A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first conductive feature over a portion of the substrate, and an etch stop layer over the substrate and the first conductive feature. The etch stop layer includes a silicon-containing dielectric (SCD) layer and a metal-containing dielectric (MCD) layer over the SCD layer. The semiconductor device further includes a dielectric layer over the etch stop layer, and a second conductive feature in the dielectric layer. The second conductive feature penetrates the etch stop layer and electrically connects to the first conductive feature.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for manufacturing metal contacts under ground-up contact pads within a device. A device may comprise a bottom metal layer with a bottom metal contact, a top metal layer with a top metal contact, and a plurality of middle metal layers. Any given metal layer of the plurality of middle metal layers comprises a metal contact, the metal contact is substantially vertically below the top metal contact, substantially vertically above the bottom metal contact, and substantially vertically above a metal contact in any metal layer that is below the given metal layer. The metal contacts may be of various and different shapes. All the metal contacts in the plurality of middle metal layers and the bottom metal contact may be smaller than the top metal contact, therefore occupying less area and saving more area for other functions such as device routing.

Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a layer disposed over a substrate. A conductive body extends through the layer. A plurality of bar or pillar structures are spaced apart from one another and laterally surround the conductive body. The plurality of bar or pillar structures are generally concentric around the conductive body.

An interconnect apparatus and a method of forming the interconnect apparatus is provided. Two integrated circuits are bonded together. A first opening is formed through one of the substrates. A multi-layer dielectric film is formed along sidewalls of the first opening. One or more etch processes form one or more spacer-shaped structures along sidewalls of the first opening. A second opening is formed extending from the first opening to pads in the integrated circuits. A dielectric liner is formed, and the opening is filled with a conductive material to form a conductive plug.

In various embodiments a method for manufacturing a metallization layer on a substrate is provided, wherein the method may include providing a structured layer of a catalyst material on the substrate, the catalyst material may include a first layer of material arranged over the substrate and a second layer of material arranged over the first layer of material, wherein the structured layer of catalyst material having a first set of regions including the catalyst material over the substrate and a second set of regions free of the catalyst material over the substrate, and forming a plurality of groups of nanotubes over the substrate, each group of the plurality of groups of nanotubes includes a plurality of nanotubes formed over a respective region in the first set of regions.

A method includes bonding a die to a substrate, where the substrate has a first redistribution structure, the die has a second redistribution structure, and the first redistribution structure is bonded to the second redistribution structure. A first isolation material is formed over the substrate and around the die. A first conductive via is formed, extending from a first surface of the substrate, where the first surface is opposite the second redistribution structure, the first conductive via contacting a first conductive element in the second redistribution structure. Forming the first conductive via includes patterning an opening in the substrate, extending the opening to expose the first conductive element, where extending the opening includes using a portion of a second conductive element in the first redistribution structure as an etch mask, and filling the opening with a conductive material.

A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming an initial metal layer; simultaneously forming a plurality of discrete first metal layers and openings by etching the initial metal layer; forming a plurality of sidewalls covering the side surface of the first metal layers; and forming a plurality of second metal layers to fill the openings.

A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die and second semiconductor die with a conductive layer formed over the first semiconductor die and second semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die is disposed adjacent to the first semiconductor die with a side surface and the conductive layer of the first semiconductor die contacting a side surface and the conductive layer of the second semiconductor die. An interconnect, such as a conductive material, is formed across a junction between the conductive layers of the first and second semiconductor die. The conductive layer may extend down the side surface of the first semiconductor die and further down the side surface of the second semiconductor die. An extension of the side surface of the first semiconductor die can interlock with a recess of the side surface of the second semiconductor die. The conductive layer extends over the extension and into the recess.

A method that provides patterning of an underlying layer to form a first set of trenches and a second set of trenches in the underlying layer is based on a combination of two litho-etch (LE) patterning processes supplemented with a spacer-assisted (SA) technique. The method uses a layer stack comprising three memorization layers: an upper memorization layer allowing first memorizing upper trenches, and then one or more upper blocks; an intermediate memorization layer allowing first memorizing intermediate trenches and one or more first intermediate blocks, and then second intermediate blocks and intermediate lines; and a lower memorization layer allowing first memorizing first lower trenches and one or more first lower blocks, and then second lower trenches and one or more second lower blocks.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a device. The device includes a substrate comprising a silicon layer disposed over an insulating layer. The substrate includes a transistor device region and a radio-frequency (RF) region. An interconnect structure is disposed over the substrate and includes a plurality of metal layers disposed within a dielectric structure. A handle substrate is disposed over an upper surface of the interconnect structure. A trapping layer separates the interconnect structure and the handle substrate.