Abstract: An apparatus comprises a nanowire having a channel region, a gate structure surrounding a lower portion of the channel region, wherein the gate structure comprises a first dielectric layer comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, a first workfunction metal layer over the first dielectric layer comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion and a low-resistivity metal layer over the first workfunction metal layer, wherein an edge of the low-resistivity metal layer and an edge of the vertical portion of the first workfunction metal layer are separated by a dielectric region and the low-resistivity metal layer is electrically coupled to the vertical portion of the first workfunction metal layer through the horizontal portion of the first workfunction metal layer.

Abstract: A 3D-IC includes a first tier device and a second tier device. The first tier device and the second tier device are vertically stacked together. The first tier device includes a first substrate and a first interconnect structure formed over the first substrate. The second tier device includes a second substrate, a doped region formed in the second substrate, a dummy gate formed over the substrate, and a second interconnect structure formed over the second substrate. The 3D-IC also includes an inter-tier via extends vertically through the second substrate. The inter-tier via has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end of the inter-tier via is coupled to the first interconnect structure. The second end of the inter-tier via is coupled to one of: the doped region, the dummy gate, or the second interconnect structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first diffusion area for a first type transistor. The first type transistor includes a first drain region and a first source region. A second diffusion area for a second type transistor is separated from the first diffusion area. The second type transistor includes a second drain region and a second source region. A gate electrode continuously extends across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area in a routing direction. A first metallic structure is electrically coupled with the first source region. A second metallic structure is electrically coupled with the second drain region. A third metallic structure is disposed over and electrically coupled with the first and second metallic structures. A width of the first metallic structure is substantially equal to or larger than a width of the third metallic structure.

Abstract: A method of forming an SRAM cell includes forming a first vertical pull-down transistor, a second vertical pull-down transistor, a first vertical pass-gate transistor, and a second vertical pass-gate transistor over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a first conductive trace over a top surface of the first vertical pull-down transistor and the first vertical pass-gate transistor, forming a second conductive trace over a top surface of the second vertical pull-down transistor and the second vertical pass-gate transistor, and forming a first vertical pull-up transistor over a first portion of the first conductive trace. The method also includes forming a second vertical pull-up transistor over a first portion of the second conductive trace.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact structure of a semiconductor device. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises an insulation region over a substrate; a gate electrode layer over the insulation region comprising a gate middle line; a first contact structure over the insulation region adjacent to the gate electrode layer comprising a first middle line, wherein the first middle line and the gate middle line has a first distance; and a second contact structure over the insulation region on a side of the gate electrode layer opposite to the first contact structure comprising a second middle line, wherein the second middle line and the gate middle line has a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: An vertical gate-all-around transistor and method of making is provided. The vertical gate-all-around transistor includes a first semiconductor structure extending above a substrate, and a gate structure extending completely around the first semiconductor structure in a plan view. An outermost perimeter of the gate structure comprises a first protruding arcuate section interposed between linear sections, the first protruding arcuate section aligned with the first semiconductor structure.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for cell placement in a semiconductor layout is provided. The method includes: providing a first cell having two sides, each side configured as at least one of a source side and a drain side; providing a place-and-route boundary (prBoundary) of the first cell based on the configuration of the two sides of the first cell; providing a second cell having two sides, each side configured as at least one of a source side and a drain side; providing a prBoundary of the second cell based on the configuration of the two sides of the second cell; and placing the first cell and the second cell based on the prBoundary of the first cell and the prBoundary of the second cell.

Abstract: A method of forming a set of masks for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes determining a presence of a first via layout pattern and a power rail layout pattern in an original layout design. The first via layout pattern and the power rail layout pattern overlap each other. The first via layout pattern is part of a first cell layout of the original layout design. The power rail layout pattern is shared by the first cell layout and a second cell layout of the original layout design. The method further includes modifying the original layout design to become a modified layout design and forming the set of masks based on the modified layout design. The modifying the original layout design includes, if the first via layout pattern and the power rail are present in the original layout design, replacing the first via layout pattern with an enlarged via layout pattern.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a first semiconductor device including a first type region having a first conductivity type and a second type region having a second conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a second semiconductor device adjacent the first semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a third type region having a third conductivity type and a fourth type region having a fourth conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a first insulator layer including a first insulator portion around at least some of the first semiconductor device and a second insulator portion around at least some of the second semiconductor device. The first insulator portion has a first insulator height, and the second insulator portion has a second insulator height. The first insulator height is different than the second insulator height. A method of forming a semiconductor arrangement is provided.

Abstract: An SRAM cell includes a first vertical pull-up transistor stacked atop a first vertical pull-down transistor, and a second vertical pull-up transistor stacked atop a second vertical pull-down transistor. The gates of the first vertical pull-up transistor and the first vertical pull-down transistor are coupled by a first via, while the gates of the second vertical pull-up transistor and the second vertical pull-down transistor are coupled by a second via. Gates of the first vertical pull-up transistor and a first vertical pass-gate transistor are coupled by a first conductive trace, while gates of the second vertical pull-up transistor and a second vertical pass-gate transistor are coupled by a second conductive trace. The gate of the first vertical pull-up transistor is coupled to the second conductive trace by a third via, while the gate of the second vertical pull-up transistor is coupled to the first conductive trace by a fourth via.

Abstract: Stacked devices and circuits formed by stacked devices are described. In accordance with some embodiments, a semiconductor post extends vertically from a substrate. A first source/drain region is in the semiconductor post. A first gate electrode layer laterally surrounds the semiconductor post and is vertically above the first source/drain region. A first gate dielectric layer is interposed between the first gate electrode layer and the semiconductor post. A second source/drain region is in the semiconductor post and is vertically above the first gate electrode layer. The second source/drain region is connected to a power supply node. A second gate electrode layer laterally surrounds the semiconductor post and is vertically above the second source/drain region. A second gate dielectric layer is interposed between the second gate electrode layer and the semiconductor post. A third source/drain region is in the semiconductor post and is vertically above the second gate electrode layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact structure of a semiconductor device. An exemplary structure for a semiconductor device comprises an insulation region over a substrate; a gate electrode layer over the insulation region comprising a gate middle line; a first contact structure over the insulation region adjacent to the gate electrode layer comprising a first middle line, wherein the first middle line and the gate middle line has a first distance; and a second contact structure over the insulation region on a side of the gate electrode layer opposite to the first contact structure comprising a second middle line, wherein the second middle line and the gate middle line has a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit including forming a first diffusion area and a second diffusion area on a substrate, wherein the first diffusion area is configured for a first type transistor, the second diffusion area is configured for a second type transistor. The method further includes forming first source and drain regions in the first diffusion area. The method further includes forming second source and drain regions in the second diffusion area. The method further includes forming a gate electrode extending across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area. The method further includes forming a first metallic layer, a second metallic layer, and a third metallic layer. The first metallic layer is electrically coupled with the first source region. The second metallic layer is electrically coupled with the first and second drain regions. The third metallic layer is electrically coupled with the second source region.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement includes a first semiconductor device including a first type region having a first conductivity type and a second type region having a second conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a second semiconductor device adjacent the first semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device includes a third type region having a third conductivity type and a fourth type region having a fourth conductivity type. The semiconductor arrangement includes a first insulator layer including a first insulator portion around at least some of the first semiconductor device and a second insulator portion around at least some of the second semiconductor device. The first insulator portion has a first insulator height, and the second insulator portion has a second insulator height. The first insulator height is different than the second insulator height. A method of forming a semiconductor arrangement is provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are a semiconductor device, a FinFET device, and a method of forming a FinFET device. An embodiment is a semiconductor device comprising a first semiconductor fin extending above a substrate, a first source region on the first semiconductor fin, and a first drain region on the first semiconductor fin. The first source region has a first width and the first drain region has a second width with the second width being different than the first width.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first diffusion area for a first type transistor. The first type transistor includes a first drain region and a first source region. A second diffusion area for a second type transistor is separated from the first diffusion area. The second type transistor includes a second drain region and a second source region. A gate electrode continuously extends across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area in a routing direction. A first metallic structure is electrically coupled with the first source region. A second metallic structure is electrically coupled with the second drain region. A third metallic structure is disposed over and electrically coupled with the first and second metallic structures. A width of the first metallic structure is substantially equal to or larger than a width of the third metallic structure.

Abstract: An vertical gate-all-around transistor and method of making is provided. The vertical gate-all-around transistor includes a first semiconductor structure extending above a substrate, and a gate structure extending completely around the first semiconductor structure in a plan view. An outermost perimeter of the gate structure comprises a first protruding arcuate section interposed between linear sections, the first protruding arcuate section aligned with the first semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A seal ring for semiconductor devices is provided with embedded decoupling capacitors. The seal ring peripherally surrounds an integrated circuit chip in a seal ring area. The at least one embedded decoupling capacitor may include MOS capacitors, varactors, MOM capacitors and interdigitized capacitors with multiple capacitor plates coupled together. The opposed capacitor plates are coupled to different potentials and may advantageously be coupled to Vdd and Vss.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes an input terminal, a transistor, and an output terminal. The input terminal is configured to receive an input signal. The transistor includes a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region, and a drift region that has a resistance in series between the first and second source/drain regions and that is configured to attenuate an ESD voltage in the input signal. The output terminal is connected to the second source/drain region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are a semiconductor device, a FinFET device, and a method of forming a FinFET device. An embodiment is a semiconductor device comprising a first semiconductor fin extending above a substrate, a first source region on the first semiconductor fin, and a first drain region on the first semiconductor fin. The first source region has a first width and the first drain region has a second width with the second width being different than the first width.