Abstract: Structures for a liner replacement in an interconnect structure and methods for forming a liner replacement in an interconnect structure. A metallization level is formed that includes a conductive feature. A dielectric layer is formed on the metallization level. The dielectric layer includes an opening that extends vertically through the dielectric layer to the conductive feature. An adhesion layer is formed on area of the conductive feature exposed at a base of the opening. The adhesion layer has a thickness equal to a monolayer or a fraction of a monolayer. Another layer (e.g., barrier layer) of a different composition (e.g., TiN) may be deposited on the adhesion layer before the opening is filled with metal deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

Abstract: Multiple gate stack portions are formed in a gate cavity by direct metal gate patterning to provide FinFETs having different threshold voltages. The different threshold voltages are obtained by selectively incorporating metal layers with different work functions in different gate stack portions.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.

Abstract: A gate structure in a semiconductor device includes: a gate stack formed on a substrate with three sections, a bottom portion, a top portion, and a sacrificial cap layer over the top portion; gate spacers, source and drain regions, a nitride encapsulation over top and sidewalls of the gate stack after removal of the sacrificial cap layer, an organic planarizing layer over the nitride encapsulation, planarizing the encapsulation, and silicidation performed over the source and drain regions and the bottom portion after removal of the nitride encapsulation, the organic planarizing layer, and the top portion of the gate stack.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods and integrated circuit structures. In some cases, a method of forming an integrated circuit structure can include: forming an opening in a low-k dielectric layer; filling the opening with a high-k dielectric material; patterning the low-k dielectric layer outside of the opening and the high-k dielectric layer to form an interconnect opening within the low-k dielectric layer and a capacitor opening within the high-k dielectric layer; and filling the interconnect opening and the capacitor opening with a metal to form an interconnect in the low-k dielectric layer and a capacitor in the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of making a semiconductor device includes: forming a substrate; forming an nFET transistor and a pFET transistor on the substrate; wherein forming the nFET transistor comprises first depositing several first layers in and along the inner sidewalls of a trench on the substrate, then depositing a conductive metal comprising cobalt on the several first layers; wherein forming the pFET transistor comprises first depositing several second layers in and along the inner sidewalls of a trench on the substrate, then depositing a conductive metal comprising cobalt on the several second layers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of making a semiconductor device includes: forming a substrate; forming an nFET transistor and a pFET transistor on the substrate; wherein forming the nFET transistor comprises first depositing several first layers in and along the inner sidewalls of a trench on the substrate, then depositing a conductive metal comprising cobalt on the several first layers; wherein forming the pFET transistor comprises first depositing several second layers in and along the inner sidewalls of a trench on the substrate, then depositing a conductive metal comprising cobalt on the several second layers.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of forming semiconductor devices. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer of titanium aluminum carbide in a cavity of a semiconductor device; depositing a first layer of metal on the etch stop layer; etching the first layer of metal to create an etch-modified surface of the first layer of metal; and depositing a second layer of metal on the etch-modified surface of the first layer of metal.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of forming semiconductor devices. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer of titanium aluminum carbide in a cavity of a semiconductor device; depositing a first layer of metal on the etch stop layer; etching the first layer of metal to create an etch-modified surface of the first layer of metal; and depositing a second layer of metal on the etch- modified surface of the first layer of metal.

Abstract: A SRAM-like electron beam inspection (EBI) structure and method for determining defects in integrated circuits inline during the production process at a level that enables earlier detection during fabrication. Initial layers, such as active layer, poly gate and contact of an IC are first fabricated, and a conductive mesh with horizontal components is provided above the contact layers connecting contact nodes of the contact layers. Voltage contrast is observed during EBI to detect short-circuits, open-circuits, or leakage currents formed between the horizontal components of the conductive mesh and metallized islands placed therebetween.

Abstract: Multiple gate stack portions are formed in a gate cavity by direct metal gate patterning to provide FinFETs having different threshold voltages. The different threshold voltages are obtained by selectively incorporating metal layers with different work functions in different gate stack portions.

Abstract: Carbon-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) and techniques for the fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a LED is provided. The LED includes a substrate; an insulator layer on the substrate; a first bottom gate and a second bottom gate embedded in the insulator layer; a gate dielectric on the first bottom gate and the second bottom gate; a carbon material on the gate dielectric over the first bottom gate and the second bottom gate, wherein the carbon material serves as a channel region of the LED; and metal source and drain contacts to the carbon material.

Abstract: Multiple gate stack portions are formed in a gate cavity by direct metal gate patterning to provide FinFETs having different threshold voltages. The different threshold voltages are obtained by selectively incorporating metal layers with different work functions in different gate stack portions.

Abstract: An electrical fuse device is disclosed. A circuit apparatus can include the fuse device, a first circuit element and a second circuit element. The fuse includes a first contact that has a first electromigration resistance, a second contact that has a second electromigration resistance and a metal line, which is coupled to the first contact and to the second contact, that has a third electromigration resistance that is lower than the second electromigration resistance. The first circuit element is coupled to the first contact and the second circuit element coupled to the second contact. The fuse is configured to conduct a programming current from the first contact to the second contact through the metal line. Further, the programming current causes the metal line to electromigrate away from the second contact to electrically isolate the second circuit element from the first circuit element.

Abstract: Multiple gate stack portions are formed in a gate cavity by direct metal gate patterning to provide FinFETs having different threshold voltages. The different threshold voltages are obtained by selectively incorporating metal layers with different work functions in different gate stack portions.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods are provided for integrally forming electromechanical devices (e.g. MEMS or NEMS devices) with CMOS devices in a FEOL (front-end-of-line) structure as part of a replacement metal gate process flow. For example, a method includes forming an electromechanical device in a first device region of a substrate and forming a transistor device in a second device region of the substrate. The electromechanical device includes a sacrificial anchor structure and a sacrificial cantilever structure formed of a sacrificial material. The transistor device includes a sacrificial gate electrode structure formed of the sacrificial material. A replacement metal gate process is performed to replace the sacrificial gate electrode structure of the transistor device with a metallic gate electrode, and to replace the sacrificial anchor structure and the sacrificial cantilever structure with a metallic anchor structure and a metallic cantilever structure.

Abstract: Transistors with self-aligned source/drain regions and methods for making the same. The methods include forming a gate structure embedded in a recess in a substrate; removing substrate material around the gate structure to create self-aligned source and drain recesses; forming a channel layer over the gate structure and the source and drain recesses; and forming source and drain contacts in the source and drain recesses. The source and drain contacts extend above the channel layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.

Abstract: A method of forming a titanium nitride (TiN) diffusion barrier includes exposing a deposition surface to a first pulse of a titanium-containing precursor and to a first pulse of a nitrogen-rich plasma to form a first TiN layer with a first nitrogen concentration making a lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first nitrogen concentration of the first TiN layer is increased by the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma reducing a reactivity of the lower portion of the TiN diffusion barrier to prevent fluorine diffusion. The first TiN layer is exposed to second pulses of the titanium-containing precursor and the nitrogen-rich plasma to form a second TiN layer with a second nitrogen concentration above the first TiN layer making an upper portion of the TiN diffusion barrier, the first pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma has a substantially longer duration than the second pulse of the nitrogen-rich plasma.