Abstract: Polycyclic compounds that are aromatic or partially aromatic, and are substituted with one or more alkyl groups having an amino group and a carboxylic acid group, and includes carbon quantum dots (CQDs) that contain these compounds. The compounds and CQDs have a selective affinity for cells that express LAT1 and for tumor cells, and can internalize within such cells. The compounds and CQDs are useful for imaging of such cells and for delivering cargo compounds to and into cells that express LAT1 and tumor cells. Methods for making and using these compounds and CQDs for bioimaging and targeting certain tissues, including tumors, are disclosed.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same are provided. A method includes depositing a dielectric layer over a conductive feature. The dielectric layer is patterned to form an opening therein. The opening exposes a first portion of the conductive feature. A first barrier layer is deposited on a sidewall of the opening. The first portion of the conductive feature remains exposed at the end of depositing the first barrier layer.

Abstract: An interconnect structure and a method of forming an interconnect structure are disclosed. The interconnect structure includes a conductive plug over a substrate; a conductive feature over the conductive plug, wherein the conductive feature has a first sidewall, a second sidewall facing the first sidewall, and a bottom surface; and a carbon-containing barrier layer having a first portion along the first sidewall of the conductive feature, a second portion along the second sidewall of the conductive feature, and a third portion along the bottom surface of the conductive feature.

Abstract: Methods of forming a semiconductor device are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes forming, over a workpiece, a dummy gate stack comprising a first semiconductor material, depositing a first dielectric layer over the dummy gate stack using a first process, implanting the workpiece with a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material, annealing the dummy gate stack after the implanting, and replacing the dummy gate stack with a metal gate stack.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes etching an insulating layer to form a first opening and a second opening. The method further includes depositing a conductive material in the first opening. The method further includes performing a surface modification process on the conductive material. The method further includes depositing, after the surface modification process, a first liner layer in the second opening, wherein the first liner layer extends over the conductive material and the insulating layer. The method further includes depositing a conductive fill over the first liner layer, wherein the conductive fill includes a different material from the conductive material.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature over the semiconductor substrate; and semiconductor layers extending longitudinally in a first direction and connecting the first source/drain feature and the second source/drain feature. The semiconductor layers are spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The semiconductor structure further includes inner spacers each between two adjacent semiconductor layers; metal oxide layers interposing between the inner spacers and the semiconductor layers; and a gate structure wrapping around the semiconductor layers and the metal oxide layers.

Abstract: An N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor includes a first gate and a first spacer structure disposed on a first sidewall of the first gate in a first direction. The first spacer structure has a first thickness in the first direction and measured from an outermost point of an outer surface of the first spacer structure to the first sidewall. A P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor includes a second gate and a second spacer structure disposed on a second sidewall of the second gate in the first direction and measured from an outermost point of an outer surface of the second spacer structure to the second sidewall. The second spacer structure has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The NMOS transistor is a pass-gate of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and the PMOS transistor is a pull-up of the SRAM cell.

Abstract: An N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor includes a first gate and a first spacer structure disposed on a first sidewall of the first gate in a first direction. The first spacer structure has a first thickness in the first direction and measured from an outermost point of an outer surface of the first spacer structure to the first sidewall. A P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor includes a second gate and a second spacer structure disposed on a second sidewall of the second gate in the first direction and measured from an outermost point of an outer surface of the second spacer structure to the second sidewall. The second spacer structure has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The NMOS transistor is a pass-gate of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell, and the PMOS transistor is a pull-up of the SRAM cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a stacked structure on the substrate, an insulating layer on the stacked structure, a passivation layer on the insulating layer, and a contact structure through the passivation layer and the insulating layer and directly contacting the stacked structure. The insulating layer has an extending portion protruding from a sidewall of the passivation layer and adjacent to a surface of the stacked structure directly contacting the contact structure.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first conductive feature, depositing a graphite layer over the first conductive feature, patterning the graphite layer to form a graphite conductive feature, depositing a dielectric spacer layer on the graphite layer, depositing a first dielectric layer over the dielectric spacer layer, planarizing the first dielectric layer, forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer, and forming a second conductive feature in the second dielectric layer. The second conductive feature is over and electrically connected to the graphite conductive feature.

Abstract: An opening is formed through a dielectric material layer to physically expose a top surface of a conductive material portion in, or over, a substrate. A metallic nitride liner is formed on a sidewall of the opening and on the top surface of the conductive material portion. A metallic adhesion layer including an alloy of copper and at least one transition metal that is not copper is formed on an inner sidewall of the metallic nitride liner. A copper fill material portion may be formed on an inner sidewall of the metallic adhesion layer. The metallic adhesion layer is thermally stable, and remains free of holes during subsequent thermal processes, which may include reflow of the copper fill material portion. An additional copper fill material portion may be optionally deposited after a reflow process.

Abstract: A method includes forming an insulating layer over a conductive feature; etching the insulating layer to expose a first surface of the conductive feature; covering the first surface of the conductive feature with a sacrificial material, wherein the sidewalls of the insulating layer are free of the sacrificial material; covering the sidewalls of the insulating layer with a barrier material, wherein the first surface of the conductive feature is free of the barrier material, wherein the barrier material includes tantalum nitride (TaN) doped with a transition metal; removing the sacrificial material; and covering the barrier material and the first surface of the conductive feature with a conductive material.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a program word line and a read word line over an active region. Each of the program word line and the read word line extends along a line direction. Moreover, the program word line engages a first transistor channel and the read word line engages a second transistor channel. The semiconductor device also includes a first metal line over and electrically connected to the program word line and a second metal line over and electrically connected to the read word line. The semiconductor device further includes a bit line over and electrically connected to the first active region. Additionally, the program word line has a first width along a channel direction perpendicular to the line direction; the read word line has a second width along the channel direction; and the first width is less than the second width.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having improved source/drain features and methods for fabricating such are disclosed herein. An exemplary device includes a semiconductor layer stack disposed over a mesa structure of a substrate. The device further includes a metal gate disposed over the semiconductor layer stack and an inner spacer disposed on the mesa structure of the substrate. The device further includes a first epitaxial source/drain feature and a second epitaxial source/drain feature where the semiconductor layer stack is disposed between the first epitaxial source/drain feature and the second epitaxial source/drain feature. The device further includes a void disposed between the inner spacer and the first epitaxial source/drain feature.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device includes providing a fin extending from a substrate in a device type region, where the fin includes a plurality of semiconductor channel layers. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a gate structure over the fin. Thereafter, in some examples, the method includes removing a portion of the plurality of semiconductor channel layers within a source/drain region adjacent to the gate structure to form a trench in the source/drain region. In some cases, the method further includes after forming the trench, depositing an adhesion layer within the source/drain region along a sidewall surface of the trench. In various embodiments, and after depositing the adhesion layer, the method further includes epitaxially growing a continuous first source/drain layer over the adhesion layer along the sidewall surface of the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, two source/drain features over the substrate, channel layers connecting the two source/drain features, and a gate structure wrapping around each of the channel layers. Each of the two source/drain features include a first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer over the first epitaxial layer, and a third epitaxial layer on inner surfaces of the second epitaxial layer. The channel layers directly interface with the second epitaxial layers and are separated from the third epitaxial layers by the second epitaxial layers. The first epitaxial layers include a first semiconductor material with a first dopant. The second epitaxial layers include the first semiconductor material with a second dopant. The second dopant has a higher mobility than the first dopant.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device includes providing a fin element in a device region and forming a dummy gate over the fin element. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a source/drain feature within a source/drain region adjacent to the dummy gate. In some cases, the source/drain feature includes a bottom region and a top region contacting the bottom region at an interface interposing the top and bottom regions. In some embodiments, the method further includes performing a plurality of dopant implants into the source/drain feature. In some examples, the plurality of dopant implants includes implantation of a first dopant within the bottom region and implantation of a second dopant within the top region. In some embodiments, the first dopant has a first graded doping profile within the bottom region, and the second dopant has a second graded doping profile within the top region.

Abstract: Semiconductor device and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary method comprises forming first and second semiconductor fins in first and second regions of a substrate, respectively; forming first and second dummy gate stacks over the first and second semiconductor fins, respectively, and forming a spacer layer over the first and the second dummy gate stacks; forming a first pattern layer with a thickness along the spacer layer in the first region; form a first source/drain (S/D) trench along the first pattern layer and epitaxially growing a first epitaxial feature therein; removing the first pattern layer to expose the spacer layer; forming a second pattern layer with a different thickness along the spacer layer in the second region; form a second S/D trench along the second pattern layer and epitaxially growing a second epitaxial feature therein; and removing the second pattern layer to expose the spacer layer.

Abstract: A memory device includes a substrate, first semiconductor fin, second semiconductor fin, first gate structure, second gate structure, first gate spacer, and a second gate spacer. The first gate structure crosses the first semiconductor fin. The second gate structure crosses the second semiconductor fin, the first gate structure extending continuously from the second gate structure, in which in a top view of the memory device, a width of the first gate structure is greater than a width of the second gate structure. The first gate spacer is on a sidewall of the first gate structure. The second gate spacer extends continuously from the first gate spacer and on a sidewall of the second gate structure, in which in the top view of the memory device, a width of the first gate spacer is less than a width of the second gate spacer.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a first word line formed over a first active region. In some embodiments, a first metal line is disposed over and perpendicular to the first word line, where the first metal line is electrically connected to the first word line using a first conductive via, and where the first conductive via is disposed over the first active region. In some examples, the semiconductor memory device further includes a second metal line and a third metal line both parallel to the first metal line and disposed on opposing sides of the first metal line, where the second metal line is electrically connected to a source/drain region of the first active region using a second conductive via, and where the third metal line is electrically connected to the source/drain region of the first active region using a third conductive via.