Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming an integrated circuit structure. The method includes depositing a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask on the first metal layer; patterning the first metal layer to form first metal features using the hard mask as an etch mask; depositing a dielectric layer of a first dielectric material on the first metal features and in gaps among the first metal features; performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to both the dielectric layer and the hard mask; removing the hard mask, thereby having portions of the dielectric layer extruded above the metal features; forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer of the second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material; and patterning the ILD layer to form openings that expose the first metal features and are constrained to be self-aligned with the first metal features by the extruded portions of the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a conductive line and a conductive via contacting the conductive line. A first dielectric material contacts a first sidewall surface of the conductive via. A second dielectric material contacts a second sidewall surface of the conductive via. The first dielectric material includes a first material composition, and the second dielectric material includes a second material composition different than the first material composition.

Abstract: A wafer etching apparatus and a method for controlling an etch bath of a wafer is provided. The wafer etching apparatus includes an etching tank comprising an etch bath, an etch bath recycle system connected to the etching tank, a real time monitor (RTM) system connected to the etching tank, and a control system coupled with the RTM system and the etch bath recycle system. The wafer etching apparatus and the method for controlling an etch bath of the wafer both control the silicate concentration in the etch bath to stable an etching selectivity with respect to silicon oxide and silicon nitride.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a conductive line and a conductive via contacting the conductive line. A first dielectric material contacts a first sidewall surface of the conductive via. A second dielectric material contacts a second sidewall surface of the conductive via. The first dielectric material includes a first material composition, and the second dielectric material includes a second material composition different than the first material composition.

Abstract: Integrated circuit devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes providing a workpiece including a first metal feature in a dielectric layer and a capping layer over the first metal feature, selectively depositing a blocking layer over the capping layer, depositing an etch stop layer (ESL) over the workpiece, removing the blocking layer, and depositing a second metal feature over the workpiece such that the first metal feature is electrically coupled to the second metal feature. The blocking layer prevents the ESL from being deposited over the capping layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a first metal wire arranged within an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer over a substrate. A second metal wire is arranged within the ILD layer and is laterally separated from the first metal wire by an air-gap. A dielectric layer is arranged over the first metal wire and the second metal wire. The dielectric layer has a curved surface along a top of the air-gap. The curved surface of the dielectric layer is a smooth curved surface that continuously extends between opposing sides of the air-gap. A via is disposed on and over the second metal wire.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an integrated circuit, a first dielectric layer over the integrated circuit, an etch stop layer over the first dielectric layer, a barrier layer over the etch stop layer, a conductive layer over the barrier layer, and a void region vertically extending through the conductive layer, the barrier layer, and the etch stop layer. The void region has an upper portion, a middle portion below the upper portion, and a lower portion below the middle portion, the middle portion. The middle portion is narrower than the upper portion and the lower portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a stringed instrument resonance analysis device which uses a scientific detection method to evaluate the resonance effect of stringed instrument, wherein the stringed instrument resonance analysis device has a cabinet, a holder, a resonant sounder, a sonic generator, at least one sonic collector and a spectrum analyzer. The cabinet forms an accommodating space therein. The holder a holder is disposed in the accommodating space and used to fix and hold the stringed instrument. The resonant sounder is disposed in the accommodating space and fixed and clamped to a bridge on a loudspeaker box of the stringed instrument. The sonic generator is connected to the resonant sounder. The sonic collector is disposed in the accommodating space and adjacent to the loudspeaker box of the stringed instrument. The spectrum analyzer is connected to the at least one sonic collector.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an interconnect structure, including a first metal line, a conductive contact over the first metal line, including a first portion, a second portion over the first portion, wherein a bottom width of the second portion is greater than a top width of the first portion, and a third portion over the second portion, wherein a bottom width of the third portion is greater than a top width of the second portion, a sacrificial bilayer, including a first sacrificial layer, wherein a first portion of the first sacrificial layer is under a coverage of a vertical projection area of the first portion of the conductive contact, and a second sacrificial layer over the first sacrificial layer, and a dielectric layer over a top surface of the second sacrificial layer.

Abstract: Integrated circuit devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes providing a workpiece including a first metal feature in a dielectric layer and a capping layer over the first metal feature, selectively depositing a blocking layer over the capping layer, depositing an etch stop layer (ESL) over the workpiece, removing the blocking layer, and depositing a second metal feature over the workpiece such that the first metal feature is electrically coupled to the second metal feature. The blocking layer prevents the ESL from being deposited over the capping layer.

Abstract: A device includes a nanowire, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a gate pickup metal layer, and a gate contact. The nanowire extends in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of a substrate. The gate dielectric layer laterally surrounds the nanowire. The gate electrode laterally surrounds the gate dielectric layer. The gate pickup metal layer is in contact with a bottom surface of the gate electrode and extends laterally past opposite sidewalls of the gate electrode. The gate contact is in contact with the gate pickup metal layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a first conductive line embedded in the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device structure includes a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and the first conductive line. The semiconductor device structure includes a second conductive line over the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is between the first conductive line and the second conductive line. The semiconductor device structure includes conductive pillars passing through the second dielectric layer to electrically connect the first conductive line to the second conductive line. The conductive pillars are spaced apart from each other.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a conductive layer over a semiconductor substrate and forming a sacrificial layer over the conductive layer. The method also includes partially removing the sacrificial layer to form a first dummy element. The method further includes etching the conductive layer with the first dummy element as an etching mask to form a conductive line. In addition, the method includes partially removing the first dummy element to form a second dummy element over the conductive line. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer to surround the conductive line and the second dummy element and removing the second dummy element to form a via hole exposing the conductive line. The method further includes forming a conductive via in the via hole.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a dielectric structure over a substrate, and a first interconnect structure arranged within the dielectric structure. A lower interconnect structure is arranged within the dielectric structure. The first interconnect structure and the lower interconnect structure comprise one or more different conductive materials. The first interconnect structure continuously extends from directly over a topmost surface of the lower interconnect structure facing away from the substrate to along opposing outer sidewalls of the lower interconnect structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer over a first substrate, and the dielectric layer has a plurality of openings. The method also includes forming a first graphene layer in the openings and over the first dielectric layer, and forming an insulating layer in the first graphene layer. The method further includes forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and forming a second graphene layer in and over the second dielectric layer. A portion of the second graphene layer interfaces with a portion of the first graphene layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an integrated circuit, a first dielectric layer, an etching stop layer, a barrier layer, a conductive layer, and a second dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer is over the integrated circuit. The etching stop layer is over the first dielectric layer. The barrier layer has an upper portion extending along a top surface of the etching stop layer and a lower portion extending downwardly from the upper portion along a sidewall of the etching stop layer and a sidewall of the first dielectric layer. The conductive layer is over the barrier layer and having a void region extending through the conductive layer, the barrier layer and the etching stop layer. The second dielectric layer is over the conductive layer and the void region.

Abstract: A NEMS device structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The NEMS device structure includes a first dielectric layer formed over a substrate, and a first conductive layer formed in the first dielectric layer. The NEMS device structure includes a second dielectric layer formed over the first dielectric layer, and a first supporting electrode a second supporting electrode and a beam structure formed in the second dielectric layer. The beam structure is formed between the first supporting electrode and the second supporting electrode, and the beam structure has a T-shaped structure. The NEMS device structure includes a first through hole formed between the first supporting electrode and the beam structure, and a second through hole formed between the second supporting electrode and the beam structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor arrangement and method of formation are provided. The semiconductor arrangement comprises a conductive contact in contact with a substantially planar first top surface of a first active area, the contact between and in contact with a first alignment spacer and a second alignment spacer both having substantially vertical outer surfaces. The contact formed between the first alignment spacer and the second alignment spacer has a more desired contact shape then a contact formed between alignment spacers that do not have substantially vertical outer surfaces. The substantially planar surface of the first active area is indicative of a substantially undamaged structure of the first active area as compared to an active area that is not substantially planar. The substantially undamaged first active area has a greater contact area for the contact and a lower contact resistance as compared to a damaged first active area.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for forming an interconnect structure, including forming an Nth metal line principally extending in a first direction, forming a sacrificial bilayer over the Nth metal line, forming a dielectric layer over the sacrificial bilayer, removing a portion of the sacrificial bilayer, forming a conductive post in the sacrificial bilayer, wherein the conductive post having a top pattern coplanar with a top surface of the sacrificial bilayer and a bottom pattern in contact with a top surface of the Nth metal line, and forming an Nth metal via over the sacrificial bilayer.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods which employ a patterning photolithography/etch operations to form self-aligned interconnects with multi-metal gap fill. For example, the method includes a first pattern structure and a second pattern structure formed over a dielectric layer. Each of the first and second pattern structures includes a pair of spacers, and a center portion between the pair of spacers. A first opening, self-aligned to a space between the first and second pattern structures, is formed in the dielectric layer. A first conductive material is deposited in the first opening. The center portion of the second pattern structure is removed to form a void above the dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers of the second pattern structure. A second opening, self-aligned to the void, is formed in the dielectric layer; and a second conductive material is deposited in the second opening.