Wafers including a diamond layer and a semiconductor layer having III-Nitride compounds and methods for fabricating the wafers are provided. A nucleation layer, at least one semiconductor layer having III-Nitride compound and a protection layer are formed on a silicon substrate. Then, a silicon carrier wafer is glass bonded to the protection layer. Subsequently the silicon substrate, nucleation layer and a portion of the semiconductor layer are removed. Then, an intermediate layer, a seed layer and a first diamond layer are sequentially deposited on the III-Nitride layer. Next, the silicon carrier wafer and the protection layer are removed. Then, a silicon substrate wafer that includes a protection layer, silicon substrate and a diamond layer is prepared and glass bonded to the first diamond layer.

Methods of etching a metal layer and a metal-containing barrier layer to a predetermined depth are described. In some embodiments, the metal layer and metal-containing barrier layer are formed on a substrate with a first dielectric and a second dielectric thereon. The metal layer and the metal-containing barrier layer formed within a feature in the first dielectric and the second dielectric. In some embodiments, the metal layer and metal-containing barrier layer can be sequentially etched from a feature formed in a dielectric material. In some embodiments, the sidewalls of the feature formed in a dielectric material are passivated to change the adhesion properties of the dielectric material.

A semiconductor device includes conductive structures formed in a first dielectric layer, a conductive cap layer selectively positioned over the conductive structures and the first dielectric layer with a top surface and sidewalls, a second dielectric layer selectively positioned over the first dielectric layer and disposed between the sidewalls of the conductive cap layer, a third dielectric layer selectively positioned over the second dielectric layer and disposed between the sidewalls of the conductive cap layer, a fourth dielectric layer arranged over the conductive structures and the third dielectric layer, and an interconnect structure formed in the fourth dielectric layer. The interconnect structure includes a trench structure and a via structure that is positioned below the trench structure and connected to the trench structure. The via structure includes a first portion positioned over the conductive cap layer and a second portion disposed over the first portion and the third dielectric layer.

A device includes a lower semiconductor substrate, a lower gate structure on the lower semiconductor substrate, the lower gate structure comprises a lower gate electrode, a lower interlayer insulating film on the lower semiconductor substrate, an upper semiconductor substrate on the lower interlayer insulating film, an upper gate structure on the upper semiconductor substrate, and an upper interlayer insulating film on the lower interlayer insulating film, the upper interlayer insulating film covers sidewalls of the upper semiconductor substrate The upper gate structure comprises an upper gate electrode extending in a first direction and gate spacers along sidewalls of the upper gate electrode. The upper gate electrode comprises long sidewalls extending in the first direction and short sidewalls in a second direction The gate spacers are on the long sidewalls of the upper gate electrode and are not disposed on the short sidewalls of the upper gate electrode.

A semiconductor device may include a substrate including an active pattern extending in a first direction, a gate electrode running across the active pattern and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a source/drain pattern on the active pattern and adjacent to a side of the gate electrode, an active contact in a contact hole exposing the source/drain pattern, an insulating pattern filling a remaining space of the contact hole in which the active contact is provided, a first via on the active contact, and a second via on the gate electrode. The active contact may include a first segment that fills a lower portion of the contact hole and a second segment that vertically protrudes from the first segment. The first via is connected to the second segment. The insulating pattern is adjacent in the first direction to the second via.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having local interconnects, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having local interconnects, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate structure over a first semiconductor fin, and a second gate structure over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first and second semiconductor fins and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A gate plug is over the gate endcap isolation structure and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A local gate interconnect is between the gate plug and the gate endcap isolation structure, the local gate interconnect in contact with the first and second gate structures.

A method used in forming a memory array and conductive through-array-vias (TAVs) comprises forming a stack comprising vertically-alternating insulative tiers and wordline tiers. A mask is formed comprising horizontally-elongated trench openings and operative TAV openings above the stack. Etching is conducted of unmasked portions of the stack through the trench and operative TAV openings in the mask to form horizontally-elongated trench openings in the stack and to form operative TAV openings in the stack. Conductive material is formed in the operative TAV openings in the stack to form individual operative TAVs in individual of the operative TAV openings in the stack. A wordline-intervening structure is formed in individual of the trench openings in the stack.

A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming line structures comprising conductive material and insulative material overlying the conductive material, the line structures separated from one another by trenches. An isolation material is formed on surfaces of the line structures inside and outside of the trenches, the isolation material only partially filling the trenches to form air gaps interposed between the line structures. Openings are formed to extend through the isolation material and expose portions of the insulative material of the line structures. The exposed portions of the insulative material of the line structures are removed to form extended openings extending to the conductive material of the line structures. Conductive contact structures are formed within the extended openings. Conductive pad structures are formed on the conductive contact structures. Additional methods, microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.

Gate patterns are formed on a semiconductor layer and a conductive film is formed on the semiconductor layer so as to cover the gate patterns. By performing a polishing process to the conductive film and patterning the polished conductive film, pad layers are formed between the gate patterns via sidewall spacers.

A method and electronic device are provided. The method includes patterning a metal in a first dielectric layer, depositing a first metal layer over the patterned metal, forming a nanowall under the first metal layer such that the nanowall is in contact with the patterned metal in the first dielectric layer, depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer, removing at least a portion of the nanowall, thereby forming a channel in the second dielectric layer, and depositing a metal via in the channel such that the metal via is in contact with the patterned metal in the first dielectric layer.