Abstract: A device includes at least one semiconductor unit which includes a first source/drain portion, a second source/drain portion, at least one nanosheet segment which is disposed to interconnect the first and second source/drain portions, a gate portion disposed around the at least one nanosheet segment, and a first inner spacer portion and a second inner spacer portion which are disposed to separate the gate portion from the first and second source/drain portions, respectively. Each of the first and second inner spacer portions has a carbon-rich region which confronts the gate portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure and methods of forming the same are described. The structure includes a gate dielectric layer disposed over a substrate, a gate electrode layer disposed over the gate dielectric layer, and a first gate spacer disposed adjacent the gate dielectric layer. The first gate spacer includes an inner surface facing the gate dielectric layer and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and the first gate spacer includes a fluorine concentration that decreases from the inner surface and the outer surface towards a center of the first gate spacer. The structure further includes a second gate spacer disposed on the outer surface of the first gate spacer, and the second gate spacer includes a fluorine concentration that decreases from an outer surface towards an inner surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to method for the fabrication of spacer structures between source/drain epitaxial structures and metal gate structures in nanostructure transistors. The method includes forming a fin structure with alternating first and second nanostructure elements on a substrate. The method also includes etching edge portions of the first nanostructure elements in the fin structure to form spacer cavities, and depositing a spacer layer on the fin structure to fill the spacer cavities. Further, treating the spacer layer with a microwave-generated plasma to form an oxygen concentration gradient within the spacer layer outside the spacer cavities and removing, with an etching process, the treated portion of the spacer layer. During the etching process, a removal rate of the etching process for the treated portion of the spacer layer is based on an oxygen concentration within the oxygen concentration gradient.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a transistor. The transistor includes a source/drain region that includes a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface. The transistor includes a salicide region on the back surface and a channel region in contact with the source/drain region. The channel region has a front surface co-planar with the front surface of the source/drain region. The transistor further includes a gate structure disposed on a front surface of the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a backside contact structure that includes a conductive contact in contact with the salicide region and a liner layer surrounding the conductive contact.

Abstract: A method for filling a gap includes: filling a dielectric layer in the gap so that a seam is formed in the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer including two surface portions at two opposite sides of the seam, respectively; introducing a surface modification agent into the seam such that each of the two surface portions has first functional groups and second functional groups; forming a stress layer on the dielectric layer to cover the seam, the stress layer including a material different from that of the dielectric layer; and applying an energy field to permit the two surface portions to bond with each other through reaction between the first functional groups and the second functional groups.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide semiconductor device structures and methods of forming the same. The method includes removing a first semiconductor layer disposed between a second semiconductor layer and a third semiconductor layer and performing an oxide refill process to form a seamless dielectric material between the second and third semiconductor layers. The oxide refill process includes exposing the second and third semiconductor layers to a silicon-containing precursor at a first flow rate for a first duration to form a monolayer, and exposing the monolayer to an oxygen-containing precursor at a second flow rate for a second duration to form the seamless dielectric material, the second flow rate is about twice to about 20 times the first flow rate, and the second duration is about twice to about 20 times the first duration.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip with polish stop layers and a method of fabricating the IC chip are disclosed. The method includes forming a first IC chip having a device region and a peripheral region. Forming the first IC chip includes forming a device layer on a substrate, forming an interconnect structure on the device layer, depositing a first dielectric layer on a first portion of the interconnect structure in the peripheral region, depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer and on a second portion of the interconnect structure in the device region, and performing a polishing process on the second dielectric layer to substantially coplanarize a top surface of the second dielectric layer with a top surface of the first dielectric layer. The method further includes performing a bonding process on the second dielectric layer to bond a second IC chip to the first IC chip.

Abstract: An integrated circuit die with two material layers having metal nano-particles and the method of forming the same are provided. The integrated circuit die includes a device layer comprising a first transistor, a first interconnect structure on a first side of the device layer, a first material layer on the first interconnect structure, wherein the first material layer comprises first metal nano-particles, and a second material layer bonded to the first material layer, wherein the second material layer comprises second metal nano-particles, and wherein the first material layer and the second material layer share an interface.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a transistor. The transistor includes a source/drain region that includes a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface. The transistor includes a salicide region on the back surface and a channel region in contact with the source/drain region. The channel region has a front surface co-planar with the front surface of the source/drain region. The transistor further includes a gate structure disposed on a front surface of the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a backside contact structure that includes a conductive contact in contact with the salicide region and a liner layer surrounding the conductive contact.

Abstract: A method for forming an interconnect structure is provided. The method includes the following operations. A contact is formed over a substrate. An interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer is formed over the contact and the substrate. An opening is formed in the ILD layer thereby exposing a portion of the contact. A densified dielectric layer is formed at an exposed surface of the ILD layer by the opening and an oxide layer over the portion of the contact by irradiating a microwave on the exposed surface of the ILD layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active structure, a second active structure, a wall and a STI layer. The first active structure is formed on the substrate. The second active structure is formed on the substrate. The wall is formed between the first active structure and the second active structure. The STI layer is formed adjacent to the first active structure and has an upper surface. A distance between a spacer of the first active structure and the upper surface of the STI layer may range between 0 and 50 nanometers.

Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a semiconductor structure including: bonding a device wafer onto a carrier wafer; forming a support structure between an edge of the device wafer and an edge of the carrier wafer, wherein the support structure surrounds a device layer of the device wafer along a closed path; removing a substrate and a portion of a bonding dielectric layer of the device wafer from a backside of the device wafer to expose the support structures while the support structure is in place; and removing the support structure through an acid etchant.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A semiconductor structure includes a first nitride-containing layer on a side of a carrier substrate, first semiconductor devices thermally coupled to the first nitride-containing layer, a first interconnect structure physically and electrically coupled to first sides of the first semiconductor devices, and a first metal-containing dielectric layer bonding the first nitride-containing layer to the first interconnect structure. A thermal conductivity of the first nitride-containing layer is greater than a thermal conductivity of the first metal-containing dielectric layer.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a structure having a dielectric layer over a conductive feature, wherein the conductive feature includes a second metal. The method further includes etching a hole through the dielectric layer and exposing the conductive feature and depositing a first metal into the hole and in direct contact with the dielectric layer and the conductive feature, wherein the first metal entirely fills the hole. The method further includes annealing the structure such that atoms of the second metal are diffused into grain boundaries of the first metal and into interfaces between the first metal and the dielectric layer. After the annealing, the method further includes performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to remove at least a portion of the first metal.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductive substrate, a fin structure, and an isolation material. The fin structure extends from the semiconductive substrate. The isolation material is over the semiconductive substrate and adjacent to the fin structure, wherein the isolation material includes a first metal element, a second metal element, and oxide.

Abstract: A carrier structure and methods of forming and using the same are described. In some embodiments, the method includes forming one or more devices over a substrate, forming a first interconnect structure over the one or more devices, and bonding the first interconnect structure to a carrier structure. The carrier structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a release layer, and a first dielectric layer, and the release layer includes a metal nitride. The method further includes flipping over the one or more devices so the carrier structure is located at a bottom, performing backside processes, flipping over the one or more devices so the carrier structure is located at a top, and exposing the carrier structure to IR lights. Portions of the release layer are separated from the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: An interconnect structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. In some embodiments, the structure includes a first dielectric layer disposed over one or more devices, a first conductive feature disposed in the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer and the first conductive feature, and a second conductive feature disposed in the second dielectric layer. The second conductive feature is electrically connected to the first conductive feature. The structure further includes a heat dissipation layer disposed between the first and second dielectric layers, and the heat dissipation layer partially surrounds the second conductive feature and is electrically isolated from the first and second conductive features.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a structure having a dielectric layer over a conductive feature, wherein the conductive feature includes a second metal. The method further includes etching a hole through the dielectric layer and exposing the conductive feature and depositing a first metal into the hole and in direct contact with the dielectric layer and the conductive feature, wherein the first metal entirely fills the hole. The method further includes annealing the structure such that atoms of the second metal are diffused into grain boundaries of the first metal and into interfaces between the first metal and the dielectric layer. After the annealing, the method further includes performing a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to remove at least a portion of the first metal.

Abstract: A device includes a first dielectric layer, a first conductor, an etch stop layer, a second dielectric layer, and a second conductor. The first conductor is in the first dielectric layer. The etch stop layer is over the first dielectric layer. The etch stop layer has a first surface facing the first dielectric layer and a second surface facing away from the first dielectric layer, and a concentration of carbon in the etch stop layer periodically varies from the first surface to the second surface. The second dielectric layer is over the etch stop layer. The second conductor is in the second dielectric layer and the etch stop layer and electrically connected to the first conductor.

Abstract: A device includes source/drain regions, a gate structure, a source/drain contact, and a tungsten structure. The source/drain regions are over a substrate. The gate structure is between the source/drain regions. The source/drain contact is over one of the source/drain regions. The tungsten structure is over the source/drain contact. The tungsten structure includes a lower portion and an upper portion above the lower portion. The upper portion has opposite sidewalls respectively set back from opposite sidewalls of the lower portion of the tungsten structure.