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 semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer. A gate structure is disposed over the semiconductor layer. A spacer is disposed on a sidewall of the gate structure. A height of the spacer is greater than a height of the gate structure. A liner is disposed on the gate structure and on the spacer. The spacer and the liner have different material compositions.

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 epitaxial source/drain region in a substrate; forming a first inter-layer dielectric over the epitaxial source/drain region; forming a gate stack over the substrate and adjacent to the first inter-layer dielectric; forming a gate mask over the gate stack; forming a source/drain plug through the first inter-layer dielectric and electrically connected to the epitaxial source/drain region; depositing a dielectric layer over the gate mask and the first inter-layer dielectric, the dielectric layer having a different etch selectivity than the gate mask; forming a second inter-layer dielectric over the dielectric layer; etching an opening through the second inter-layer dielectric and the dielectric layer, the opening exposing the source/drain plug and the gate mask; and forming a conductive feature in the opening, the conductive feature being electrically connected to the source/drain plug.

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: In an embodiment, a method includes: forming a plurality of fins over a substrate, the plurality of fins comprising: a first semiconductor fin adjacent to an isolation region; and a dielectric fin embedded in the isolation region; depositing a silicon layer over a first surface of the first semiconductor fin, a second surface of the dielectric fin, and a third surface of the isolation region; forming an oxide layer over the silicon layer; removing a portion of the oxide layer and the silicon layer to expose the second surface of the dielectric fin; forming a dummy gate over a remaining portion of the oxide layer and between the plurality of fins; forming a first epitaxial region in the first semiconductor fin; and replacing the dummy gate with a gate structure.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods of forming the same are provided. An example semiconductor structure includes a fin structure arising from a substrate and extending lengthwise along a direction, an isolation feature over the substrate and around the fin structure, a gate structure wrapping over a channel region of the fin structure, a first gate spacer extending along a sidewall of the gate structure, a second gate spacer over the first gate spacer, a filler dielectric layer over the second gate spacer, an epitaxial feature disposed over a source/drain region of the fin structure, a portion of the epitaxial feature being disposed over the filler dielectric layer, an contact etch stop layer (CESL) over the epitaxial feature and the filler dielectric layer, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the CESL. A portion of the CESL extends between the epitaxial feature and the sidewall of gate structure along the direction.

Abstract: A method includes providing a workpiece. The workpiece includes a substrate, a fin protruding from the substrate, and a dummy gate structure over the fin. The method further includes performing an oxidizing process to exposed surfaces of the fin and the dummy gate structure to form an oxide layer thereon, removing the oxide layer to expose an unoxidized top surface and sidewalls of the fin and unoxidized sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, epitaxially growing a cap layer on the unoxidized top surface and sidewalls of the fin and the unoxidized sidewalls of the dummy gate structure, forming a source/drain feature on the fin, and replacing the dummy gate structure with a metal gate structure.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure pertains to a method of forming a semiconductor device. The method includes receiving a workpiece having a first metal gate stack over a first channel region, a second metal gate stack over a second channel region, a source/drain (S/D) feature between the first and second channel regions, and an S/D contact over the S/D feature. First and second dielectric caps are formed over the first and second metal gate stacks and a contact etch stop layer (CESL) is formed over the S/D contact and over the first and second dielectric caps. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer is formed over the CESL and an S/D via trench is formed through the ILD layer and the CESL. An S/D via is formed in the S/D via trench, making full surface contact with the S/D contact and partial surface contact with the first and second dielectric caps.

Abstract: Method and devices that include a recessed isolation region in a trench region formed by the removal of a dummy gate structure. The recessed isolation region can allow a greater fin height in the channel region. A metal gate structure may be formed on the recessed isolation region and fin.

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 transistor includes a substrate. The transistor further includes a channel region comprising dopants of a first type. The transistor further includes a gate structure over the channel region. The transistor further includes a source comprising dopants of a second type. The transistor further includes a lightly doped drain (LDD) comprising dopants of the second type, wherein the LDD is over the source, and the channel region is in direct contact with the LDD. The transistor further includes a deactivated region in the channel region underneath the gate structure, wherein the deactivated region comprises a first region inside an epitaxial layer and a second region outside the epitaxial layer.

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 an active fin disposed on a substrate, a gate structure, and a pair of gate spacers disposed on sidewalls of the gate structure, in which the gate structure and the gate spacers extend across a first portion of the active fin, and a bottom surface of the gate structure is higher than a bottom surface of the gate spacers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive feature and a second conductive feature disposed on the semiconductor substrate; and a staggered dielectric feature interposed between the first and second conductive feature. The staggered dielectric feature includes first dielectric layers and second dielectric layers being interdigitated. The first dielectric layers include a first dielectric material and the second dielectric layers include a second dielectric material being different from the first dielectric material.

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 semiconductor layer. A gate structure is disposed over the semiconductor layer. A spacer is disposed on a sidewall of the gate structure. A height of the spacer is greater than a height of the gate structure. A liner is disposed on the gate structure and on the spacer. The spacer and the liner have different material compositions.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device on a substrate includes doping a channel region of the device with dopants. The method further includes growing an undoped epitaxial layer over the channel region, wherein growing the undoped epitaxial layer comprises deactivating dopants in the channel region to form a deactivated region. The method further includes forming a gate structure over the deactivated region.

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 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.