Abstract: Integrated circuit structures having differential epitaxial source or drain dent are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first sub-fin structure beneath a first stack of nanowires or fin. A second sub-fin structure is beneath a second stack of nanowires or fin. A first epitaxial source or drain structure is at an end of the first stack of nanowires of fin, the first epitaxial source or drain structure having no dent or a shallower dent therein. A second epitaxial source or drain structure is at an end of the second stack of nanowires or fin, the second epitaxial source or drain structure having a deeper dent therein.

Abstract: One or more transistors may have gate structures with differing sidewall slopes. The gate structures may be over stacks of channel regions in nanosheets (or nanoribbons or nanowires), and the differing gate profiles may correspond to differing electrical characteristics. Transistors with metal gate structures may be tuned by strategically etching the gate structures, for example, using lower etch powers, higher etch temperatures, and/or longer etch durations, to achieve substantially vertical gate profiles.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first device, and a laterally adjacent second device. The first device includes a first body of semiconductor material extending laterally from a first source or drain region, a first gate structure on the first body, and a first contact extending vertically upward from the first source or drain region. The second device includes a second body of semiconductor material extending laterally from a second source or drain region, a second gate structure on the second body, and a second contact extending vertically upward from the second source or drain region. A gate cut structure including dielectric material is laterally between the first gate structure and the second gate structure, and also laterally between the first contact and the second contact. In some examples, a third contact extends laterally from the first contact to the second contact and passes over the gate cut structure.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include one or more gate cuts having a hybrid material structure. A semiconductor device includes a gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric and a gate electrode. The gate structure may be interrupted, for example, between two transistors with a gate cut that includes a hybrid structure having both a low-k dielectric material and a high-k dielectric material. The gate cut includes an outer layer having a high-k dielectric material and a dielectric fill on the dielectric layer having a low-k dielectric material. The inclusion of low-k dielectric material reduces the parasitic capacitance between adjacent conductive layers around or within the gate cut.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include a gate cut formed after the formation of source or drain contacts and with a top surface that is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the source or drain contacts. An example semiconductor device includes a gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region and a dielectric layer present on a top surface of the gate structure. Conductive contacts are formed over source and drain regions along a source/drain contact recess or trench. The gate structure may be interrupted with a gate cut that extends through an entire thickness of the gate structure and includes a dielectric material. A top surface of the gate cut may be polished until it is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the dielectric layer over the gate structure and a top surface of the source or drain contacts.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include one or more wide gate cuts having a multi-layer dielectric structure. A semiconductor device includes a gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region. The gate structure may be interrupted, by any number of gate cuts that extend through an entire thickness of the gate structure and which include dielectric material. Some of the gate cuts may be at least 2× wider than others. Such wide gate cuts may include a first dielectric layer with a first material composition, a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer with a second material composition elementally different from the first material composition, a third dielectric layer on the second dielectric layer with a greater density than the second dielectric layer, and a dielectric fill within a remaining volume of the wide gate cut and on the third dielectric layer.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include gate cuts with different widths (e.g., at least a 1.5× difference in width) but substantially the same height (e.g., less than 5 nm difference in height). A given gate structure extending over one or more semiconductor regions may be interrupted with any number of gate cuts that each extend through an entire thickness of the gate structure. According to some embodiments, gate cuts of a similar first width are formed via a first etching process while gate cuts of a similar second width that is greater than the first width are formed via a second etching process that is different from the first etching process. Using different etch processes for gate cuts of different widths maintains a similar height for the gate cuts of different widths.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include a gate cut formed after the formation of source/drain contacts. In an example, a semiconductor device includes a gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region that extends from a source region to a drain region. Conductive contacts formed over the source and drain regions along a source/drain trench. The gate structure may be interrupted with a dielectric gate cut that further extends past the gate trench and into the source/drain trench where it can cut into one or more of the contacts. The contacts are formed before the gate cut to ensure complete fill of conductive material when forming the contacts. Accordingly, a liner structure on the conductive contacts is also broken by the intrusion of the gate cut and does not extend further up or down the sidewalls of the gate cut.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein to form semiconductor devices that include one or more gate cuts having a very high aspect ratio (e.g., an aspect ratio of 5:1 or greater, such as 10:1). In an example, a semiconductor device includes a conductive material that is part of a transistor gate structure around or otherwise on a semiconductor region. The semiconductor region can be, for example, a fin of semiconductor material that extends between a source region and a drain region, or one or more nanowires or nanoribbons of semiconductor material that extend between a source region and a drain region. The gate structure may be interrupted between two transistors with a gate cut that extends through an entire thickness of the gate structure. A particular plasma etching process may be performed to form the gate cut with a very high height-to-width aspect ratio so as to enable densely integrated devices.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nano-patterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a nanopatterned surface. The method includes forming a mask on a substrate, patterning the substrate to include a plurality of symmetry-breaking surface corrugations, and removing the mask. The mask includes a pattern defined by mask material portions that cover first surface portions of the substrate and a plurality of mask space portions that expose second surface portions of the substrate, wherein the plurality of mask space portions are arranged in a lattice arrangement having a row and column, and the row is not oriented parallel to a [110] direction of the substrate. The patterning the substrate includes anisotropically removing portions of the substrate exposed by the plurality of spaces.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor devise comprises a substrate. An epitaxially grown semiconductor material is disposed over at least a portion of the substrate. A nanotemplate structure is disposed at least partially within the semiconductor material. The nanotemplate structure comprises a plurality of dielectric nanoscale features defining a plurality of nanoscale windows. An air gap is disposed between at least a portion of one or more of the nanoscale features and the semiconductor material.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor devise comprises a substrate. An epitaxially grown semiconductor material is disposed over at least a portion of the substrate. A nanotemplate structure is disposed at least partially within the semiconductor material. The nanotemplate structure comprises a plurality of dielectric nanoscale features defining a plurality of nanoscale windows. An air gap is disposed between at least a portion of one or more of the nanoscale features and the semiconductor material.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor devise comprises a substrate. An epitaxially grown semiconductor material is disposed over at least a portion of the substrate. A nanotemplate structure is disposed at least partially within the semiconductor material. The nanotemplate structure comprises a plurality of dielectric nanoscale features defining a plurality of nanoscale windows. An air gap is disposed between at least a portion of one or more of the nanoscale features and the semiconductor material.