An integrated circuit interconnect structure includes a first interconnect in a first metallization level and a first dielectric adjacent to at least a portion of the first interconnect, where the first dielectric having a first carbon content. The integrated circuit interconnect structure further includes a second interconnect in a second metallization level above the first metallization level. The second interconnect includes a lowermost surface in contact with at least a portion of an uppermost surface of the first interconnect. A second dielectric having a second carbon content is adjacent to at least a portion of the second interconnect and the first dielectric. The first carbon concentration increases with distance away from the lowermost surface of the second interconnect and the second carbon concentration increases with distance away from the uppermost surface of the first interconnect.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip structure. The method may be performed by forming a plurality of interconnect layers within a first interconnect structure disposed over an upper surface of a first semiconductor substrate. An edge trimming process is performed to remove parts of the first interconnect structure and the first semiconductor substrate along a perimeter of the first semiconductor substrate. The edge trimming process results in the first semiconductor substrate having a recessed surface coupled to the upper surface by way of an interior sidewall disposed directly over the first semiconductor substrate. A dielectric capping structure is formed onto a sidewall of the first interconnect structure after performing the edge trimming process.

A microelectronic device includes a stack structure comprising blocks separated from one another by dielectric slot structures and each including a vertically alternating sequence of conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers. At least one of the blocks comprising a stadium structure comprising opposing staircase structures each having steps comprising edges of the tiers; and a filled trench vertically overlying and within horizontal boundaries of the stadium structure of the at least one of the blocks. The filled trench includes a dielectric liner material on the opposing staircase structures of the stadium structure and on inner sidewalls of the two bridge regions and at least one dielectric structure doped with one or more of carbon and boron on the dielectric liner material, the at least one dielectric structure horizontally overlapping the steps of the stadium structure.

Various self-aligned interconnect structures are disclosed herein. An exemplary interconnect structure includes a first dielectric layer disposed over a substrate; a first conductive feature disposed in the first dielectric layer; an etch stop layer disposed over a top surface of the first dielectric layer and a top surface of the first conductive feature; a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer; and a second conductive feature disposed in the second dielectric layer. The top surface of the first conductive feature is lower than the top surface of the first dielectric layer. The etch stop layer includes a portion that extends between the top surface of the first conductive feature and the top surface of the first dielectric layer, on which the second conductive feature may or may not be disposed. In some implementations, the second conductive feature may be a via feature.

A method of cleaning a low-k spacer cavity by a low energy RF plasma at a specific substrate temperature for a defect free epitaxial growth of Si, SiGe, Ge, III-V and III-N and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include providing a substrate with a low-k spacer cavity; cleaning the low-k spacer cavity with a low energy RF plasma at a substrate temperature between room temperature to 600 C.; and forming an epitaxy film or a RSD in the low-k spacer cavity subsequent to the low energy RF plasma cleaning.

Various embodiments include, for example, a noise suppression filter for a power-delivery network (PDN). In one exemplary embodiment, a capacitor device, which may be used as at least a portion of the noise suppression filter, includes a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate with a dielectric material formed between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate. A floating conductive fill layer is formed within the dielectric material and between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate. Other embodiments of capacitors, and methods of forming the capacitor, are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices and manufacturing techniques in which topography-related contact failures may be reduced by providing a dielectric fill material in a late manufacturing stage. In sophisticated semiconductor devices, the material loss in the trench isolation regions may result in significant contact failures, which may be reduced by levelling the device topography, thereby tolerating a significant lateral overlap of contact elements with trench isolation regions.

The present disclosure is directed to a method of forming a layered structure including a nanostructure layer having nanostructures. The method includes: forming a coating layer on the surface of the nanostructure layer, reflowing the coating layer, depositing one or more conductive plugs into the coating layer, and hardening the coating layer. The one or more conductive plugs each has a first portion configured to be placed in electrical communication with the nanostructure layer and a second portion not covered by the coating layer.

Embodiments include devices and methods, including a method for processing a substrate. The method includes providing a substrate including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including a feature, the feature including an electrically conductive region, the second portion including a dielectric surface region. The method also includes performing self-assembled monolayer (SAM) assisted structuring plating to form a structure comprising a metal on the dielectric surface region, the feature being formed using a process other than the SAM assisted structuring plating used to form the structure, and the structure being formed after the feature. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

The reliability of wirings, each of which includes a main conductive film containing copper as a primary component, is improved. On an insulating film including the upper surface of a wiring serving as a lower layer wiring, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbonitride film having excellent barrier properties to copper is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbide film having excellent adhesiveness to a low dielectric constant material film is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a low dielectric constant material as an interlayer insulating film is formed; and thereafter a wiring as an upper layer wiring is formed.