Abstract: A semiconductor device includes channel members vertically stacked, a gate structure wrapping around the channel members, a gate spacer disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure, an epitaxial feature abutting the channel members, and an inner spacer layer interposing the gate structure and the epitaxial feature. In a top view of the semiconductor device, the inner spacer layer has side portions in physical contact with the gate spacer and a middle portion stacked between the side portions. In a lengthwise direction of the channel members, the middle portion of the inner spacer layer is thicker than the side portions of the inner spacer layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device structure. The structure includes a source/drain epitaxial feature disposed over a substrate, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) disposed over the source/drain epitaxial feature, a second ILD disposed over the first ILD. The second ILD includes a first dopant species having an atomic radius equal to or greater than silicon and a second dopant species having an atomic mass less than 15. The structure also includes a first conductive feature disposed in the second ILD, and a second conductive feature disposed over the source/drain epitaxial feature, the second conductive feature extending through the first ILD and in contact with the first conductive feature.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a plurality of semiconductor layers having a first group of semiconductor layers, a second group of semiconductor layers disposed over and aligned with the first group of semiconductor layers, and a third group of semiconductor layers disposed over and aligned with the second group of semiconductor layers. The structure further includes a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with a first number of semiconductor layers of the first group of semiconductor layers and a second source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with a second number of semiconductor layers of the third group of semiconductor layers. The first number of semiconductor layers of the first group of semiconductor layers is different from the second number of semiconductor layers of the third group of semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A layer stack including a first bonding dielectric material layer, a dielectric metal oxide layer, and a second bonding dielectric material layer is formed over a top surface of a substrate including a substrate semiconductor layer. A conductive material layer is formed by depositing a conductive material over the second bonding dielectric material layer. The substrate semiconductor layer is thinned by removing portions of the substrate semiconductor layer that are distal from the layer stack, whereby a remaining portion of the substrate semiconductor layer includes a top semiconductor layer. A semiconductor device may be formed on the top semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A device includes a fin extending from a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack over the fin; a first spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack; a source/drain region in the fin adjacent the first spacer; an inter-layer dielectric layer (ILD) extending over the gate stack, the first spacer, and the source/drain region, the ILD having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion of the ILD is closer to the gate stack than the first portion of the ILD; a contact plug extending through the ILD and contacting the source/drain region; a second spacer on a sidewall of the contact plug; and an air gap between the first spacer and the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD extends across the air gap and physically contacts the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD seals the air gap.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first active region, a second active region and a dielectric wall. The second active region disposed adjacent to the first active region, and there is a first space between the first active region and the second active region. The dielectric wall is formed within the first space and has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall. The first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall continuously extend along a plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure, a dielectric structure and a contact structure. The substrate has source/drain (S/D) regions. The gate structure is on the substrate and between the S/D regions. The dielectric structure covers the gate structure. The contact structure penetrates through the dielectric structure to connect to the S/D region. A lower portion of a sidewall of the contact structure is spaced apart from the dielectric structure by an air gap therebetween, while an upper portion of the sidewall of the contact structure is in contact with the dielectric structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a stack of semiconductor layers spaced apart from and aligned with each other, a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with a first one or more semiconductor layers of the stack of semiconductor layers, and a second source/drain epitaxial feature disposed over the first source/drain epitaxial feature. The second source/drain epitaxial feature is in contact with a second one or more semiconductor layers of the stack of semiconductor layers. The structure further includes a first dielectric material disposed between the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the second source/drain epitaxial feature and a first liner disposed between the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the second source/drain epitaxial feature. The first liner is in contact with the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the first dielectric material.

Abstract: An image sensor device has a first number of first pixels disposed in a substrate and a second number of second pixels disposed in the substrate. The first number is substantially equal to the second number. A light-blocking structure disposed over the first pixels and the second pixels. The light-blocking structure defines a plurality of first openings and second openings through which light can pass. The first openings are disposed over the first pixels. The second openings are disposed over the second pixels. The second openings are smaller than the first openings. A microcontroller is configured to turn on different ones of the second pixels at different points in time.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to using an implantation process and a melting anneal process performed on a nanosecond scale to achieve a high surface concentration (surface pile up) dopant profile and a retrograde dopant profile simultaneously. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain structure in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain structure including a first region comprising germanium, implanting a first dopant into the first region of the source/drain structure to form an amorphous region in at least the first region of the source/drain structure, implanting a second dopant into the amorphous region containing the first dopant, and heating the source/drain structure to liquidize and convert at least the amorphous region into a crystalline region, the crystalline region containing the first dopant and the second dopant.

Abstract: A semiconductor die package includes a high dielectric constant (high-k) dielectric layer over a device region of a first semiconductor die that is bonded with a second semiconductor die in a wafer on wafer (WoW) configuration. A through silicon via (TSV) structure may be formed through the device region. The high-k dielectric layer has an intrinsic negative charge polarity that provides a coupling voltage to modify the electric potential in the device region. In particular, the electron carriers in high-k dielectric layer attracts hole charge carriers in device region, which suppresses trap-assist tunnels that result from surface defects formed during etching of the recess for the TSV structure. Accordingly, the high-k dielectric layer described herein reduces the likelihood of (and/or the magnitude of) current leakage in semiconductor devices that are included in the device region of the first semiconductor die.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure, including a substrate having a front surface, a first semiconductor layer proximal to the front surface, a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer, a gate having a portion between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, a spacer between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, contacting the gate, and a source/drain (S/D) region, wherein the S/D region is in direct contact with a bottom surface of the second semiconductor layer, and the spacer has an upper surface interfacing with the second semiconductor layer, the upper surface including a first section proximal to the S/D region, a second section proximal to the gate, and a third section between the first section and the second section.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a first source/drain epitaxial feature, a second source/drain epitaxial feature disposed adjacent the first source/drain epitaxial feature, a first dielectric layer disposed between the first source/drain epitaxial feature and the second source/drain epitaxial feature, a first dielectric spacer disposed under the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer disposed under the first dielectric layer and in contact with the first dielectric spacer. The second dielectric layer and the first dielectric spacer include different materials.

Abstract: According to one example, a semiconductor device includes a substrate and a fin stack that includes a plurality of nanostructures, a gate device surrounding each of the nanostructures, and inner spacers along the gate device and between the nanostructures. A width of the inner spacers differs between different layers of the fin stack.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor structure according to the present disclosure includes a substrate having a p-type well or an n-type well, a first base portion over the p-type well, a second base portion over the n-type well, a first plurality of channel members over the first base portion, a second plurality of channel members over the second base portion, an isolation feature disposed between the first base portion and the second base portion, and a deep isolation structure in the substrate disposed below the isolation feature.

Abstract: An image sensor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of image sensing elements, a reflective element, and a high-k dielectric structure. The image sensing elements are in the semiconductor substrate. The reflective element is in the semiconductor substrate and between the image sensing elements. The high-k dielectric structure is between the reflective element and the image sensing elements.

Abstract: A method of process technology assessment is provided. The method includes: defining a scope of the process technology assessment, the scope comprising an original process technology and a first process technology; modeling a first object in an integrated circuit into a resistance domain and a capacitance domain; generating a first resistance scaling factor and a first capacitance scaling factor based on the modeling, the original process technology, and the first process technology; and utilizing, by an electronic design automation (EDA) tool, the first resistance scaling factor and the first capacitance scaling factor for simulation of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor fin, and a gate stack on sidewalls and a top surface of the semiconductor fin. The gate stack includes a high-k dielectric layer, a work-function layer overlapping a bottom portion of the high-k dielectric layer, and a blocking layer overlapping a second bottom portion of the work-function layer. A low-resistance metal layer overlaps and contacts the work-function layer and the blocking layer. The low-resistance metal layer has a resistivity value lower than second resistivity values of both of the work-function layer and the blocking layer. A gate spacer contacts a sidewall of the gate stack.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a transmitter-to-receiver (T2R) relative phase in millimeter wave (mmWave) beamforming system includes: transmitting a first calibrated signal to a second antenna of the mmWave beamforming system through a first antenna of the mmWave beamforming system according to a first transmitter (TX) input signal; receiving the first calibrated signal through the second antenna, and obtaining a first loopback receiver (RX) signal according to the first calibrated signal received by the second antenna; transmitting a second calibrated signal to the first antenna through the second antenna according to a second TX input signal; receiving the second calibrated signal through the first antenna, and obtaining a second loopback RX signal according to the second calibrated signal received by the first antenna; and calibrating the T2R relative phase according to a phase difference between the first and second loopback RX signals.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a transmitter-to-receiver (T2R) relative phase in millimeter wave (mmWave) beamforming system includes: transmitting a first calibrated signal to a second antenna of the mmWave beamforming system through a first antenna of the mmWave beamforming system according to a first transmitter (TX) input signal; receiving the first calibrated signal through the second antenna, and obtaining a first loopback receiver (RX) signal according to the first calibrated signal received by the second antenna; transmitting a second calibrated signal to the first antenna through the second antenna according to a second TX input signal; receiving the second calibrated signal through the first antenna, and obtaining a second loopback RX signal according to the second calibrated signal received by the first antenna; and calibrating the T2R relative phase according to a phase difference between the first and second loopback RX signals.