Abstract: Various embodiments provide semiconductor structures and methods for forming the same. In an exemplary method, a semiconductor substrate is provided. A first stop layer, a first sacrificial layer, a second stop layer, and a second sacrificial layer are formed sequentially on the semiconductor substrate. The second sacrificial layer, the second stop layer, the first sacrificial layer, the first stop layer, and the semiconductor substrate are etched to form a groove, the groove then being filled to form an isolation structure. The second sacrificial layer is removed to expose sidewalls and a top of an exposed portion of the isolation structure. The second stop layer is removed, and the exposed portion of the isolation structure is etched to reduce a width of the top of the exposed portion of the isolation structure. The first sacrificial layer is removed. A floating gate is formed on the first stop layer.

Abstract: An electrically conductive device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. According to the method, a protein tube portion and a conductor penetrating through the protein tube portion are formed on a graphene layer, and the conductor is in electrical contact with the graphene layer. A dummy dielectric material layer surrounding the protein tube portion can be formed on the graphene layer for support. The graphene layer can be protected from damage during the formation of the protein tube portion and the conductor because no etching process is employed in the formation. The method can facilitate the application of graphene in semiconductor devices as conductive interconnects.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a first aluminum pad layer on a metal layer, forming an adhesion layer on the first aluminum pad layer, etching the adhesion layer so as to form a patterned adhesion layer, and forming a second aluminum pad layer on the first aluminum pad layer and the patterned adhesion layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a method of forming a spacer patterning mask. The method entails: providing a substrate; depositing, on the substrate, an interface layer, a core film and a first hard mask; patterning the core film and the first hard mask to form strips; depositing a spacer patterning layer to cover the core film and the first hard mask in the intermediate pattern; planarizing the spacer patterning layer by using the first hard mask in the intermediate pattern as a stop layer; etching the planarized spacer patterning layer; dry etching the second hard mask to expose the partially-etched spacer patterning layer; dry etching the exposed spacer patterning layer to form a spacer pattern; and removing the remaining first hard mask and second hard mask and the core film to obtain the final spacer patterning mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same are provided. A substrate with an active area and a first interlayer dielectric formed over the substrate is provided. The first interlayer dielectric has a first opening exposing a portion of a surface of the active area, the first opening being filled with a fill material. A second interlayer dielectric is formed over the first interlayer dielectric with a second opening substantially exposing an upper portion of the fill material in the corresponding first opening. The fill material is then removed and the first opening and the second opening are filled with a conductive material to form a contact.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a contact etch stop layer on an active area of a substrate that has a gate stack formed thereon. The gate stack includes a metal gate and a metal oxide. The contact etch stop layer includes a silicon oxide layer sandwiched between a first silicon nitride layer and a second silicon nitride layer that is disposed on the active area. The method further includes forming a contact hole extending through an interlayer dielectric layer on the first silicon nitride layer using the first silicon nitride layer as a protection for the active area, removing a portion of the first silicon nitride layer disposed at the bottom of the contact hole using the silicon oxide layer as a protection for the active area, and removing the metal oxide using the second silicon nitride layer as a protection for the active area.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device includes a first step including forming a planar silicon layer and forming first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers; a second step including forming a gate insulating film around each of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, forming a metal film and a polysilicon film around the gate insulating film, the thickness of the polysilicon film being smaller than half of a distance between the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, forming a third resist, and forming a gate line; and a third step including depositing a fourth resist so that a portion of the polysilicon film on an upper side wall of each of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers is exposed, removing the exposed portion of the polysilicon film, removing the fourth resist, and removing the metal film to form first and second gate electrodes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a miniaturized semiconductor device so as to form MTJ elements therein include the steps of depositing a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) precursor layer on a substrate and planarizing the precursor layer; forming a sacrificial and patternable dielectric layer on the MTJ precursor layer; patterning the sacrificial dielectric layer in accordance with predetermined placements and shapes of a to-be-formed hard mask, the patterning forming corresponding openings in the sacrificial dielectric layer; depositing an etch-resistant conductive material such as Cu in the openings for example by way of plating, and selectively removing the sacrificial dielectric layer so as to leave behind the etch-resistant conductive material in the form of a desired hard mask. Using the hard mask to etch and thus pattern the MTJ precursor layer so as to form MTJ elements having desired locations, sizes and shapes.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided. A fin can be formed on a semiconductor substrate, a gate can be formed across the fin, and sidewall spacers can be formed across the fin on both sides of the gate. A dummy contact can be formed across the fin and on each of the both sides of the sidewall spacers. After forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate, the dummy contact can be removed to form a contact trench. The dummy contact is made of a material having an etch selectivity sufficiently higher than the fin such that the removing of the dummy contact generates substantially no damage to the fin. A conductive material can be filled in the contact trench to form a trench metal contact.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a metal gate transistor. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate; and forming a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming at least one dummy gate on the dielectric layer; and forming a first sidewall spacer around the dummy gate. Further, the method includes forming a gate dielectric layer with sidewalls protruding from sidewalls of the dummy gate and vertical to the semiconductor substrate by etching the dielectric layer using the first sidewall spacer and the dummy gate as an etching mask; and removing the dummy gate to form a trench. Further, the method also includes forming a metal gate in the trench; and forming a source region and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including contact holes and method for forming the same are provided. A dual-stress liner is formed on a substrate. A first, second and third dielectric layers are then formed over the dual-stress liner. The second dielectric layer has a top surface leveling with that of an overlapping portion of the dual-stress liner. The third dielectric layer is etched to form first openings to have the etching stop at the second dielectric layer and at the upper stress liner of the overlapping portion. The second dielectric layer, the first dielectric layer and the upper stress liner are etched along the first openings to form second openings having the etching stop at the lower stress liner of the overlapping portion and the dual-stress liner in other regions. The stress liners are etched to form contact holes.

Abstract: In a first step, a planar silicon layer is formed on a silicon substrate and first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers are formed on the planar silicon layer; a second step includes forming an oxide film hard mask on the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, and forming a second oxide film on the planar silicon layer, the second oxide film being thicker than a gate insulating film; and a third step includes forming the gate insulating film around each of the first pillar-shaped silicon layer and the second pillar-shaped silicon layer, forming a metal film and a polysilicon film around the gate insulating film, the polysilicon film having a thickness that is smaller than one half a distance between the first pillar-shaped silicon layer and the second pillar-shaped silicon layer, forming a third resist for forming a gate line, and performing anisotropic etching to form the gate line.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises: providing a substrate having an active area and a gate structure on the active area and formed with a first interlayer dielectric layer thereon, wherein the first interlayer dielectric layer has a first open to expose a portion of a surface of the active area, and an upper surface of the first interlayer dielectric layer is substantially flush with an upper surface of the gate; filling the first open with a first conductive material to form a first portion of contact; forming a second interlayer dielectric layer over the first interlayer dielectric layer, the second interlayer dielectric layer having a second open to substantially expose an upper part of the first portion of the contact in the first open; and filling the second open with a second conductive material to form a second portion of the contact.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device includes a first step including forming a planar silicon layer and forming first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers; a second step including forming a gate insulating film around each of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, forming a metal film and a polysilicon film around the gate insulating film, the thickness of the polysilicon film being smaller than half of a distance between the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, forming a third resist, and forming a gate line; and a third step including depositing a fourth resist so that a portion of the polysilicon film on an upper side wall of each of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers is exposed, removing the exposed portion of the polysilicon film, removing the fourth resist, and removing the metal film to form first and second gate electrodes.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a non-volatile memory device is provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a nanowire transistor including a nanowire channel, and a resistive memory cell arranged adjacent to the nanowire transistor and in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the nanowire channel. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method of forming a non-volatile memory device is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof is provided. The method comprises: providing a substrate for the semiconductor device with a gate structure and a first dielectric interlayer being formed thereon, said gate structure comprising a metal gate and an upper surface of said first dielectric interlayer being substantially flush with an upper surface of said gate; forming an interface layer to cover at least the upper surface of said gate such that the upper surface of said gate is protected from being oxidized; and forming a second dielectric interlayer on said interface layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including contact holes and method for forming the same are provided. A dual-stress liner is formed on a substrate. A first, second and third dielectric layers are then formed over the dual-stress liner. The second dielectric layer has a top surface leveling with that of an overlapping portion of the dual-stress liner. The third dielectric layer is etched to form first openings to have the etching stop at the second dielectric layer and at the upper stress liner of the overlapping portion. The second dielectric layer, the first dielectric layer and the upper stress liner are etched along the first openings to form second openings having the etching stop at the lower stress liner of the overlapping portion and the dual-stress liner in other regions. The stress liners are etched to form contact holes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a double gate transistor and a method of fabricating said transistor, said transistor comprising: a semiconductor layer on a substrate; a fin structure formed in said semiconductor layer, said fin structure having two end portions for forming source and drain regions and a middle portion between said two end portions for forming a channel region, said middle portion including two opposed side surfaces perpendicular to a substrate surface; a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate disposed on one side surface of said middle portion; and a second gate dielectric layer and a second gate disposed on the other side surface of said middle portion.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a double gate transistor and a method of fabricating said transistor, said transistor comprising: a semiconductor layer on a substrate; a fin structure formed in said semiconductor layer, said fin structure having two end portions for forming source and drain regions and a middle portion between said two end portions for forming a channel region, said middle portion including two opposed side surfaces perpendicular to a substrate surface; a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate disposed on one side surface of said middle portion; and a second gate dielectric layer and a second gate disposed on the other side surface of said middle portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof is provided. The method comprises: providing a substrate for the semiconductor device with a gate structure and a first dielectric interlayer being formed thereon, said gate structure comprising a metal gate and an upper surface of said first dielectric interlayer being substantially flush with an upper surface of said gate; forming an interface layer to cover at least the upper surface of said gate such that the upper surface of said gate is protected from being oxidized; and forming a second dielectric interlayer on said interface layer.