Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device with a strained SiGe channel and a method for fabricating such a device. In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate including at least two isolation features, a fin substrate disposed between and above the at least two isolation features, and an epitaxial layer disposed over exposed portions of the fin substrate. According to one aspect, the epitaxial layer may be disposed over a top surface and sidewalls of the fin substrate. According to another aspect, the fin substrate may be disposed substantially completely above the at least two isolation features.

Abstract: A method includes performing an epitaxy to grow a semiconductor layer, which includes a top portion over a semiconductor region. The semiconductor region is between two insulation regions that are in a substrate. The method further includes recessing the insulation regions to expose portions of sidewalls of the semiconductor region, and etching a portion of the semiconductor region, wherein the etched portion of the semiconductor region is under and contacting a bottom surface of the semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer is spaced apart from an underlying region by an air gap. A gate dielectric and a gate electrode are formed over the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A thin-sheet non-planar circuit device such as a FinFET and a method for forming the device is disclosed. In some exemplary embodiments, the device includes a substrate having a top surface and a feature disposed on the substrate that extends above the top surface. A material layer disposed on the feature. The material layer includes a plurality of source/drain regions and a channel region disposed between the source/drain regions. A gate stack is disposed on the channel region of the material layer. In some such embodiments, the feature includes a plurality of side surfaces, and the material layer is disposed on each of the side surface surfaces. In some such embodiments, the feature also includes a top surface and the material layer is further disposed on the top surface. In some embodiments, the top surface of the feature is free of the material layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of formation are provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate over a channel portion of a fin. The fin includes a first active area of the fin having a first active area top surface coplanar with a first shallow trench isolation (STI) top surface of a first STI portion of STI, and a second active area of the fin having a second active area top surface coplanar with a second STI top surface of a second STI portion of the STI. The method herein negates a need to recess at least one of the fin, the first STI portion or the second STI portion during device formation. Negating a need to recess at least one of the fin, the first STI portion or the second STI portion enhances the semiconductor device formation and is more efficient than a semiconductor device formation that requires the recessing of at least one of a fin, a first STI portion or a second STI portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a channel layer of at least one III-V semiconductor compound above the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode above a first portion of the channel layer; a source region and a drain region above a second portion of the channel layer; and a dopant layer comprising at least one dopant contacting the second portion of the channel layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A semiconductor device includes a substrate, the substrate having a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature formed thereon. The semiconductor device further includes a first nanowire on the first source/drain feature and a second nanowire on the second source/drain feature, the first nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the first source/drain feature and the second nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the second source/drain feature. The semiconductor device further includes a third nanowire extending from an upper end of the first nanowire to an upper end of the second nanowire, wherein the first nanowire, the second nanowire and the third nanowire form a channel.

Abstract: A nickelide material with reduced resistivity is provided as source/drain contact surfaces in both NMOS and PMOS technology. The nickelide material layer may be a ternary material such as NiInAs, and may be formed from a binary material previously formed in the source/drain regions. The binary material may be the channel material or it may be an epitaxial layer formed over the channel material. The same ternary nickelide material may be used as the source/drain contact surface in both NMOS and PMOS transistors. Various binary or ternary channel materials may be used for the NMOS transistors and for the PMOS transistors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a stack of patterned metal layers separated by dielectric layers, the stack comprising a first conductive support structure and a second conductive support structure and a cavity in which an inertial mass element comprising at least one metal portion is conductively coupled to the first support structure and the second support structure by respective conductive connection portions, at least one of said conductive connection portions being designed to break upon the inertial mass element being exposed to an acceleration force exceeding a threshold defined by the dimensions of the conductive connection portions. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device is also disclosed.

Abstract: According to one example, a method includes epitaxially growing first portions of a plurality of elongated semiconductor structures on a semiconductor substrate, the elongated semiconductor structures running perpendicular to the substrate. The method further includes forming a gate layer on the substrate, the gate layer contacting the elongated semiconductor structures. The method further includes performing a planarization process on the gate layer and the elongated semiconductor structures, and epitaxially growing second portions of the plurality of elongated semiconductor structures, the second portions comprising a different material than the first portions.

Abstract: Among other things, a semiconductor device comprising one or more faceted surfaces and techniques for forming the semiconductor device are provided. A semiconductor device, such as a finFET, comprises a fin formed on a semiconductor substrate. The fin comprises a source region, a channel, and a drain region. A gate is formed around the channel. A top fin portion of the fin is annealed, such as by a hydrogen annealing process, to create one or more faceted surfaces. For example the top fin portion comprises a first faceted surface formed adjacent to a second faceted surface at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the second faceted surface, which results in a reduced sharpness of a corner between the first faceted surface and the second faceted surface. In this way, an electrical field near the corner is substantially uniform to electrical fields induced elsewhere within the fin.

Abstract: A fin structure for a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device is provided. The device includes a substrate, a first semiconductor material disposed on the substrate, a shallow trench isolation (STI) region disposed over the substrate and formed on opposing sides of the first semiconductor material, and a second semiconductor material forming a first fin and a second fin disposed on the STI region, the first fin spaced apart from the second fin by a width of the first semiconductor material. The fin structure may be used to generate the FinFET device by forming a gate layer formed over the first fin, a top surface of the first semiconductor material disposed between the first and second fins, and the second fin.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing a carbon layer is provided. An embodiment comprises depositing a first metal layer on a substrate, the substrate comprising carbon. A silicide is epitiaxially grown on the substrate, the epitaxially growing the silicide also forming a layer of carbon over the silicide. In an embodiment the carbon layer is graphene, and may be transferred to a semiconductor substrate for further processing to form a channel within the graphene.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A template layer is formed on a substrate, the template layer having a recess therein. A plurality of nanowires is formed in the recess. A gate stack is formed over the substrate, the gate stack surrounding the plurality of nanowires.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and methods of formation are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first active region having a first active region height and an active channel region having an active channel region height over a fin. The first active region height is greater than the active channel region height. The active channel region having the active channel region height has increased strain, such as increased tensile strain, as compared to an active channel region that has a height greater than the active channel region height. The increased strain increases or enhances at least one of hole mobility or electron mobility in at least one of the first active region or the active channel region. The active channel region having the active channel region height has decreased source drain leakage, as compared to an active channel region that has a height greater than the active channel region height.

Abstract: A nanowire comprises a source region, a drain region and a channel region. The source region is modified to reduce the lifetime of minority carriers within the source region. In an embodiment the modification may be performed by implanting either amorphizing dopants or lifetime reducing dopants. Alternatively, the source may be epitaxially grown with a different materials or process conditions to reduce the lifetime of minority carriers within the source region.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a stack of patterned metal layers separated by dielectric layers, the stack comprising a first conductive support structure and a second conductive support structure and a cavity in which an inertial mass element comprising at least one metal portion is conductively coupled to the first support structure and the second support structure by respective conductive connection portions, at least one of said conductive connection portions being designed to break upon the inertial mass element being exposed to an acceleration force exceeding a threshold defined by the dimensions of the conductive connection portions. A method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing a carbon layer is provided. An embodiment comprises depositing a first metal layer on a substrate, the substrate comprising carbon. A silicide is epitiaxially grown on the substrate, the epitaxially growing the silicide also forming a layer of carbon over the silicide. In an embodiment the carbon layer is graphene, and may be transferred to a semiconductor substrate for further processing to form a channel within the graphene.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A template layer is formed on a substrate, the template layer having a recess therein. A plurality of nanowires is formed in the recess. A gate stack is formed over the substrate, the gate stack surrounding the plurality of nanowires.

Abstract: A fin structure for a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device is provided. The device includes a substrate, a first semiconductor material disposed on the substrate, a shallow trench isolation (STI) region disposed over the substrate and formed on opposing sides of the first semiconductor material, and a second semiconductor material forming a first fin and a second fin disposed on the STI region, the first fin spaced apart from the second fin by a width of the first semiconductor material. The fin structure may be used to generate the FinFET device by forming a gate layer formed over the first fin, a top surface of the first semiconductor material disposed between the first and second fins, and the second fin.

Abstract: A method includes growing a nanowire from a substrate, forming a sacrificial layer surrounding the nanowire, removing the nanowire from the sacrificial layer to form an opening in the sacrificial layer, and growing a replacement semiconductor nanowire in the opening.