Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack on a substrate. The method further includes depositing a first spacer layer on a sidewall of the gate stack. The first spacer layer includes silicon and carbon. The method includes performing a first nitrogen plasma treatment process on the first spacer layer to increase a density of the first spacer layer. The method further includes depositing a second spacer layer on the first spacer layer. The second spacer layer includes silicon, carbon, and nitrogen.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate with a planar top surface. At least a first gate cut stressor within a first gate cut region separates a first transistor region from a second transistor region. The first gate cut stressor is directly upon the planar top surface and applies a first tensile force perpendicular to a channel of the first transistor region and perpendicular to a channel of the second transistor region. The tensile force may improve hole and/or electron mobility within a transistor in the first transistor region and within a transistor in the second transistor region. The gate cut stressor may include a lower material within the gate cut region and an upper material upon the lower material. Alternatively, the gate cut stressor may include a liner material that lines the gate cut region and an inner material upon the liner material.

Abstract: An example material testing system includes: a crosshead configured to be actuated to transfer testing force to a test specimen during a material test; an actuator configured to actuate the crosshead and to apply the testing force to the crosshead; a force sensor configured to measure force applied by the crosshead to the specimen; and a control processor configured to: determine a reference force range based on a first force measurement from the force sensor in response to initiation of movement of the crosshead; and in response to a second force measurement by the force sensor that is outside of the reference force range, controlling the actuator to apply a braking force to the crosshead.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer stack including a substrate and a nanosheet channel stack including alternating layers of a sacrificial material and a semiconducting material providing nanosheet channels for nanosheet field-effect transistors. The method also includes forming vertical fins in the semiconductor layer stack, forming a liner on sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a sacrificial epitaxial layer over the substrate surrounding the vertical fins. The method further includes replacing the sacrificial epitaxial layer with a first dielectric layer, removing the liner to form air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a second dielectric layer in the air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins. The first and second dielectric layers provide shallow trench isolation regions surrounding sidewalls of the vertical fins below the nanosheet channel stack.

Abstract: A finned semiconductor structure including sets of relatively wide and relatively narrow fins is obtained by employing hard masks having different quality. A relatively porous hard mask is formed over a first region of a semiconductor substrate and a relatively dense hard mask is formed over a second region of the substrate. Patterning of the different hard masks using a sidewall image transfer process causes greater lateral etching of the relatively porous hard mask than the relatively dense hard mask. A subsequent reactive ion etch to form semiconductor fins causes relatively narrow fins to be formed beneath the relatively porous hard mask and relatively wide fins to be formed beneath the relatively dense hard mask.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a method for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a nanosheet stack on a substrate, wherein the nanosheet stack comprises channel layers and nanosheet layers, forming a sacrificial gate over the nanosheet stack, and forming trenches to expose sidewalls of the nanosheet stack. The method also includes forming source/drain (S/D) regions, where forming the S/D regions including forming first portions of the S/D regions on portions of the nano sheet stack, forming second portions of the S/D regions, wherein the first portions are different than the second portions, and replacing the sacrificial gate with a conductive gate material. Also provided are embodiments of a semiconductor device formed by the method described herein.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments for an MOL interconnect structure having low metal-to-metal interface resistance interconnect structure including one or more contacts of one or more devices formed on a substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on one or more devices. One or more trenches are formed in the dielectric layer. The MOL interconnect structure also includes a barrier layer formed on one or more portions of the dielectric layer, along with a metallization layer, wherein the metallization layer forms a metal-to-metal interface with the one or more contacts.

Abstract: An example material testing system includes: a pneumatic grip configured to grip a specimen under test based on a supplied pressure; and a processor configured to control the pressure supplied to the pneumatic grip by repeatedly: controlling a fill valve to increase the supplied pressure; allowing the supplied pressure to stabilize after each increase; and adjusting a pressurization time based on comparing an expected pressure increase to an actual pressure increase during the pressurization.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a method for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a nanosheet stack on a substrate, wherein the nanosheet stack comprises channel layers and nanosheet layers, forming a sacrificial gate over the nanosheet stack, and forming trenches to expose sidewalls of the nanosheet stack. The method also includes forming source/drain (S/D) regions, where forming the S/D regions including forming first portions of the S/D regions on portions of the nano sheet stack, forming second portions of the S/D regions, wherein the first portions are different than the second portions, and replacing the sacrificial gate with a conductive gate material. Also provided are embodiments of a semiconductor device formed by the method described herein.

Abstract: A middle-of-line (MOL) structure is provided and includes device and resistive memory (RM) regions. The device region includes trench silicide (TS) metallization, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) portion and a first dielectric cap portion disposed over the TS metallization and the first ILD portion. The RM region includes a second dielectric cap portion, a second ILD portion and an RM resistor interposed between the second dielectric cap portion and the second ILD portion.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack on a substrate. The method further includes depositing a first spacer layer on a sidewall of the gate stack. The first spacer layer includes silicon and carbon. The method includes performing a first nitrogen plasma treatment process on the first spacer layer to increase a density of the first spacer layer. The method further includes depositing a second spacer layer on the first spacer layer. The second spacer layer includes silicon, carbon, and nitrogen.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer stack including a substrate and a nanosheet channel stack including alternating layers of a sacrificial material and a semiconducting material providing nanosheet channels for nanosheet field-effect transistors. The method also includes forming vertical fins in the semiconductor layer stack, forming a liner on sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a sacrificial epitaxial layer over the substrate surrounding the vertical fins. The method further includes replacing the sacrificial epitaxial layer with a first dielectric layer, removing the liner to form air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a second dielectric layer in the air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins. The first and second dielectric layers provide shallow trench isolation regions surrounding sidewalls of the vertical fins below the nanosheet channel stack.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack on a substrate. The method further includes depositing a first spacer layer on a sidewall of the gate stack. The first spacer layer includes silicon and carbon. The method includes performing a first nitrogen plasma treatment process on the first spacer layer to increase a density of the first spacer layer. The method further includes depositing a second spacer layer on the first spacer layer. The second spacer layer includes silicon, carbon, and nitrogen.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer stack including a substrate and a nanosheet channel stack including alternating layers of a sacrificial material and a semiconducting material providing nanosheet channels for nanosheet field-effect transistors. The method also includes forming vertical fins in the semiconductor layer stack, forming a liner on sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a sacrificial epitaxial layer over the substrate surrounding the vertical fins. The method further includes replacing the sacrificial epitaxial layer with a first dielectric layer, removing the liner to form air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a second dielectric layer in the air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins. The first and second dielectric layers provide shallow trench isolation regions surrounding sidewalls of the vertical fins below the nanosheet channel stack.

Abstract: Compressive and tensile stress is induced, respectively, on semiconductor fins in the pFET and nFET regions of a monolithic semiconductor structure including FinFETs. A tensile stressor is formed from dielectric material and a second, compressive stressor is formed from metal. The stressors may be formed in fin cut regions of the monolithic semiconductor structure and are configured to provide stress in the direction of FinFET current flow. The dielectric material may be deposited on the monolithic semiconductor structure and later removed from the fin cut regions of the pFET region. Metal exhibiting compressive residual stress is then deposited in the fin cut regions from which the dielectric material was removed. Gate cut regions may also be filled with the dielectric stressor material to impart substantially uniaxial tensile stress perpendicular to the semiconductor fins and perpendicular to electrical current flow.

Abstract: An example material testing system includes: a crosshead configured to be actuated to transfer testing force to a test specimen during a material test; an actuator configured to actuate the crosshead and to apply the testing force to the crosshead; a force sensor configured to measure force applied by the crosshead to the specimen; and a control processor configured to: determine a reference force range based on a first force measurement from the force sensor in response to initiation of movement of the crosshead; and in response to a second force measurement by the force sensor that is outside of the reference force range, controlling the actuator to apply a braking force to the crosshead.

Abstract: A middle-of-line (MOL) structure is provided and includes device and resistive memory (RM) regions. The device region includes trench silicide (TS) metallization, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) portion and a first dielectric cap portion disposed over the TS metallization and the first ILD portion. The RM region includes a second dielectric cap portion, a second ILD portion and an RM resistor interposed between the second dielectric cap portion and the second ILD portion.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a semiconductor layer stack including a substrate and a nanosheet channel stack including alternating layers of a sacrificial material and a semiconducting material providing nanosheet channels for nanosheet field-effect transistors. The method also includes forming vertical fins in the semiconductor layer stack, forming a liner on sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a sacrificial epitaxial layer over the substrate surrounding the vertical fins. The method further includes replacing the sacrificial epitaxial layer with a first dielectric layer, removing the liner to form air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins, and forming a second dielectric layer in the air gaps between the first dielectric layer and sidewalls of the vertical fins. The first and second dielectric layers provide shallow trench isolation regions surrounding sidewalls of the vertical fins below the nanosheet channel stack.

Abstract: Compressive and tensile stress is induced, respectively, on semiconductor fins in the pFET and nFET regions of a monolithic semiconductor structure including FinFETs. A tensile stressor is formed from dielectric material and a second, compressive stressor is formed from metal. The stressors may be formed in fin cut regions of the monolithic semiconductor structure and are configured to provide stress in the direction of FinFET current flow. The dielectric material may be deposited on the monolithic semiconductor structure and later removed from the fin cut regions of the pFET region. Metal exhibiting compressive residual stress is then deposited in the fin cut regions from which the dielectric material was removed. Gate cut regions may also be filled with the dielectric stressor material to impart substantially uniaxial tensile stress perpendicular to the semiconductor fins and perpendicular to electrical current flow.

Abstract: Highly selective dry etching techniques for VFET STI recess are provided. In one aspect, a method for dry etching includes: contacting a wafer including an oxide with at least one etch gas under conditions sufficient to etch the oxide at a rate of less than about 30 ?/min; removing a byproduct of the etch from the wafer using a thermal treatment; and repeating the contacting step followed by the removing step multiple times until a desired recess of the oxide has been achieved. A method of forming a VFET device is also provided.