Abstract: A closed gas circulation system may include a sealed plenum, circulation fans, and a fan filter unit (FFU) inlet to contain, filter, condition, and re-circulate a gas through a chamber of an interface tool. The gas provided to the chamber is maintained in a conditioned environment in the closed gas circulation system as opposed to introducing external air into the chamber through the FFU inlet. This enables precise control over the relative humidity and oxygen concentration of the gas used in the chamber, which reduces the oxidation of semiconductor wafers that are transferred through the chamber. The closed gas circulation system may also include an air-flow rectifier, a return vent, and one or more vacuum pumps to form a downflow of collimated gas in the chamber and to automatically control the feed-forward pressure and flow of gas through the chamber and the sealed plenum.

Abstract: A closed gas circulation system may include a sealed plenum, circulation fans, and a fan filter unit (FFU) inlet to contain, filter, condition, and re-circulate a gas through a chamber of an interface tool. The gas provided to the chamber is maintained in a conditioned environment in the closed gas circulation system as opposed to introducing external air into the chamber through the FFU inlet. This enables precise control over the relative humidity and oxygen concentration of the gas used in the chamber, which reduces the oxidation of semiconductor wafers that are transferred through the chamber. The closed gas circulation system may also include an air-flow rectifier, a return vent, and one or more vacuum pumps to form a downflow of collimated gas in the chamber and to automatically control the feed-forward pressure and flow of gas through the chamber and the sealed plenum.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a storage device including a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a front panel, and two side panels configured to form an enclosed volume. The storage device further includes multiple slots disposed at inner surfaces of the two side panels and configured to hold a substrate, a gas diffuser disposed at an inner surface of the back panel and configured to provide a purge gas to the enclosed volume, an isolation gas device disposed on an inner surface of the top panel and adjacent to a top portion of the front panel, and an isolation gas line configured to connect the isolation gas device to the gas diffuser. The isolation gas device is configured to inject the purge gas into a front portion of the storage device and in a direction from the top panel toward the bottom panel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin projecting upwardly from a substrate; a gate stack engaging the fin; a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack and in contact with the gate stack; and a dielectric layer on the sidewall of the gate stack and in contact with the gate stack, the dielectric layer being vertically between the fin and the gate spacer, wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness small than the gate spacer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a storage device including a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a front panel, and two side panels configured to form an enclosed volume. The storage device further includes multiple slots disposed at inner surfaces of the two side panels and configured to hold a substrate, a gas diffuser disposed at an inner surface of the back panel and configured to provide a purge gas to the enclosed volume, an isolation gas device disposed on an inner surface of the top panel and adjacent to a top portion of the front panel, and an isolation gas line configured to connect the isolation gas device to the gas diffuser. The isolation gas device is configured to inject the purge gas into a front portion of the storage device and in a direction from the top panel toward the bottom panel.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate electrode. The semiconductor device structure further includes a spacer element over a sidewall of the gate electrode, and the spacer element has an upper portion having a first exterior surface and a lower portion having a second exterior surface. Lateral distances between the first exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode are substantially the same. Lateral distances between the second exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode increase along a direction from a top of the lower portion towards the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of semiconductor fins, a gate stack and an epitaxy structure. The semiconductor fins are present on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor fins respectively include recesses therein. The gate stack is present on portions of the semiconductor fins that are adjacent to the recesses. The epitaxy structure is present across the recesses of the semiconductor fins. The epitaxy structure includes a plurality of corners and at least one groove present between the corners, and the groove has a curvature radius greater than that of at least one of the corners.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for controlling gas supplies and an example system for performing the method. The method includes providing a first setting to configure a gas supply device to supply a first gas mixture to a substrate carrier holding a first substrate. The method further includes receiving critical dimension (CD) data measured on the first substrate after the first substrate completes a process operation. The method further includes, in response to the CD data being outside a predetermined range, providing a second setting to configure the gas supply device to supply a second gas mixture to the substrate carrier holding a second substrate that has yet to undergo the process operation.

Abstract: A closed gas circulation system may include a sealed plenum, circulation fans, and a fan filter unit (FFU) inlet to contain, filter, condition, and re-circulate a gas through a chamber of an interface tool. The gas provided to the chamber is maintained in a conditioned environment in the closed gas circulation system as opposed to introducing external air into the chamber through the FFU inlet. This enables precise control over the relative humidity and oxygen concentration of the gas used in the chamber, which reduces the oxidation of semiconductor wafers that are transferred through the chamber. The closed gas circulation system may also include an air-flow rectifier, a return vent, and one or more vacuum pumps to form a downflow of collimated gas in the chamber and to automatically control the feed-forward pressure and flow of gas through the chamber and the sealed plenum.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a metal gate structure on the substrate; and a spacer next to the metal gate structure having a skirting part extending into the metal gate structure and contacting the substrate. The metal gate structure includes a high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode on the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of semiconductor fins, a gate stack and an epitaxy structure. The semiconductor fins are present on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor fins respectively include recesses therein. The gate stack is present on portions of the semiconductor fins that are adjacent to the recesses. The epitaxy structure is present across the recesses of the semiconductor fins. The epitaxy structure includes a plurality of corners and at least one groove present between the corners, and the groove has a curvature radius greater than that of at least one of the corners.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a storage device including a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel, a front panel, and two side panels configured to form an enclosed volume. The storage device further includes multiple slots disposed at inner surfaces of the two side panels and configured to hold a substrate, a gas diffuser disposed at an inner surface of the back panel and configured to provide a purge gas to the enclosed volume, an isolation gas device disposed on an inner surface of the top panel and adjacent to a top portion of the front panel, and an isolation gas line configured to connect the isolation gas device to the gas diffuser. The isolation gas device is configured to inject the purge gas into a front portion of the storage device and in a direction from the top panel toward the bottom panel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, at least one source drain feature, a gate structure, and at least one gate spacer. The source/drain feature is present at least partially in the substrate. The gate structure is present on the substrate. The gate spacer is present on at least one sidewall of the gate structure. At least a bottom portion of the gate spacer has a plurality of dopants therein.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of semiconductor fins, a gate stack and an epitaxy structure. The semiconductor fins are present on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor fins respectively include recesses therein. The gate stack is present on portions of the semiconductor fins that are adjacent to the recesses. The epitaxy structure is present across the recesses of the semiconductor fins. The epitaxy structure includes a plurality of corners and at least one groove present between the corners, and the groove has a curvature radius greater than that of at least one of the corners.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a metal gate structure on the substrate; and a spacer next to the metal gate structure having a skirting part extending into the metal gate structure and contacting the substrate. The metal gate structure includes a high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode on the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate electrode. The semiconductor device structure further includes a spacer element over a sidewall of the gate electrode, and the spacer element has an upper portion having a first exterior surface and a lower portion having a second exterior surface. Lateral distances between the first exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode are substantially the same. Lateral distances between the second exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode increase along a direction from a top of the lower portion towards the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, at least one source drain feature, a gate structure, and at least one gate spacer. The source/drain feature is present at least partially in the substrate. The gate structure is present on the substrate. The gate spacer is present on at least one sidewall of the gate structure. At least a bottom portion of the gate spacer has a plurality of dopants therein.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a fin projecting upwardly from a substrate; a gate stack engaging the fin; a gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack and in contact with the gate stack; and a dielectric layer on the sidewall of the gate stack and in contact with the gate stack, the dielectric layer being vertically between the fin and the gate spacer, wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness small than the gate spacer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; a metal gate structure on the substrate; and a spacer next to the metal gate structure having a skirting part extending into the metal gate structure and contacting the substrate. The metal gate structure includes a high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode on the high-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a source/drain structure adjacent to the gate electrode. The semiconductor device structure further includes a spacer element over a sidewall of the gate electrode, and the spacer element has an upper portion having a first exterior surface and a lower portion having a second exterior surface. Lateral distances between the first exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode are substantially the same. Lateral distances between the second exterior surface and the sidewall of the gate electrode increase along a direction from a top of the lower portion towards the semiconductor substrate.