Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic devices. In at least one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to forming an isolated nanowire, wherein isolation structure adjacent the nanowire provides a substantially level surface for the formation of microelectronic structures thereon.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for fabricating FinFET transistors (e.g., double-gate, trigate, etc). A sacrificial gate material (such as polysilicon or other suitable material) is deposited on fin structure, and polished to remove topography in the sacrificial gate material layer prior to gate patterning. A flat, topography-free surface (e.g., flatness of 50 nm or better, depending on size of minimum feature being formed) enables subsequent gate patterning and sacrificial gate material opening (via polishing) in a FinFET process flow. Use of the techniques described herein may manifest in structural ways. For instance, a top gate surface is relatively flat (e.g., flatness of 5 to 50 nm, depending on minimum gate height or other minimum feature size) as the gate travels over the fin. Also, a top down inspection of gate lines will generally show no or minimal line edge deviation or perturbation as the line runs over a fin.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for forming a non-planar germanium quantum well structure. In particular, the quantum well structure can be implemented with group IV or III-V semiconductor materials and includes a germanium fin structure. In one example case, a non-planar quantum well device is provided, which includes a quantum well structure having a substrate (e.g. SiGe or GaAs buffer on silicon), a IV or III-V material barrier layer (e.g., SiGe or GaAs or AlGaAs), a doping layer (e.g., delta/modulation doped), and an undoped germanium quantum well layer. An undoped germanium fin structure is formed in the quantum well structure, and a top barrier layer deposited over the fin structure. A gate metal can be deposited across the fin structure. Drain/source regions can be formed at respective ends of the fin structure.

Abstract: A nonplanar semiconductor device having a semiconductor body formed on an insulating layer of a substrate. The semiconductor body has a top surface opposite a bottom surface formed on the insulating layer and a pair of laterally opposite sidewalls wherein the distance between the laterally opposite sidewalls at the top surface is greater than at the bottom surface. A gate dielectric layer is formed on the top surface of the semiconductor body and on the sidewalls of the semiconductor body. A gate electrode is formed on the gate dielectric layer on the top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor body. A pair of source/drain regions are formed in the semiconductor body on opposite sides of the gate electrode.

Abstract: A contact architecture for nanoscale channel devices having contact structures coupling to and extending between source or drain regions of a device having a plurality of parallel semiconductor bodies. The contact structures being able to contact parallel semiconductor bodies having sub-lithographic pitch.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for forming it are described. The semiconductor device comprises a metal NMOS gate electrode that is formed on a first part of a substrate, and a silicide PMOS gate electrode that is formed on a second part of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of fabricating logic transistors using replacement metal gate (RMG) logic flow with modified process to form recessed channel array transistors (RCAT) on a common semiconductor substrate. An embodiment comprises forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first recess in the ILD layer of a first substrate region, forming a recessed channel in the ILD layer and in the substrate of a second substrate region, depositing a first conformal high-k dielectric layer in the first recess and a second conformal high-k dielectric layer in the recessed channel, and filling the first recess with a first gate metal and the recessed channel with a second gate metal.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes forming N-diffusion and P-diffusion fins in a semiconductor substrate. A P-diffusion gate layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate and removed from the N-diffusion fins. A pass-gate N-diffusion gate layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate and removed from the P-diffusion fins and pull-down N-diffusion fins. A pull-down N-diffusion layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes forming a semiconductor substrate having N-diffusion and P-diffusion regions. A gate stack is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode hard mask is formed over the gate stack. The gate electrode hard mask is augmented around pass gate transistors with a spacer material. The gate stack is etched using the augmented gate electrode hard mask to form the gate electrodes. The gate electrodes around the pass gate have a greater length than other gate electrodes.

Abstract: In a metal gate replacement process, a stack of at least two polysilicon layers or other materials may be formed. Sidewall spacers may be formed on the stack. The stack may then be planarized. Next, the upper layer of the stack may be selectively removed. Then, the exposed portions of the sidewall spacers may be selectively removed. Finally, the lower portion of the stack may be removed to form a T-shaped trench which may be filled with the metal replacement.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is described. That method comprises forming a first dielectric layer on a substrate, a trench within the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer on the substrate. The second dielectric layer has a first part that is formed in the trench and a second part. After a first metal layer with a first workfunction is formed on the first and second parts of the second dielectric layer, part of the first metal layer is converted into a second metal layer with a second workfunction.

Abstract: Reducing external resistance of a multi-gate device by incorporation of a partial metallic fin is generally described. In one example, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate and one or more fins of a multi-gate transistor device coupled with the semiconductor substrate, the one or more fins having a gate region, a source region, and a drain region, the gate region being disposed between the source and drain regions where the gate region of the one or more fins includes a semiconductor material and where the source and drain regions of the one or more fins include a metal portion and a semiconductor portion, the metal portion and the semiconductor portion being coupled together.

Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of nanowires on a top surface of a substrate and forming an oxide layer adjacent to a bottom surface of each of the plurality of nanowires, wherein the oxide layer is to isolate each of the plurality of nanowires from the substrate.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method includes forming an n-diffusion fin and a p-diffusion fin in a semiconductor substrate. A high dielectric constant layer is formed over the substrate. A first work function metal layer is created over the n-diffusion fin and a second work function metal layer, thicker than the first, is created over the n-diffusion fin. A silicon germanium layer is formed over the first and second work function metal layers. A polysilicon layer is formed over the silicon germanium layer and is polished. The polysilicon layer over the first work function metal layer is thicker than the polysilicon layer over the second work function metal layer. A hard mask is patterned and used to etch the polysilicon layer and the silicon germanium layer to create gate stacks. The etch rate of the silicon germanium layer is faster over the first work function metal layer.

Abstract: In a metal gate replacement process, a stack of at least two polysilicon layers or other materials may be formed. Sidewall spacers may be formed on the stack. The stack may then be planarized. Next, the upper layer of the stack may be selectively removed. Then, the exposed portions of the sidewall spacers may be selectively removed. Finally, the lower portion of the stack may be removed to form a T-shaped trench which may be filled with the metal replacement.

Abstract: Methods for inducing compressive strain in channel region of a non-planar transistor and devices and systems formed by such methods. In one embodiment, a method can include forming trenches in a semiconductor body adjacent to gate structure spacers. The semiconductor body can be situated on a substrate and in a different plane relative to the substrate. The gate structure can be situated on the semiconductor body and the silicon fin and perpendicular to the semiconductor body. After formation of the semiconductor body and the gate structure on the substrate, a dielectric material can be conformally deposited on the substrate and etched to form spacers on the semiconductor body and the gate structure. The substrate can be patterned and etched to form trenches in the semiconductor body adjacent to the spacers on the gate structure. A strain material can be introduced into the trenches.

Abstract: A selective spacer for semiconductor and MEMS devices and method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, a selective spacer is formed adjacent to a first non-planar body having a greater sidewall height than a second non-planar semiconductor body in a self-aligned manner requiring no patterned etch operations. In a particular embodiment, a margin layer of a particular thickness is utilized to augment an existing structure and provide sufficient margin to protect a sidewall with a spacer that is first anisotropically defined and then isotropically defined. In another embodiment, the selective spacer formation prevents etch damage by terminating the anisotropic etch before a semiconductor surface is exposed.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for providing a workfunction metal gate electrode on a substrate with doped metal oxide semiconductor structures are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for making a semiconductor device is described. That method comprises forming a first dielectric layer on a substrate, then forming a trench within the first dielectric layer. After forming a second dielectric layer on the substrate, a first metal layer is formed within the trench on a first part of the second dielectric layer. A second metal layer is then formed on the first metal layer and on a second part of the second dielectric layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention include apparatuses and methods relating to improved substrate patterning for multi-gate transistors.