The present application discloses a semiconductor device with a graded porous dielectric structure. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; two conductive features positioned apart from each other over the substrate; a graded porous dielectric structure positioned between the two conductive features; and a dielectric layer positioned between one of the two conductive features and the graded porous dielectric structure; wherein the graded porous dielectric structure comprises a first portion having a first porosity and a second portion having a second porosity, and the second porosity is higher than the first porosity.

The present application discloses provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a sacrificial structure above the substrate, forming a supporting liner covering the sacrificial structure, forming an energy-removable layer covering the supporting liner, performing a planarization process until a top surface of the sacrificial structure is exposed, performing an etch process to remove the sacrificial structure and concurrently form a first opening in the energy-removable layer, forming covering liners on sidewalls of the first opening and on a top surface of the energy-removable layer, forming a first conductive feature in the first opening, and applying an energy source to turn the energy-removable layer into a porous insulating layer.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a porous insulating layer positioned above the substrate, a first conductive feature positioned in the porous insulating layer, and covering liners including two top segments and two side segments. The two side segments are positioned on sidewalls of the first conductive feature, and the two top segments are positioned on top surfaces of the porous insulating layer.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device with porous decoupling features and the method for fabricating the semiconductor device with the porous decoupling features. The semiconductor device comprises: a substrate; a first conductive line positioned on the substrate and extend along a first direction; a first conductive line spacer positioned on a sidewall of the first conductive line; a bottom contact positioned adjacent to the first conductive line; a bottom contact spacer positioned on a sidewall of the bottom contact; and a porous insulating layer positioned between the first conductive line spacer and the bottom contact spacer; wherein a porosity of the porous insulating layer is between about 25% and about 100%.

A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes the steps of providing a substrate having a first region and a second region, forming a plurality of semiconductor devices on the first region of the substrate, forming a planarization layer on the substrate and covering the semiconductor devices, wherein the planarization layer on the first region and the planarization layer on the second region have a step-height, performing a first CMP process to remove the step height of the planarization layer, and after the first CMP process, performing a curing process to convert the planarization layer into a porous low-k dielectric layer.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device with air gaps for reducing capacitive coupling between conductive features. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor structure including a substrate, a first conductive line positioned above the substrate and including two sides, a first protruding portion positioned on one of the two sides of the first conductive line, a second conductive line positioned adjacent to the first conductive line and including two sides, a second protruding portion positioned on one of the two sides of the second conductive line and face onto the first protruding portion, and an air gap positioned between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion. A distance between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion is less than a distance between the first conductive line and the second conductive line.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes burying a void formed in a substrate with a polymer having a urea bond; forming an oxide film on the substrate; and desorbing a depolymerized polymer obtained by depolymerizing the polymer from the void through the oxide film.

There is provided a semiconductor device capable of improving the performance and reliability of a device. The semiconductor device may include a first interlayer insulating film containing therein a plurality of pores, a first line structure in the first interlayer insulating film, an inserted insulating film extending along and on a upper surface of the first interlayer insulating film and in contact with the first interlayer insulating film, a barrier insulating film in contact with the inserted insulating film and extending along an upper surface of the inserted insulating film and an upper surface of the first line structure, a second interlayer insulating film on the barrier insulating film and a second line structure disposed in the second interlayer insulating film and connected to the first line structure.

Disclosed are methods and systems for providing silicon carbide films. A layer of silicon carbide can be provided under process conditions that employ one or more silicon-containing precursors that have one or more silicon-hydrogen bonds and/or silicon-silicon bonds. The silicon-containing precursors may also have one or more silicon-oxygen bonds and/or silicon-carbon bonds. One or more radical species in a substantially low energy state can react with the silicon-containing precursors to form the silicon carbide film. The one or more radical species can be formed in a remote plasma source.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device with a graded porous dielectric structure. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; two conductive features positioned apart from each other over the substrate, a graded porous dielectric structure positioned between the two conductive features; and a dielectric layer positioned between one of the two conductive features and the graded porous dielectric structure; wherein the graded porous dielectric structure comprises a first portion having a first porosity and a second portion having a second porosity, and the second porosity is higher than the first porosity.