Abstract: A fin-shaped structure forming process includes the following step. A first mandrel and a second mandrel are formed on a substrate. A first spacer material is formed to entirely cover the first mandrel, the second mandrel and the substrate. The exposed first spacer material is etched to form a first spacer on the substrate beside the first mandrel. A second spacer material is formed to entirely cover the first mandrel, the second mandrel and the substrate. The second spacer material and the first spacer material are etched to form a second spacer on the substrate beside the second mandrel and a third spacer including the first spacer on the substrate beside the first mandrel. The layout of the second spacer and the third spacer is transferred to the substrate, so a second fin-shaped structure and a first fin-shaped structure having different widths are formed respectively.

Abstract: A shallow trench isolation (STI) and method of forming the same is provided. The STI structure includes an upper insulating portion and a lower insulating portion, where the lower insulating portion includes a first insulator and an insulating layer surrounding the first insulator, the upper insulating portion includes a second insulator and a buffer layer surrounding the second insulator. A part of the buffer layer interfaces between the first insulator and the second insulator, and the outer sidewall of the buffer layer and the sidewall of the first insulator are leveled.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure having at least a contact plug includes the following steps. At first, at least a transistor and an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer are formed on a substrate, and the transistor includes a gate structure and two source/drain regions. Subsequently, a cap layer is formed on the ILD layer and on the transistor, and a plurality of openings that penetrate through the cap layer and the ILD layer until reaching the source/drain regions are formed. Afterward, a conductive layer is formed to cover the cap layer and fill the openings, and a part of the conductive layer is further removed for forming a plurality of first contact plugs, wherein a top surface of a remaining conductive layer and a top surface of a remaining cap layer are coplanar, and the remaining cap layer totally covers a top surface of the gate structure.

Abstract: A die seal ring is provided. The die seal ring includes a substrate and a first layer extruding from the substrate. The first layer has a first fin ring structure and a layout of the first fin ring structure has a stamp-like shape. In addition, a method for forming a die seal ring is provided. A substrate having an active region is provided. A patterned sacrificial layer is formed on the substrate. A spacer is formed on the sidewall of the patterned sacrificial layer. The patterned sacrificial layer is removed. The substrate is patterned by using the spacer as a mask, thereby simultaneously forming at least a fin structure of a Fin-FET and a first layer of the die seal ring.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated device includes a substrate, a plurality of active fins, and a plurality of first protecting fins. The substrate includes an active region, and the active fins are positioned in the active region. The active region is surrounded by the first protecting fins. The active fins and the first protecting fins all extend along a first direction.

Abstract: A method of forming shallow trench isolation structures including the steps of forming a trench in a substrate, filling a first insulating layer in the lower portion of the trench and defining a recess at the upper portion of the trench, forming a buffer layer on the sidewall of the recess, filling a second insulating layer in the recess, and performing a steam annealing process to transform the substrate surrounding the first insulating layer into an oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided herein and includes the following steps. First, a first interlayer dielectric is formed on a substrate. Then, a gate electrode is formed on the substrate, wherein a periphery of the gate electrode is surrounded by the first interlayer dielectric. Afterwards, a patterned mask layer is formed on the gate electrode, wherein a bottom surface of the patterned mask layer is leveled with a top surface of the first interlayer dielectric. A second interlayer dielectric is then formed to cover a top surface and each side surface of the patterned mask layer. Finally, a self-aligned contact structure is formed in the first interlayer dielectric and the second interlayer dielectric.

Abstract: A method of forming fin-shaped structures includes the following steps. A plurality of spacers is formed on a substrate. The substrate is etched by using the spacers as hard masks to form a plurality of fin-shaped structures in the substrate. A cutting process is then performed to remove parts of the fin-shaped structures and the spacers formed on the removed parts.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. A first stack structure and a second stack structure are formed to respectively cover a portion of a first fin structure and a second fin structure. Subsequently, a spacer is respectively formed on the sidewalls of the fin structures through an atomic layer deposition process and the composition of the spacers includes silicon carbon nitride. Afterwards, a interlayer dielectric is formed and etched so as to expose the hard mask layers. A mask layer is formed to cover the second stack structure and a portion of the dielectric layer. Later, the hard mask layer in the first stack structure is removed under the coverage of the mask layer. Then, a dummy layer in the first stack structure is replaced with a conductive layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first fin structure, an electrical contact structure and a gate structure. The first fin structure includes a horizontal fin structure extending along a first direction and a vertical fin structure extending along a second direction. The substrate has a first region and a second region. A portion of the horizontal fin structure and the vertical fin structure are disposed in the first region, and the electrical contact structure directly covers the horizontal fin structure and the vertical fin structure within the first region. The gate structure partially overlaps the horizontal fin structure within the second region.

Abstract: A shallow trench isolation (STI) and method of forming the same is provided. The STI structure includes an upper insulating portion and a lower insulating portion, where the lower insulating portion includes a first insulator and an insulating layer surrounding the first insulator, the upper insulating portion includes a second insulator and a buffer layer surrounding the second insulator. Apart of the buffer layer interfaces between the first insulator and the second insulator, and the outer sidewall of the buffer layer and the sidewall of the first insulator are leveled.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor structure including a gate structure, a first spacer, and a second spacer. The gate structure is formed on a substrate and includes a gate material layer, a first hard mask layer disposed on the gate material layer, and a second hard mask layer disposed on the first hard mask layer. The first spacer is disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure. The second spacer is disposed adjacent to the first spacer. The etch rate of the first hard mask layer, the etch rate of the first spacer, and the etch rate of the second spacer are substantially the same and significantly smaller than the etch rate of the second hard mask layer in a rinsing solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a substrate, a multi-gate transistor device formed on the substrate, and an n-well resistor formed in the substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of first isolation structures and at least a second isolation structure formed therein. A depth of the first isolation structures is smaller than a depth of the second isolation structure. The multi-gate transistor device includes a plurality of fin structures, and the fin structures are parallel with each other and spaced apart from each other by the first isolation structures. The n-well resistor includes at least one first isolation structure. The n-well resistor and the multi-gate transistor device are electrically isolated from each other by the second isolation structure.

Abstract: A replacement gate process is disclosed. A substrate and a dummy gate structure formed on the substrate is provided, wherein the dummy gate structure comprises a dummy layer on the substrate, a hard mask layer on the dummy layer, spacers at two sides of the dummy layer and the hard mask layer, and a contact etch stop layer (CESL) covering the substrate, the spacers and the hard mask layer. The spacers and the CESL are made of the same material. Then, a top portion of the CESL is removed to expose the hard mask layer. Next, the hard mask layer is removed. Afterward, the dummy layer is removed to form a trench.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon layer on the semiconductor substrate; performing a first photo-etching process on the silicon layer for forming a gate pattern; forming an epitaxial layer in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to two sides of the gate pattern; and performing a second photo-etching process on the gate pattern to form a slot in the gate pattern while using the gate pattern to physically separate the gate pattern into two gates.

Abstract: A method of forming shallow trench isolation structures including the steps of forming a trench in a substrate, filling a first insulating layer in the lower portion of the trench and defining a recess at the upper portion of the trench, forming a buffer layer on the sidewall of the recess, filling a second insulating layer in the recess, and performing a steam annealing process to transform the substrate surrounding the first insulating layer into an oxide layer.

Abstract: A thin film resistor structure includes a substrate, a flat bottom ILD (inter layer dielectric) disposed on the substrate, a plurality of first contacts disposed in the bottom ILD, and each top surface of the first contacts is on the same level as a top surface of the bottom ILD; a flat top ILD disposed on the bottom ILD, a plurality of second contacts disposed in the top ILD, and each top surface of the second contacts is on the same level as a top surface of the top ILD, and a thin film resistor disposed between the bottom ILD and the top ILD.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor structures includes providing a substrate having a plurality of mandrel patterns and a plurality of dummy patterns, simultaneously forming a plurality of first spacers on sidewalls of the mandrel patterns and a plurality of second spacers on sidewalls of the dummy patterns, and removing the second spacers and the mandrel patterns to form a plurality of spacer patterns on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a patterned structure of a semiconductor device is provided. First, a substrate having a first region and a second region is provided. A target layer, a hard mask layer and a first patterned mask layer are then sequentially formed on the substrate. A first etching process is performed by using the first patterned mask layer as an etch mask so that a patterned hard mask layer is therefore formed. Spacers are respectively formed on each sidewall of the patterned hard mask layer. Then, a second patterned mask layer is formed on the substrate. A second etching process is performed to etch the patterned hard mask layer in the second region. After the exposure of the spacers, the patterned hard mask layer is used as an etch mask and an exposed target layer is removed until the exposure of the corresponding substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a metal gate, a second dielectric layer and a contact plug. The metal gate is located on a substrate and in a first dielectric layer, wherein the metal gate includes a work function metal layer having a U-shaped cross- sectional profile and a low resistivity material located on the work function metal layer. The second dielectric layer is located on the metal gate and the first dielectric layer. The contact plug is located on the second dielectric layer and in a third dielectric layer, thereby a capacitor is formed. Moreover, the present invention also provides a semiconductor process forming said semiconductor structure.