Abstract: A device includes a fin extending from a semiconductor substrate; a gate stack over the fin; a first spacer on a sidewall of the gate stack; a source/drain region in the fin adjacent the first spacer; an inter-layer dielectric layer (ILD) extending over the gate stack, the first spacer, and the source/drain region, the ILD having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion of the ILD is closer to the gate stack than the first portion of the ILD; a contact plug extending through the ILD and contacting the source/drain region; a second spacer on a sidewall of the contact plug; and an air gap between the first spacer and the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD extends across the air gap and physically contacts the second spacer, wherein the first portion of the ILD seals the air gap.

Abstract: A method includes forming a gate stack over a first semiconductor region, removing a second portion of the first semiconductor region on a side of the gate stack to form a recess, growing a second semiconductor region starting from the recess, implanting the second semiconductor region with an impurity, and performing a melting laser anneal on the second semiconductor region. A first portion of the second semiconductor region is molten during the melting laser anneal, and a second and a third portion of the second semiconductor region on opposite sides of the first portion are un-molten.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure over a fin structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a source/drain structure in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a first contact plug over the source/drain structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a first via plug over the first contact plug. The semiconductor structure also includes a dielectric layer surrounding the first via plug. The first via plug includes a first group IV element and the dielectric layer includes the first group IV element and a second group IV element.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to forming an ultra-shallow junction having high dopant concentration and low contact resistance in a p-type source/drain region. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain region in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain region comprising germanium, performing an ion implantation process using gallium (Ga) to form an amorphous region in the source/drain region, performing an ion implantation process using a dopant into the amorphous region, and subjecting the amorphous region to a thermal process.

Abstract: In a gate last metal gate process for forming a transistor, a dielectric layer is formed over an intermediate transistor structure, the intermediate structure including a dummy gate electrode, typically formed of polysilicon. Various processes, such as patterning the polysilicon, planarizing top layers of the structure, and the like can remove top portions of the dielectric layer, which can result in decreased control of gate height when a metal gate is formed in place of the dummy gate electrode, decreased control of fin height for finFETs, and the like. Increasing the resistance of the dielectric layer to attack from these processes, such as by implanting silicon or the like into the dielectric layer before such other processes are performed, results in less removal of the top surface, and hence improved control of the resulting structure dimensions and performance.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to using an implantation process and a melting anneal process performed on a nanosecond scale to achieve a high surface concentration (surface pile up) dopant profile and a retrograde dopant profile simultaneously. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain structure in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain structure including a first region comprising germanium, implanting a first dopant into the first region of the source/drain structure to form an amorphous region in at least the first region of the source/drain structure, implanting a second dopant into the amorphous region containing the first dopant, and heating the source/drain structure to liquidize and convert at least the amorphous region into a crystalline region, the crystalline region containing the first dopant and the second dopant.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure, a source/drain structure, a first contact plug and a first via plug. The gate structure is positioned over a fin structure. The source/drain structure is positioned in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The first contact plug is positioned over the source/drain structure. The first via plug is positioned over the first contact plug. The first via plug includes a first group IV element.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming an epitaxial structure over a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes generating and applying plasma on an entire exposed surface of the epitaxial structure to form a modified region in the epitaxial structure. The plasma is directly applied on the source/drain structure without being filtered out, and the plasma includes ions with different charges. The method further includes forming a metal layer on the modified region and heating the metal layer and the modified region to form a metal-semiconductor compound region.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to using an implantation process and a melting anneal process performed on a nanosecond scale to achieve a high surface concentration (surface pile up) dopant profile and a retrograde dopant profile simultaneously. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain structure in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain structure including a first region comprising germanium, implanting a first dopant into the first region of the source/drain structure to form an amorphous region in at least the first region of the source/drain structure, implanting a second dopant into the amorphous region containing the first dopant, and heating the source/drain structure to liquidize and convert at least the amorphous region into a crystalline region, the crystalline region containing the first dopant and the second dopant.

Abstract: Structures and formation methods of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The method includes forming a fin structure over a semiconductor substrate and forming a gate stack over the fin structure. The method also includes forming an epitaxial structure over the fin structure. The method further includes forming a dielectric layer over the epitaxial structure and forming an opening in the dielectric layer to expose the epitaxial structure. In addition, the method includes forming a modified region in the epitaxial structure. The modified region has lower crystallinity than an inner portion of the epitaxial structure and extends along an entirety of an exposed surface of the epitaxial structure. The method also includes forming a semiconductor-metal compound region on the epitaxial structure. All or some of the modified region is transformed into the semiconductor-metal compound region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for forming conductive features in a dielectric layer without using adhesion layers or barrier layers and devices formed thereby. In some embodiments, a structure comprising a dielectric layer over a substrate, and a conductive feature disposed through the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has a lower surface near the substrate and a top surface distal from the substrate. The conductive feature is in direct contact with the dielectric layer, and the dielectric layer comprises an implant species. A concentration of the implant species in the dielectric layer has a peak concentration proximate the top surface of the dielectric layer, and the concentration of the implant species decreases from the peak concentration in a direction towards the lower surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; forming a first gate within the first region and a second gate within the second region on the semiconductor substrate; forming first source/drain features of a first semiconductor material with an n-type dopant in the semiconductor substrate within the first region; forming second source/drain features of a second semiconductor material with a p-type dopant in the semiconductor substrate within the second region. The second semiconductor material is different from the first semiconductor material in composition. The method further includes forming first silicide features to the first source/drain features and second silicide features to the second source/drain features; and performing an ion implantation process of a species to both the first and second regions, thereby introducing the species to first silicide features and the second source/drain features.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to forming an ultra-shallow junction having high dopant concentration and low contact resistance in a p-type source/drain region. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain region in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain region comprising germanium, performing an ion implantation process using gallium (Ga) to form an amorphous region in the source/drain region, performing an ion implantation process using a dopant into the amorphous region, and subjecting the amorphous region to a thermal process.

Abstract: A method includes forming a gate stack on a first portion of a semiconductor substrate, removing a second portion of the semiconductor substrate on a side of the gate stack to form a recess, growing a semiconductor region starting from the recess, implanting the semiconductor region with an impurity, and performing a melt anneal on the semiconductor region. At least a portion of the semiconductor region is molten during the melt anneal.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to using an implantation process and a melting anneal process performed on a nanosecond scale to achieve a high surface concentration (surface pile up) dopant profile and a retrograde dopant profile simultaneously. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain structure in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain structure including a first region comprising germanium, implanting a first dopant into the first region of the source/drain structure to form an amorphous region in at least the first region of the source/drain structure, implanting a second dopant into the amorphous region containing the first dopant, and heating the source/drain structure to liquidize and convert at least the amorphous region into a crystalline region, the crystalline region containing the first dopant and the second dopant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; forming a first gate within the first region and a second gate within the second region on the semiconductor substrate; forming first source/drain features of a first semiconductor material with an n-type dopant in the semiconductor substrate within the first region; forming second source/drain features of a second semiconductor material with a p-type dopant in the semiconductor substrate within the second region. The second semiconductor material is different from the first semiconductor material in composition. The method further includes forming first silicide features to the first source/drain features and second silicide features to the second source/drain features; and performing an ion implantation process of a species to both the first and second regions, thereby introducing the species to first silicide features and the second source/drain features.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for forming conductive features in a dielectric layer without using adhesion layers or barrier layers and devices formed thereby. In some embodiments, a structure comprising a dielectric layer over a substrate, and a conductive feature disposed through the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has a lower surface near the substrate and a top surface distal from the substrate. The conductive feature is in direct contact with the dielectric layer, and the dielectric layer comprises an implant species. A concentration of the implant species in the dielectric layer has a peak concentration proximate the top surface of the dielectric layer, and the concentration of the implant species decreases from the peak concentration in a direction towards the lower surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to forming an ultra-shallow junction having high dopant concentration and low contact resistance in a p-type source/drain region. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain region in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain region comprising germanium, performing an ion implantation process using gallium (Ga) to form an amorphous region in the source/drain region, performing an ion implantation process using a dopant into the amorphous region, and subjecting the amorphous region to a thermal process.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to forming an ultra-shallow junction having high dopant concentration and low contact resistance in a p-type source/drain region. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a source/drain region in an active area on a substrate, the source/drain region comprising germanium, performing an ion implantation process using gallium (Ga) to form an amorphous region in the source/drain region, performing an ion implantation process using a dopant into the amorphous region, and subjecting the amorphous region to a thermal process.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for forming conductive features in a dielectric layer without using adhesion layers or barrier layers and devices formed thereby. In some embodiments, a structure comprising a dielectric layer over a substrate, and a conductive feature disposed through the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has a lower surface near the substrate and a top surface distal from the substrate. The conductive feature is in direct contact with the dielectric layer, and the dielectric layer comprises an implant species. A concentration of the implant species in the dielectric layer has a peak concentration proximate the top surface of the dielectric layer, and the concentration of the implant species decreases from the peak concentration in a direction towards the lower surface of the dielectric layer.