Abstract: A method of forming a nanosheet FET is provided. A plurality of first and second semiconductor layers are alternately formed on a substrate. The first and second semiconductor layers are patterned into a plurality of stacks of semiconductor layers separate from each other by a space along a direction. Each stack of semiconductor layers has a cross-sectional view along the direction gradually widening towards the substrate. An epitaxial feature is formed in each of the spaces. The patterned second semiconductor layers are then removed from each of the stacks of semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure that comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor device includes a gate spacer that extends along a sidewall of the upper portion of the gate structure and has a bottom surface. A portion of the bottom surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of a topmost one of the plurality of semiconductor layers form an angle that is less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure includes selective use of a cladding layer during the fabrication process to provide critical dimension uniformity. The cladding layer can be formed before forming a recess in an active channel structure or can be formed after filling a recess in an active channel structure with dielectric material. These techniques can be used in semiconductor structures such as gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures implemented in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and computer system are provided for image segmentation. Image data, such as biological image data, is received. One or more objects associated with the received image data is detected. One or more regions of interest are determined within the receive image data corresponding to one or more segments based on the detected objects.

Abstract: A method includes forming an active channel region, forming a dummy channel region, forming a first gate dielectric layer over the active channel region, forming a second gate dielectric layer over the dummy channel region, removing the second gate dielectric layer from the dummy channel region, forming a gate isolation region over and contacting the dummy channel region, and forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack. The first gate stack is on the active channel region. The gate isolation region separates the first gate stack from the second gate stack.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active gate structure extending along a first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes an inactive gate structure also extending along the first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes a first epitaxial structure disposed between the active gate structure and the inactive gate structure along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction. The active gate structure wraps around each of a plurality of channel layers that extend along the second direction, and the inactive gate structure straddles a semiconductor cladding layer that continuously extends along a first sidewall of the first epitaxial structure and across the plurality of channel layers.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a channel structure, extending along a first lateral direction, that is disposed over a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure, extending along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction, that straddles the channel structure. The semiconductor device includes an epitaxial structure, coupled to the channel structure, that is disposed next to the gate structure. The semiconductor device includes a first gate spacer and a second gate spacer each comprising a first portion disposed between the gate structure and the epitaxial structure along the first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes an air gap interposed between the first portion of the first gate spacer and the first portion of the second gate spacer. The air gap exposes a second portion of the first gate spacer that extends in the first lateral direction.

Abstract: A method includes forming a dummy gate stack, etching the dummy gate stack to form an opening, depositing a first dielectric layer extending into the opening, and depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer and extending into the opening. A planarization process is then performed to form a gate isolation region including the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The dummy gate stack is then removed to form trenches on opposing sides of the gate isolation region. The method further includes performing a first etching process to remove sidewall portions of the first dielectric layer, performing a second etching process to thin the second dielectric layer, and forming replacement gates in the trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The first and second transistors operate under a lower gate voltage than the third and fourth transistors. The first transistor has a first active gate structure and the second transistor has a second active gate structure. The first and second active gate structures are separated by a first gate isolation structure along a first direction. The third transistor has a third active gate structure and the fourth transistor has a fourth active gate structure. The third and fourth active gate structures are separated by a second gate isolation structure along the first direction. The variation of a first distance between respective sidewalls of the first gate isolation structure is equal to the variation of a second distance between respective sidewalls of the second gate isolation structure along the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; fin active regions protruded above the semiconductor substrate; and a gate stack disposed on the fin active regions; wherein the gate stack includes a high-k dielectric material layer, and various metal layers disposed on the high-k dielectric material layer. The gate stack has an uneven profile in a sectional view with a first dimension D1 at a top surface, a second dimension D2 at a bottom surface, and a third dimension D3 at a location between the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein each of D1 and D2 is greater than D3.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predicting systematic design rule check (DRC) violations in a placement layout before routing is performed on the placement layout. A systematic DRC violation prediction system includes DRC violation prediction circuitry. The DRC violation prediction circuitry receives placement data associated with a placement layout. The DRC violation prediction circuitry inspects the placement data associated with the placement layout, and the placement data may include data associated with a plurality of regions of the placement layout, which may be inspected on a region-by-region basis. The DRC violation prediction circuitry predicts whether one or more systematic DRC violations would be present in the placement layout due to a subsequent routing of the placement layout.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device includes forming a first fin structure, a second fin structure, and a third fin structure over a substrate. The first through third fin structures all extend along a first lateral direction, and the second fin structure is disposed between the first and third fin structures. The method includes forming a mold by filling up trenches between neighboring ones of the first through third fin structures with a first dielectric material. The method includes cutting the second fin structure by removing an upper portion of the second fin structure. The method includes replacing the upper portion of the second fin structure with a second dielectric material to form a dielectric cut structure. The method includes recessing the mold to expose upper portions of the first fin structure and the third fin structure, respectively.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first and a second semiconductor fins extending along a first direction; an isolation region disposed between respective lower portions of the first and second semiconductor fins; a dielectric structure disposed between the first and the second semiconductor fins and above the isolation region, with a bottom surface aligned with a top surface of the isolation region; a gate isolation structure vertically disposed above the dielectric structure; and a metal gate layer extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The metal gate layer includes a first portion straddling the first semiconductor fin and a second portion straddling the second semiconductor fin. The gate isolation structure separates the first and second portions of the metal gate layer from each other and includes a top portion vertically extending above the dielectric structure and a bottom portion extending into the dielectric structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A substrate is provided. Multiple fins are formed extending from the substrate, the fins including a first group of active fins in an active region and an inactive fin having at least a portion in an inactive region, the active fins separated by first trench regions, the inactive fin separated from its closest active fin by a second trench region, and the second trench region having a greater width than that of a trench region of the first trench regions. A dummy fin is formed on the isolation dielectric in the second trench region, the dummy fin disposed between the first group of active fins and the inactive fin. A dummy gate is formed over the fins. The gate isolation structure is disposed between the dummy fin and the inactive fin and separates regions of the dummy gate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. The method includes forming a plurality of fins over a substrate, and forming dummy gates patterned over the fins. Each dummy gate has a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. The method also includes forming recesses in the fins by using the patterned dummy gates as a mask, forming a passivation layer over the fins and in the recesses in the fins, and patterning the passivation layer to leave a remaining passivation layer in some of the recesses in the fins.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device includes forming a first fin structure including a first plurality of semiconductor layers vertically spaced from one another and over a substrate; forming a second fin structure including a second plurality of semiconductor layers vertically spaced from one another and over the substrate, the first and the second fin structures extend along a first lateral direction; forming a first dielectric structure extending into the substrate and parallel with the first and second fin structures, the second fin structure being separated from the first fin structure along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction, by a first distance; and forming a first gate structure that extends along the second lateral direction and wraps around each of the first plurality of semiconductor layers and each of the second plurality of semiconductor layers.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A plurality of fins is formed over a substrate. Dummy gates are formed patterned over the fins, each dummy gate having a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. Recesses are formed in the fins using the patterned dummy gates as a mask. A passivation layer is formed over the fins and in the recesses in the fins. The passivation layer is patterned to leave a remaining passivation layer only in some of the recesses in the fins. Source and drain regions are epitaxially formed only in the recesses in the fins without the remaining passivation layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming semiconductor fins on a substrate. A first dummy gate is formed over the semiconductor fins. A recess is formed in the first dummy gate, and the recess is disposed between the semiconductor fins. A dummy fin material is formed in the recess. A portion of the dummy fin material is removed to expose an upper surface of the first dummy gate and to form a dummy fin. A second dummy gate is formed on the exposed upper surface of the first dummy gate.

Abstract: A method includes forming an active channel region, forming a dummy channel region, forming a first gate dielectric layer over the active channel region, forming a second gate dielectric layer over the dummy channel region, removing the second gate dielectric layer from the dummy channel region, forming a gate isolation region over and contacting the dummy channel region, and forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack. The first gate stack is on the active channel region. The gate isolation region separates the first gate stack from the second gate stack.

Abstract: A method includes simultaneously forming a first dummy gate stack and a second dummy gate stack on a first portion and a second portion of a protruding fin, simultaneously removing a first gate electrode of the first dummy gate stack and a second gate electrode of the second dummy gate stack to form a first trench and a second trench, respectively, forming an etching mask, wherein the etching mask fills the first trench and the second trench, patterning the etching mask to remove the etching mask from the first trench, removing a first dummy gate dielectric of the first dummy gate stack, with the etching mask protecting a second dummy gate dielectric of the second dummy gate stack from being removed, and forming a first replacement gate stack and a second replacement gate stack in the first trench and the second trench, respectively.