in a first layer. The first power rail is configured to receive a first voltage for the cell circuit. The cell circuit includes multiple lines in a second layer and a shunt in a third layer. The shunt is electrically coupled to the first power rail and a first set of lines of the multiple lines. The shunt has a second line length shorter than the first line length. The cell circuit includes another shunt in t the third layer. The other shunt is also parallel to the first power rail. The other shunt is electrically coupled to the first power rail and a second set of lines of the multiple lines. The other shunt has a third line length shorter than the first line length.

Abstract: A method of forming a fin structure that includes forming a plurality of fin structures from a bulk semiconductor substrate and forming a dielectric spacer on a sidewall of each fin structure in the plurality of fin structure. A semiconductor spacer is formed on a sidewall of the dielectric spacer. A dielectric fill is formed in the space between the adjacent fin structures. The semiconductor spacer and a portion of the fin structures that is present below a lower surface of the dielectric spacer are oxidized. Oxidizing a base portion of the fin structures produces a first strain and oxidizing the semiconductor spacer produces a second strain that is opposite the first strain.

Abstract: Integrated circuits employing varied gate topography between an active gate region(s) and a field gate region(s) in a gate(s) for reduced gate layout parasitic capacitance, and related methods, are disclosed. In exemplary aspects, the gate topography (e.g., height) of a gate in a circuit cell used to form gates for devices formed therein to form an integrated circuit is varied between an active gate and a field gate(s) of the gate. In this manner, the overall volume of material in the gate can be reduced due to the reduction in volume of the field gate(s) to reduce gate layout parasitic capacitance. Reducing gate layout parasitic capacitance in a circuit cell can reduce the overall parasitic capacitance of an integrated circuit formed from the circuit cell to achieve the desired integrated circuit delay performance.

Abstract: Integrated circuits (ICs) made using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) patterning and methods for fabricating such ICs are disclosed. In an exemplary aspect, fabricating such ICs includes using a double-exposure EUV process when making metal trenches for the ICs. In particular, after a first EUV exposure and etching process, spacers are used before a second EUV exposure to guarantee minimum spacing between the metal trenches.

Abstract: Cell circuits formed in circuit cells employing offset gate cut areas in a non-active area for routing transistor gate cross-connections. In exemplary aspects disclosed herein, to allow cross-connections to be made across different gates between PMOS and NMOS transistors formed in the circuit cell, cut areas in the circuit cell are located in different horizontal routing tracks and offset from each other in the direction of longitudinal axes of gates. Gate cross-connections can be routed around offset gate cut areas and coupled to active gates to form gate cross-connections. In this manner, fewer metal layers may be required to provide such cross-connections in the circuit cell, thus reducing area. Further, gate contacts of cross-connected gates can be formed as gate contacts over active areas (GCOAs) in diffusion areas of the circuit cell, thus facilitating easier routing of interconnections in non-diffusion area of the circuit cell for further ease of routing.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a FinFET and a nanostructure FET. The integrated circuit includes a bulk substrate. The integrated circuit also includes a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) coupled to the bulk substrate. The FinFET includes a first source region, a first drain region, and a fin extending between the first source region and the first drain region. The integrated circuit also includes a nanostructure FET coupled to the bulk substrate. The nanostructure FET includes a second source region, a second drain region, and a stack of at least two nanostructures extending between the second source region and the second drain region.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a metal contact comprising a first hybrid interconnect structure disposed within a metallization layer, and a metal comprising a second hybrid interconnect structure disposed within the metallization layer, wherein each of the first and the second hybrid interconnect structures has a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the top portion of each of the first and the second hybrid interconnect structures comprises a metal element that is suitable for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and the bottom portion of each of the first and the second hybrid interconnect structures comprises ruthenium (Ru). The metal element may comprise cobalt (Co).

Abstract: Systems and methods for dummy gate tie-offs in a self-aligned gate contact (SAGC) cell are disclosed. In particular, exemplary aspects contemplate a two-part etching process to remove hardmasks formed from different materials from adjacent elements. A metal fill material may then be used to tie off the adjacent elements. The use of the two-part etching process allows SAGC techniques to be used for a first portion of a cell while still providing a technique to allow a tie-off in a second portion of the cell. The tie-off may be used with a dummy gate to provide isolation between cells.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a signaling interconnect having a narrow trench disposed within a metallization layer, and a power rail having a wide trench disposed within the metallization layer, wherein the signaling interconnect comprises non-copper material and the power rail comprises copper. The non-copper material may include at least one of ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), aluminum (Al), and cobalt (Co). The signaling interconnect and power rail may be processed in a common chemical mechanical polishing step and have approximately the same trench depth. A metal cap may be deposited on top of the power rail.

Abstract: Integrated circuits employing a field gate(s) without dielectric layers and/or work function metal layers for reduced gate layout parasitic resistance, and related methods are disclosed. At least a portion of the dielectric layers and/or work function metal layers present in active gate(s) is not present in a field gate(s) of a gate in a circuit cell. The field gate(s) have more conductive gate material than the active gate(s). In this manner, the increased volume of gate material in the field gate(s) reduces gate layout parasitic resistance. The active gate(s) retains the dielectric layers and/or work function metal layers to effectively isolate the gate material from a channel of a FET formed from the circuit cell to provide effective channel control. Reducing gate layout parasitic resistance can reduce current (I) resistance (R) (IR) drop to achieve the desired drive strength in the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method of introducing strain in a channel region of a FinFET device includes forming a fin structure on a substrate, the fin structure having a lower portion comprising a sacrificial layer and an upper portion comprising a strained semiconductor layer; and removing a portion of the sacrificial layer corresponding to a channel region of the FinFET device so as to release the upper portion of the fin structure from the substrate in the channel region.