Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an underlying structure is formed over a substrate. A film is formed over the underlying structure. Surface topography of the film is measured and the surface topography is stored as topography data. A local etching is performed by using directional etching and scanning the substrate so that an entire surface of the film is subjected to the directional etching. A plasma beam intensity of the directional etching is adjusted according to the topography data.

Abstract: A method includes forming an active fin using a hard mask as an etching mask, wherein the active fin comprises a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, the hard mask remains over the active fin after etching the semiconductive substrate, and the hard mask has a first portion vertically overlapping the source region of the active fin, a second portion vertically overlapping the channel region of the active fin, and a third portion vertically overlapping the drain region of the active fin. A sacrificial gate is formed over the second portion of the hard mask and the channel region of the active fin. The first and third portions of the hard mask are etched. After etching the first and third portions of the hard mask, a gate spacer is formed extending along sidewalls of the sacrificial gate, and the sacrificial gate is replaced with a replacement gate.

Abstract: A method includes removing a dummy gate to leave a trench between gate spacers, forming a gate dielectric extending into the trench, depositing a metal layer over the gate dielectric, with the metal layer including a portion extending into the trench, depositing a filling region into the trench, with the metal layer have a first and a second vertical portion on opposite sides of the filling region, etching back the metal layer, with the filling region at least recessed less than the metal layer, and remaining parts of the portion of the metal layer forming a gate electrode, depositing a dielectric material into the trench, and performing a planarization to remove excess portions of the dielectric material. A portion of the dielectric material in the trench forms at least a portion of a dielectric hard mask over the gate electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes: a first source and a first drain separated by a first distance, a first semiconductor structure disposed between the first source and first drain, a first gate electrode disposed over the first semiconductor structure, and a first dielectric structure disposed over the first gate electrode. The first dielectric structure has a lower portion and an upper portion disposed over the lower portion and wider than the lower portion. The second transistor includes: a second source and a second drain separated by a second distance greater than the first distance, a second semiconductor structure disposed between the second source and second drain, a second gate electrode disposed over the second semiconductor structure, and a second dielectric structure disposed over the second gate electrode. The second dielectric structure and the first dielectric structure have different material compositions.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various non-planar semiconductor devices, such as fin field-effect transistors (finFETs) to provide an example, having one or more metal rail conductors and various methods for fabricating these non-planar semiconductor devices. In some situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be electrically connected to gate, source, and/or drain regions of these various non-planar semiconductor devices. In these situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be utilized to electrically connect the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices to other gate, source, and/or drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices and/or other semiconductor devices. However, in other situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be isolated from the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions these various non-planar semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A mask layer is formed over a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a gate structure, a first layer disposed over the gate structure, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) disposed on sidewalls of the first layer. The mask layer includes an opening that exposes a portion of the first layer and a portion of the ILD. A first etching process is performed to etch the opening partially into the first layer and partially into the ILD. A liner layer is formed in the opening after the first etching process has been performed. A second etching process is performed after the liner layer has been formed. The second etching process extends the opening downwardly through the first layer and through the gate structure. The opening is filled with a second layer after the second etching process has been performed.

Abstract: A method includes forming a gate stack, which includes a gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode over the gate dielectric. An inter-layer dielectric is formed on opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack and the inter-layer dielectric are planarized. The method further includes forming an inhibitor film on the gate stack, with at least a portion of the inter-layer dielectric exposed, selectively depositing a dielectric hard mask on the inter-layer dielectric, with the inhibitor film preventing the dielectric hard mask from being formed thereon, and etching to remove a portion of the gate stack, with the dielectric hard mask acting as a portion of a corresponding etching mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes: a first source and a first drain separated by a first distance, a first semiconductor structure disposed between the first source and first drain, a first gate electrode disposed over the first semiconductor structure, and a first dielectric structure disposed over the first gate electrode. The first dielectric structure has a lower portion and an upper portion disposed over the lower portion and wider than the lower portion. The second transistor includes: a second source and a second drain separated by a second distance greater than the first distance, a second semiconductor structure disposed between the second source and second drain, a second gate electrode disposed over the second semiconductor structure, and a second dielectric structure disposed over the second gate electrode. The second dielectric structure and the first dielectric structure have different material compositions.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes various non-planar semiconductor devices, such as fin field-effect transistors (finFETs) to provide an example, having one or more metal rail conductors and various methods for fabricating these non-planar semiconductor devices. In some situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be electrically connected to gate, source, and/or drain regions of these various non-planar semiconductor devices. In these situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be utilized to electrically connect the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices to other gate, source, and/or drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices and/or other semiconductor devices. However, in other situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be isolated from the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions these various non-planar semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first device formed over a substrate. The first device includes a first device formed over a substrate, and the first device includes a first gate stack structure encircling a plurality of first nanostructures. The semiconductor device includes a first epitaxy structure wrapping an end of one of the first nanostructures, and a second device formed over the first device, wherein the second device includes a second gate stack structure encircling a plurality of second nanostructures. The semiconductor device includes a second epitaxy structure wrapping an end of one of the second nanostructures, and the second epitaxy structure is directly above the first epitaxy structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of channel regions, including a p-type channel region and an n-type channel region, disposed over the semiconductor substrate; and a gate structure. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer disposed over the plurality of channel regions and a work function metal (WFM) structure disposed over the gate dielectric layer. The WFM structure includes an n-type WFM layer over the n-type channel region and not over the p-type channel region and further includes a p-type WFM layer over both the n-type WFM layer and the p-type channel region. The gate structure further includes a fill metal layer disposed over the WFM structure and in direct contact with the p-type WFM layer.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate; forming a dummy gate over the fin structure; forming spacers on sides of the dummy gate; forming a doped region within the fin structure; replacing the dummy gate with a metal gate; replacing an upper portion of the metal gate with a first dielectric layer; forming a conductive layer directly on the doped region; replacing an upper portion of the conductive layer with a second dielectric layer; removing the first dielectric layer thereby exposing a sidewall of the spacer; removing an upper portion of the spacer to thereby expose a sidewall of the second dielectric layer; removing at least a portion of the second dielectric layer to form a trench; and forming a conductive plug in the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first device fin and a second device fin that are each located in a first region of the semiconductor device. The first region has a first pattern density. A first dummy fin is located in the first region. The first dummy fin is disposed between the first device fin and the second device fin. The first dummy fin has a first height. A third device fin and a fourth device fin are each located in a second region of the semiconductor device. The second region has a second pattern density that is greater the first pattern density. A second dummy fin is located in the second region. The second dummy fin is disposed between the third device fin and the fourth device fin. The second dummy fin has a second height that is greater than the first height.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first device formed over a substrate. The first device includes a first gate stack encircling a first nanostructure, and the first device is a logic circuit device. The semiconductor device includes a second device formed over the first device. The second device includes a second gate stack encircling a second nanostructure, and the second device is a static random access memory (SRAM).

Abstract: A method of integrated circuit (IC) fabrication includes exposing a plurality of channel regions including a p-type channel region and an n-type channel region; forming a gate dielectric layer over the exposed channel regions; and forming a work function metal (WFM) structure over the gate dielectric layer. The WFM structure includes a p-type WFM portion formed over the p-type channel region and an n-type WFM portion formed over the n-type channel region, and the p-type WFM portion is thinner than the n-type WFM portion. The method further includes forming a fill metal layer over the WFM structure such that the fill metal layer is in direct contact with both the p-type and n-type WFM portions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first device fin and a second device fin that are each located in a first region of the semiconductor device. The first region has a first pattern density. A first dummy fin is located in the first region. The first dummy fin is disposed between the first device fin and the second device fin. The first dummy fin has a first height. A third device fin and a fourth device fin are each located in a second region of the semiconductor device. The second region has a second pattern density that is greater the first pattern density. A second dummy fin is located in the second region. The second dummy fin is disposed between the third device fin and the fourth device fin. The second dummy fin has a second height that is greater than the first height.

Abstract: FinFET device and method of forming the same are provided. The method of forming the FinFET device includes the following steps. A substrate having a plurality of fins is provided. An isolation structure is on the substrate surrounding lower portions of the fins. A hybrid fin is formed aside the fins and on the isolation structure. A plurality of gate lines and a dielectric layer are formed. The gate lines are across the fins and the hybrid fin, the dielectric layer is aside the gate lines. A portion of the gate lines is removed, so as to form first trenches in the dielectric layer and in the gate lines, exposing a portion of the hybrid fin and a portion of the fins underlying the portion of the gate lines. The portion of the fins exposed by the first trench and the substrate underlying thereof are removed, so as to form a second trench under the first trench. An insulating structure is formed in the first trench and the second trench.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit (IC) structure, includes forming a gate trench that exposes a portion of each of a plurality of fins and forming a threshold voltage (Vt) tuning dielectric layer in the gate trench over the plurality of fins. Properties of the Vt tuning dielectric layer are adjusted during the forming to achieve a different Vt for each of the plurality of fins. The method also includes forming a glue metal layer over the Vt tuning dielectric layer; and forming a fill metal layer over the glue metal layer. The fill metal layer has a substantially uniform thickness over top surfaces of the plurality of fins.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an underlying structure is formed over a substrate. A film is formed over the underlying structure. Surface topography of the film is measured and the surface topography is stored as topography data. A local etching is performed by using directional etching and scanning the substrate so that an entire surface of the film is subjected to the directional etching. A plasma beam intensity of the directional etching is adjusted according to the topography data.

Abstract: A FinFET device structure is provided. The FinFET device structure includes a substrate, a fin structure formed over the substrate, and an isolation structure formed over the substrate. The fin structure protrudes from the isolation structure. The FinFET device structure further includes a fin isolation structure formed over the isolation structure and a metal gate structure formed over the fin structure and the fin isolation structure.