Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices are described herein. A method includes forming a first etch stop layer from a portion of a gate mask, the gate mask extending between spacers adjacent a gate electrode, the gate electrode overlying a semiconductor fin. The method further includes forming a second etch stop layer adjacent the first etch stop layer, forming an opening through the second etch stop layer, and exposing the first etch stop layer by performing a first etching process. The method further includes extending the opening through the first etch stop layer and exposing the gate electrode by performing a second etching process. Once the gate electrode has been exposed, the method further includes forming a gate contact in the opening.

A chip structure is provided. The chip structure includes a substrate. The chip structure includes an interconnect structure over the substrate. The chip structure includes a conductive pad over the interconnect structure. The chip structure includes a passivation layer covering the interconnect structure and exposing the conductive pad. The chip structure includes a first etch stop layer over the passivation layer. The chip structure includes a first buffer layer over the first etch stop layer. The chip structure includes a second etch stop layer over the first buffer layer. The chip structure includes a device element over the second etch stop layer.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure improve integration degree of semiconductor devices by simultaneously forming interconnections extending in various directions through a single gap-fill process. The embodiments of the present invention provide an interconnection structure that is capable of simplifying semiconductor processing, a semiconductor device including the interconnection structure, and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an interconnection structure comprises: a stack of a plurality of interconnections, wherein at least two layers of the plurality of interconnections extend in different directions, and a portion of a top surface of a lower interconnection of the at least two layers is in direct contact with a portion of a bottom surface of an upper interconnection of the at least two layers.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a first pattern structure having a first opening and a second pattern structure having a second opening on a substrate, forming a gap fill layer in the second opening, forming fences and contact structures in the first opening, removing the gap fill layer in the second opening, forming an upper conductive layer to cover the first and second pattern structures, the fences, and the contact structures, forming a mask pattern based on a photolithography process using the second pattern structure covered by the upper conductive layer as an align mark, and etching the upper conductive layer using the mask pattern to form upper conductive patterns. A width of the second opening is larger than a width of a first opening. A thickness of the upper conductive layer is smaller than a depth of the second opening.

A semiconductor memory device including a substrate including an active pattern that includes a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region; an insulating layer on the substrate; a line structure on the insulating layer and extending in a first direction to cross the active pattern, the line structure penetrating the insulating layer on the first source/drain region and including a bit line electrically connected to the first source/drain region; and a contact spaced apart from the line structure and electrically connected to the second source/drain region, wherein the bit line includes a first portion vertically overlapped with the first source/drain region; and a second portion vertically overlapped with the insulating layer, and wherein a lowermost level of a top surface of the first portion of the bit line is at a level lower than a lowermost level of a top surface of the second portion of the bit line.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a patterned film including manganese; depositing a graphene layer over exposed surfaces of the patterned film; depositing a dielectric layer containing silicon and oxygen over the graphene layer; and heat-treating the substrate to form a manganese-containing diffusion barrier region between the graphene layer and the dielectric layer.

A device includes a first conductive feature in an insulating layer; a dielectric layer over the first conductive feature; a second conductive feature in the dielectric layer, wherein the second conductive feature is over and physically contacting the first conductive feature; an air spacer encircling the second conductive feature, wherein sidewalls of the second conductive feature are exposed to the air spacer; a metal cap covering the second conductive feature and extending over the air spacer, wherein the air spacer is sealed by a bottom surface of the metal cap; a first etch stop layer on the dielectric layer, wherein a sidewall of the first etch stop layer physically contacts a sidewall of the metal cap; and a second etch stop layer extending on a top surface of the metal cap and a top surface of the first etch stop layer.

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to methods for removing a dummy material from under a superlattice structure. In some embodiments, after removing the dummy material, it is replaced with a bottom dielectric isolation layer beneath the superlattice structure.

Donor structures having a germanium buffer layer for preparing silicon-germanium-on-insulator structures by layer transfer are disclosed. Bonded structures and methods for preparing silicon-germanium-on-insulator structures by a layer transfer method are also disclosed.

The disclosed subject matter provides a semiconductor structure and fabrication method thereof. In a semiconductor structure, a dielectric layer, a plurality of discrete gate structures, and a plurality of sidewall spacers are formed on a semiconductor substrate. The plurality of discrete gate structures and sidewall spacers are formed in the dielectric layer, and a sidewall spacer is formed on each side of each gate structure. A top portion of each gate structure and a top portion of the dielectric layer between neighboring sidewall spacers of neighboring gate structures are removed. A protective layer is formed on each of the remaining dielectric layer and the remaining gate structures. Contact holes are formed on the semiconductor substrate, between neighboring sidewall spacers, and on opposite sides of the protective layer on the remaining dielectric layer. A metal plug is formed in each contact hole.