An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate, a transistor, a first dielectric layer, a metal contact, a first low-k dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and a first metal feature. The transistor is over the substrate. The first dielectric layer is over the transistor. The metal contact is in the first dielectric layer and electrically connected to the transistor. The first low-k dielectric layer is over the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer is over the first low-k dielectric layer and has a dielectric constant higher than a dielectric constant of the first low-k dielectric layer. The first metal feature extends through both second dielectric layer and the first low-k dielectric layer to the metal contact.

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are described herein. A method includes forming an opening through an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer to expose a contact etch stop layer (CESL) disposed over a conductive feature in a metallization layer. The opening is formed using photo sensitive materials, lithographic techniques, and a dry etch process that stops on the CESL. Once the CESL is exposed, a CESL breakthrough process is performed to extend the opening through the CESL and expose the conductive feature. The CESL breakthrough process is a flexible process with a high selectivity of the CESL to ILD layer. Once the CESL breakthrough process has been performed, a conductive fill material may be deposited to fill or overfill the opening and is then planarized with the ILD layer to form a contact plug over the conductive feature in an intermediate step of forming a semiconductor device.

Embodiments of 3D memory devices are disclosed. In an example, a 3D memory device includes a memory stack, a structure penetrating the memory stack; a dielectric stack on the memory stack, and a contact structure penetrating the dielectric stack and being in contact with the structure. The dielectric stack comprises a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer having a first dielectric material, and an intermedia dielectric layer sandwiched by the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, and having a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material. The contact structure comprises a lower contact portion penetrating the first dielectric layer and the intermedia dielectric layer, the lower contact portion having a first lateral dimension, and an upper contact portion penetrating the second dielectric layer, the upper contact portion having a second lateral dimension less than the first lateral dimension.

A semiconductor device includes a porous dielectric layer including a recessed portion, a conductive layer formed in the recessed portion, and a cap layer formed on the porous dielectric layer and on the conductive layer in the recessed portion, an upper surface of the porous dielectric layer being exposed through a gap in the cap layer.

Integrated chips and methods of forming the same include forming a stack of layers, including a device stack above a first sacrificial layer, above a substrate. The first sacrificial layer is replaced with a first etch stop layer. The substrate is removed, exposing a substrate-side of the stack of layers. The substrate-side of the stack of layers is etched to form a trench, stopping on the first etch stop layer. A conductive line is formed in the trench.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes a number of operations. A first oxide layer is provided on a semiconductor integrated circuit. A conductive layer of the semiconductor integrated circuit is exposed from a top surface of the first oxide layer. An etch stop layer is formed on the top surface of the first oxide layer. A second oxide layer is formed on the etch stop layer. A through via is formed extending through the second oxide layer and the etch stop layer to expose the conductive layer. Acid is provided on the conductive layer to form a protective layer on the conductive layer. The protective layer includes a compound of the acid and material of the conductive layer. A fence of the second oxide layer at an edge on the through via is removed at the through via by a hydrofluoric acid etching.

A embedded passive structure, a microelectronic system, and an integrated circuit device assembly, and a method of forming the embedded passive structure. The embedded passive structure includes a base layer; a passive device attached to the base layer; a first power plane comprising metal and adjacent an upper surface of the base layer, the first power plane having a portion electrically coupled to a terminal of the passive device, wherein an upper surface of a combination of the first power plane and the passive device defines a recess; a second power plane comprising metal, the second power plane at least partially within the recess and having a lower surface that conforms with the upper surface of the combination; and a liner including a dielectric layer between the first power plane and the second power plane.

A semiconductor device structure and a method for forming a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a first conductive structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first dielectric layer surrounding the first conductive structure and a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor device structure further includes a second conductive structure partially surrounded by the second dielectric layer and partially surrounded by the first conductive structure. In addition, the semiconductor device structure includes an interfacial layer separating the first conductive structure from the second conductive structure.

An interfacial layer is provided that binds a hydrophilic interlayer dielectric to a hydrophobic gap-filling dielectric. The hydrophobic gap-filling dielectric extends over and fill gaps between devices in an array of devices disposed between two metal interconnect layers over a semiconductor substrate and is the product of a flowable CVD process. The interfacial layer provides a hydrophilic upper surface to which the interlayer dielectric adheres. Optionally, the interfacial layer is also the product of a flowable CVD process. Alternatively, the interfacial layer may be silicon nitride or another dielectric that is hydrophilic. The interfacial layer may have a wafer contact angle (WCA) intermediate between a WCA of the hydrophobic dielectric and a WCA of the interlayer dielectric.

Methods open etch stop layers in an integrated environment along with metallization processes. In some embodiments, a method for opening an etch stop layer (ESL) prior to metallization may include etching the ESL with an anisotropic process using direct plasma to form helium ions that are configured to roughen the ESL for a first duration of approximately 10 seconds to approximately 30 seconds, forming aluminum fluoride on the ESL using remote plasma and nitrogen trifluoride gas for a second duration of approximately 10 seconds to approximately 30 seconds, and exposing the ESL to a gas mixture of boron trichloride, trimethylaluminum, and/or dimethylaluminum chloride at a temperature of approximately 100 degrees Celsius to approximately 350 degrees Celsius to remove aluminum fluoride from the ESL and a portion of a material of the ESL for a third duration of approximately 30 seconds to approximately 60 seconds.