Front end circuits that include a FinFET transistor are described herein. In one example, the front end circuit has a FinFET transistor that includes a channel region wrapped by a metal gate, the channel region connecting a source and drain fins. At least one of the source and drain fins have a height (H.sub.TOT) and a width W. The height (H.sub.TOT) is greater than an optimal height (H.sub.OPT), wherein the height H.sub.OPT is a height that would optimize speed of a FinFET transistor having the width W.

A three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a substrate surface, a power rail provided in the substrate, and a first tier of semiconductor devices provided in the substrate and positioned over the power rail along a thickness direction of the substrate. A wiring tier is provided in the substrate, and a second tier of semiconductor devices is provided in the substrate and positioned over the wiring tier along the thickness direction. The second tier of semiconductor devices is stacked on the first tier of semiconductor devices in the thickness direction such that the wiring tier is interposed between the first and second tiers of semiconductor devices. A first vertical interconnect structure extends downward from the wiring tier to the first tier of semiconductor devices to electrically connect the wiring tier to a device within the first tier of semiconductor devices. A second vertical interconnect structure extends upward from the wiring tier to the second tier of semiconductor devices to electrically connect the wiring tier to a device within the second tier of semiconductor devices.

An integrated circuit contains a logic MOS transistor and a memory MOS transistor of a same polarity. The logic MOS transistor has a logic channel stop layer. The memory MOS transistor has a memory channel stop layer. An average dopant density of the memory channel stop layer is higher than an average dopant density of the logic channel stop layer. The integrated circuit is formed by forming a global mask which exposes both the logic and memory MOS transistors. A global channel stop dose of dopants is implanted in the logic and memory MOS transistors. A memory mask is formed which exposes the memory MOS transistor and covers the logic MOS transistor. A memory channel stop dose of dopants of the same polarity is implanted into the memory MOS transistors. The memory channel stop dose of dopants are blocked from the logic MOS transistors.

An embodiment device includes: first fins protruding from an isolation region; second fins protruding from the isolation region; a first fin spacer on a first sidewall of one of the first fins, the first fin spacer disposed on the isolation region, the first fin spacer having a first spacer height; a second fin spacer on a second sidewall of one of the second fins, the second fin spacer disposed on the isolation region, the second fin spacer having a second spacer height, the first spacer height greater than the second spacer height; a first epitaxial source/drain region on the first fin spacer and in the first fins, the first epitaxial source/drain region having a first width; and a second epitaxial source/drain region on the second fin spacer and in the second fins, the second epitaxial source/drain region having a second width, the first width greater than the second width.

A method includes etching a silicon layer in a wafer to form a first trench in a first device region and a second trench in a second device region, performing a pre-clean process on the silicon layer, performing a baking process on the wafer, and performing an epitaxy process to form a first silicon germanium region and a second silicon germanium region in the first trench and the second trench, respectively. The first silicon germanium region and the second silicon germanium region have a loading in a range between about 5 nm and about 30 nm.

A connecting structure includes a substrate, a first conductive feature, a second conductive feature, a third conductive feature over the first conductive feature and a fourth conductive feature over the second conductive feature. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The first conductive feature is disposed in the first region and has a first width. The second conductive feature is disposed in the second region and has a second width greater than the first width of the first conductive feature. The third conductive feature includes a first anchor portion surrounded by the first conductive feature. The fourth conductive feature includes a second anchor portion surrounded by the second conductive feature. A depth difference ratio between a depth of the first anchor portion and a depth of the second anchor portion is less than approximately 10%.

Devices and methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices using semi-bidirectional patterning are provided. One method includes, for instance: obtaining an intermediate semiconductor device having a dielectric layer, a first hardmask layer, a second hardmask layer, a third hardmask layer, and a lithography stack; patterning a first set of lines; patterning a second set of lines between the first set of lines; etching to define a combination of the first and second set of lines; depositing a second lithography stack; patterning a third set of lines in a direction perpendicular to the first and second set of lines; etching to define the third set of lines, leaving an OPL; depositing a spacer over the OPL; etching the spacer, leaving a vertical set of spacers; and etching the second hardmask layer using the third hardmask layer and the set of vertical spacers as masks.

First and second semiconductor structures, a CESL, and an ILD layer are formed on a substrate. The first semiconductor structure includes first dummy gate, first nitride mask, and first oxide mask. The second semiconductor structure includes second dummy gate, second nitride mask, and second oxide mask. A first planarization is performed to remove a portion of the ILD layer, exposing CESL. A portion of the CESL, a portion of the ILD layer, the first and the second oxide masks are removed. A hard mask layer is formed on the first and the second nitride masks, and in a recess of the ILD layer. A second planarization is performed to remove a portion of the hard mask layer, the first and the second nitride masks, exposing first and second dummy gates. A remaining portion of the hard mask layer covers the ILD layer.

A method includes receiving a precursor having a substrate and first and second pluralities of gate structures, the first pluralities having a greater pitch than the second pluralities. The method further includes depositing a dielectric layer covering the substrate and the first and second pluralities; and performing an etching process to the dielectric layer. The etching process removes a first portion of the dielectric layer over the substrate, while a second portion of the dielectric layer remains over sidewalls of the first and second pluralities. The second portion of the dielectric layer is thicker over the sidewalls of the second plurality than over the sidewalls of the first plurality. The method further includes etching the substrate to form third and fourth pluralities of recesses adjacent the first and second pluralities, respectively; and epitaxially growing fifth and sixth pluralities of semiconductor features in the third and fourth pluralities, respectively.

A device includes a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array, and an SRAM cell edge region abutting the SRAM array. The SRAM array and the SRAM cell edge region in combination include first gate electrodes having a uniform pitch. A word line driver abuts the SRAM cell edge region. The word line driver includes second gate electrodes, and the first gate electrodes have lengthwise directions aligned to lengthwise directions of respective ones of the second gate electrodes.