Abstract: A semiconductor device such as a fin field effect transistor and its method of manufacture are provided. In some embodiments gate spacers are formed over a semiconductor fin, and a first gate stack is formed over the fin. A first sacrificial material with a large selectivity to the gate spacers is formed over the gate stack, and a second sacrificial material with a large selectivity is formed over a source/drain contact plug. Etching processes are utilized to form openings through the first sacrificial material and through the second sacrificial material, and the openings are filled with a conductive material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second gate structures over a substrate, the first gate structure has a first width that is smaller than a second width of the second gate structure, in which a lower portion of the first gate structure having a first work-function material (WFM) layer, the first WFM layer having a top surface, a lower portion of the second gate structure having a second WFM layer, the second WFM layer having a top surface. A first gate electrode is disposed over the first WFM layer and a second gate electrode has a lower portion disposed in the second WFM layer, in which the first gate electrode has a first width that is smaller than a second width of the second gate electrode, and wherein the top surface of the second WFM layer is at a level below a top surface of the second gate electrode.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a patterned hard mask on a patterned structure disposed on a substrate, such that a hard mask portion of the patterned hard mask is disposed on a fin portion of the patterned structure; and laterally trimming the hard mask portion by a lateral etching process. The lateral etching process includes a radical etching process and a chemical etching process. Alternatively, the lateral etching process includes a radical etching process, a plasma etching process, or a combination thereof, and a cleaning process.

Abstract: A memory overclocking device includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store a plurality of instructions and a basic input/output system. The processor is configured to execute following steps according to the plurality of instructions of the memory. The processor performs an overclocking prediction for a device under test according to an overclocking algorithm via the basic input/output system. The processor outputs an optimal overclocking result data according to the overclocking prediction via the basic input/output system. The processor outputs two or more compliance result data according to the optimal overclocking result data, the hardware data of the device under test, and the frequency threshold range data.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method includes forming a fin structure including a fin bottom portion and a stacked fin portion on a substrate. The stacked fin portion includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, in which the first semiconductor layer includes germanium. The method further includes etching the fin structure to form an opening, delivering a primary etchant and a germanium-containing gas to the fin structure through the opening, and etching a portion of the second semiconductor layer in the opening with the primary etchant and the germanium-containing gas.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes forming a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin over a front-side of a substrate; etching a first recess in the first semiconductor fin and a second recess in the second semiconductor fin; forming a first epitaxial region in the first recess and first epitaxial nodules along sidewalls of the first recess; forming a second epitaxial region in the second recess and second epitaxial nodules along sidewalls of the second recess; flowing first precursors to remove the first epitaxial nodules; depositing an interlayer dielectric over the first epitaxial region and the second epitaxial region; etching a first opening in the interlayer dielectric to expose the first epitaxial region; forming a first epitaxial cap on the first epitaxial region and third epitaxial nodules over the interlayer dielectric; and flowing second precursors to remove the third epitaxial nodules.

Abstract: A device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, and an isolation structure which is disposed between the first and second semiconductor structures, and which includes a dielectric material having a dielectric constant higher than 8 and lower than 16. A method for manufacturing the device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes removing a dummy gate to leave a trench between gate spacers, forming a gate dielectric extending into the trench, depositing a metal layer over the gate dielectric, with the metal layer including a portion extending into the trench, depositing a filling region into the trench, with the metal layer have a first and a second vertical portion on opposite sides of the filling region, etching back the metal layer, with the filling region at least recessed less than the metal layer, and remaining parts of the portion of the metal layer forming a gate electrode, depositing a dielectric material into the trench, and performing a planarization to remove excess portions of the dielectric material. A portion of the dielectric material in the trench forms at least a portion of a dielectric hard mask over the gate electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method includes forming a fin structure including a fin bottom portion and a stacked fin portion on a substrate. The stacked fin portion includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, in which the first semiconductor layer includes germanium. The method further includes etching the fin structure to form an opening, delivering a primary etchant and a germanium-containing gas to the fin structure through the opening, and etching a portion of the second semiconductor layer in the opening with the primary etchant and the germanium-containing gas.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device with substantially uniform gate regions and a method for forming the same. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate, the fin structure including one or more nanostructures. The method further includes removing a portion of the fin structure to expose an end of the one or more nanostructures and etching the end of the one or more nanostructures with one or more etching cycles. Each etching cycle includes purging the fin structure with hydrogen fluoride (HF), etching the end of the one or more nanostructures with a gas mixture of fluorine (F2) and HF, and removing an exhaust gas mixture including an etching byproduct. The method further includes forming an inner spacer in the etched end of the one or more nanostructures.

Abstract: A device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, and an isolation structure which is disposed between the first and second semiconductor structures, and which includes a dielectric material having a dielectric constant higher than 8 and lower than 16. A method for manufacturing the device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy gate structure over a semiconductor structure over a substrate. Gate spacers are formed on sidewalls of the dummy gate structure. The semiconductor structure is recessed to form recesses on opposite sides of the dummy gate structure. A channel portion of the semiconductor structure remains beneath the dummy gate structure. A first oxygen-removal process is performed to the channel portion, using hydrogen radicals, to remove oxygens in the channel portion. A second oxygen-removal process, using a hydrogen-containing gas mixture, is performed to remove an oxide layer formed on sidewalls of the channel portion. The hydrogen radicals used in the first oxygen-removal process have sizes smaller than the hydrogen-containing gas mixture used in the second oxygen-removal process. Source/drain structures are deposited in the recesses and connected to the channel portion. The dummy gate structure is replaced with a metal gate structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method that includes forming a fin structure with a stacked fin portion on a substrate. The stacked fin portion includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, in which the second semiconductor layer includes germanium. The method further includes etching the fin structure to form an opening and etching a portion of the second semiconductor layer with a fluorine-containing gas through the opening.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a protective layer deposited over bottom structures to protect the bottom structure during fabrication of upper structures. The protective layer may prevent STI loss and bottom spacer loss during source/drain etch back process. The protective layer may also improve process uniformity by also eliminate process loading or non-uniformity in the STI loss, fin sidewall spacer height, and recess profiles. The protective layer may also slow down fin sidewall spacer etching rate during semiconductor fin etch back, thus, improving source/drain regions profile control.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method that includes forming a fin structure with a stacked fin portion on a substrate. The stacked fin portion includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, in which the second semiconductor layer includes germanium. The method further includes etching the fin structure to form an opening and etching a portion of the second semiconductor layer with a fluorine-containing gas through the opening.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a device includes: lower semiconductor nanostructures including a first semiconductor material; a lower epitaxial source/drain region adjacent the lower semiconductor nanostructures, the lower epitaxial source/drain region having a first conductivity type; upper semiconductor nanostructures including a second semiconductor material, the second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material; and an upper epitaxial source/drain region adjacent the upper semiconductor nanostructures, the upper epitaxial source/drain region having a second conductivity type, the second conductivity type being opposite the first conductivity type.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a plurality of nanowire structures over a fin structure, and a gate stack wrapping around the plurality of nanowire structures. The gate stack includes a first portion above the plurality of nanowire structures and second portions between the nanowire structures. The semiconductor device structure further includes a gate spacer layer along a sidewall of the first portion of the gate stack, and a plurality of inner spacer layers along sidewalls of the second portions of the gate stack. The gate spacer layer has a first carbon concentration, the inner spacer layers have a second carbon concentration, and the second carbon concentration is lower than the first carbon concentration.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method to form a semiconductor device with air inner spacers. The method includes forming a semiconductor structure on a first side of a substrate. The semiconductor structure includes a fin structure having multiple semiconductor layers on the substrate, an epitaxial structure on the substrate and in contact with the multiple semiconductor layers, a gate structure wrapped around the multiple semiconductor layers, and an inner spacer structure between the gate structure and the epitaxial structure. The method further includes removing a portion of the substrate from a second side of the substrate to expose the epitaxial structure and the inner spacer structure, forming an oxide layer on the epitaxial structure on the second side of the substrate, and removing a portion of the inner spacer structure to form an opening. The second side is opposite to the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for semiconductor manufacturing in accordance with some embodiments. The method includes providing a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of features to be processed, forming a patterning layer over the substrate, forming a plurality of openings in the patterning layer, the plurality of openings being free of concave corners and partially overlapping with the plurality of features in a top view, expanding each of the plurality of openings in the patterning layer, resulting in a plurality of expanded openings in the patterning layer, the plurality of expanded openings fully overlapping with the plurality of features in the top view, and performing an etching process or an ion implantation process to the plurality of features through the plurality of expanded openings.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a channel region, an isolation feature, a source/drain feature, a gate structure, and a metal bromide. The channel region disposed over the substrate. The isolation feature is disposed over the substrate and alongside the channel region. The source/drain feature interfaces a sidewall of the channel region. The source/drain feature and the channel region are disposed along a first direction, and a bottom surface of the source/drain feature is lower than a top surface of the channel region. The gate structure is disposed over the channel region. The gate structure interfaces a top surface of the isolation feature, the gate structure comprising a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer positioned over the gate dielectric layer. The metal bromide is disposed over the gate electrode layer.