Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a 3D integrated circuit (IC) stack that includes a first IC die bonded to a second IC die. The first IC die includes a first semiconductor substrate, a first interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the first semiconductor substrate, and a first bonding structure arranged over the first interconnect structure. The second IC die includes a second semiconductor substrate, a second interconnect structure arranged on a frontside of the second semiconductor substrate, and a second bonding structure arranged on a backside of the second semiconductor substrate. The first bonding structure faces the second bonding structure. Further, the 3D IC stack includes a first backside contact that extends from the second bonding structure to the backside of the second semiconductor substrate and is thermally coupled to at least one of the first or second interconnect structures.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A semiconductor structure includes top, bottom, and middle tiers. The bottom tier includes a first interconnect structure overlying a first semiconductor substrate, and a first front-side bonding structure overlying the first interconnect structure. The middle tier interposed between and electrically coupled to the top and bottom tiers includes a second interconnect structure overlying a second semiconductor substrate, a second front-side bonding structure interposed between the top tier and the second interconnect structure, and a back-side bonding structure interposed between the second semiconductor substrate and the first front-side bonding structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a semiconductor substrate arranged over a back end of line (BEOL) metallization stack, and including a scribe line opening; a conductive pad having an upper surface that is substantially flush with an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, the conductive pad including an upper conductive region and a lower conductive region, the upper conductive region being confined to the scribe line opening substantially from the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to a bottom of the scribe line opening, and the lower conductive region protruding downward from the upper conductive region, through the BEOL metallization stack; a passivation layer arranged over the semiconductor substrate; and an array of pixel sensors arranged in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the conductive pad.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to method of forming an integrated circuit, including forming a semiconductor device on a frontside of a semiconductor substrate; depositing a dielectric layer over a backside of the semiconductor substrate; patterning the dielectric layer to form a first opening in the dielectric layer so that the first opening exposes a surface of the backside of the semiconductor substrate; depositing a glue layer having a first thickness over the first opening; filling the first opening with a first material to form a backside contact that is separated from the semiconductor substrate by the glue layer; and depositing more dielectric layers, bonding contacts, and bonding wire layers over the dielectric layer to form a second bonding structure on the backside of the semiconductor substrate, so that the backside contact is coupled to the bonding contacts and the bonding wire layers.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a plurality of pixel sensors disposed in the substrate, a sensor isolation feature disposed in the substrate defining an active region, and a dielectric layer between the sensor isolation feature and the substrate, wherein the sensor isolation feature comprises a conductive material.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method includes forming a gate stack over a front surface of a substrate. A mask layer is formed over at least a portion of the gate stack and a portion of the front surface. A plurality of dopants are implanted into one or more regions of the substrate that are not covered by the mask layer to form one or more doped isolation features in the substrate. The one or more doped isolation features are formed to have a convex portion at least partially under the gate stack.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure arranged on a first surface of a substrate. A doped isolation region is arranged within the substrate along opposing sides of the gate structure. The substrate includes a first region between sides of the doped isolation region and a second region having a different doping characteristic than the first region. The second region contacts a bottom of the first region and a bottom of the doped isolation region.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric. The gate electrode has a first portion having a first thickness, and a second portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The device further includes a source/drain region on a side of the gate electrode with the source/drain region extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a device isolation region. The device isolation region has a part having a sidewall contacting a second sidewall of the source/drain region to form an interface. The interface is overlapped by a joining line of the firs portion and the second portion of the gate electrode.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method. In the method, semiconductor devices are formed on a frontside of a semiconductor substrate. A trench is formed in a backside of the semiconductor substrate. Conductive and insulating layers are alternatingly formed in the trench on the backside of the semiconductor substrate to establish a backside capacitor. A backside interconnect structure is formed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate to couple to capacitor electrodes of the backside capacitor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor having an image sensing element surrounded by a BDTI structure, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, a first image sensing element and a second image sensing element are arranged next to one another within an image sensing die. A pixel dielectric stack is disposed along a back of the image sensing die overlying the image sensing elements. The pixel dielectric stack includes a first high-k dielectric layer and a second high-k dielectric layer. The BDTI structure is disposed between the first image sensing element and the second image sensing element and extends from the back of the image sensor die to a position within the image sensor die. The BDTI structure includes a trench filling layer surrounded by an isolation dielectric stack. The pixel dielectric stack has a composition different from that of the isolation dielectric stack.

Abstract: A metal grid within a trench isolation structure on the back side of an image sensor is coupled to a contact pad so that a voltage on the metal grid is continuously variable with a voltage on the contact pad. One or more conductive structures directly couple the metal grid to a contact pad. The conductive structures may bypass a front side of the image sensor. A bias voltage on the metal grid may be varied through the contact pad whereby a trade-off between reducing cross-talk and increasing quantum efficiency may be adjusted dynamically in accordance with the application of the image sensor, its environment of use, or its mode of operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A semiconductor structure includes top, bottom, and middle tiers. The bottom tier includes a first interconnect structure overlying a first semiconductor substrate, and a first front-side bonding structure overlying the first interconnect structure. The middle tier interposed between and electrically coupled to the top and bottom tiers includes a second interconnect structure overlying a second semiconductor substrate, a second front-side bonding structure interposed between the top tier and the second interconnect structure, and a back-side bonding structure interposed between the second semiconductor substrate and the first front-side bonding structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip (IC). The IC comprises a first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) device is disposed over the first IMD structure. The MIM device comprises at least three metal plates that are spaced from one another. The MIM device further comprises a plurality of capacitor insulator structures, where each of the plurality of capacitor insulator structures are disposed between and electrically isolate neighboring metal plates of the at least three metal plates.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode over the gate dielectric. The gate electrode has a first portion having a first thickness, and a second portion having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The device further includes a source/drain region on a side of the gate electrode with the source/drain region extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a device isolation region. The device isolation region has a part having a sidewall contacting a second sidewall of the source/drain region to form an interface. The interface is overlapped by a joining line of the first portion and the second portion of the gate electrode.

Abstract: Methods and devices of having an enclosure structure formed in a multi-layer interconnect and a through-silicon-via (TSV) extending through the enclosure structure. In some implementations, a protection layer is formed between the enclosure structure and the TSV.

Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer, a plurality of metal isolation features disposed in the semiconductor layer, a metal grid disposed directly over the plurality of metal isolation features, and a plurality of microlens features disposed over the metal grid.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first substrate, a capacitor within the first substrate, a diode structure within the first substrate adjacent the capacitor, and a first interconnect structure over the capacitor and the diode structure. A first conductive via of the first interconnect structure electrically couples the capacitor to the diode structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes: a semiconductor substrate including a front surface and a back surface; a backside metallization layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, the backside metallization layer being closer to the back surface than to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, at least a portion of the backside metallization layer forming an inductor structure; and an electrically non-conductive material formed in the semiconductor substrate, the electrically non-conductive material at least partially overlapping the inductor structure from a top view, and the electrically non-conductive material including a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewalls, the top surface being adjacent to the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) is provided. In some embodiments, the 3D IC comprises a first IC die comprising a first substrate, a first interconnect structure disposed over the first substrate, and a first through substrate via(TSV) disposed through the first substrate. The 3D IC further comprises a second IC die comprising a second substrate, a second interconnect structure disposed over the second substrate, and a second TSV disposed through the second substrate. The 3D IC further comprises a bonding structure arranged between back sides of the first IC die and the second IC die opposite to corresponding interconnect structures and bonding the first IC die and the second IC die. The bonding structure comprises conductive features disposed between and electrically connecting the first TSV and the second TSV.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) is provided. In some embodiments, a second IC die is formed and bonded to a first IC die by a first bonding structure. A third IC die is formed and bonded to the second IC die by a second bonding structure. The second bonding structure is formed between back sides of the second IC die and the third IC die opposite to corresponding interconnect structures and comprises a first TSV (through substrate via) disposed through a second substrate of the second IC die and a second TSV disposed through a third substrate of the third IC die. In some further embodiments, the second bonding structure is formed by forming conductive features with oppositely titled sidewalls disposed between the first TSV and the second TSV.