The semiconductor device including an active pattern on a substrate and extending in a first direction, a gate structure on the active pattern, including a gate electrode extending in a second direction different from the first direction, a source/drain pattern on at least one side of the gate structure, and a source/drain contact on the source/drain pattern and connected to the source/drain pattern, wherein with respect to an upper surface of the active pattern, a height of an upper surface of the gate electrode is same as a height of an upper surface of the source/drain contact, and the source/drain contact comprises a lower source/drain contact and an upper source/drain contact on the lower source/drain contact, may be provided.

Fin-based well straps are disclosed herein for improving performance of memory arrays, such as static random access memory arrays. An exemplary integrated circuit (IC) device includes a FinFET disposed over a doped region of a first type dopant. The FinFET includes a first fin structure doped with a first dopant concentration of the first type dopant and first source/drain features of a second type dopant. The IC device further includes a fin-based well strap disposed over the doped region of the first type dopant. The fin-based well strap connects the doped region to a voltage. The fin-based well strap includes a second fin structure doped with a second dopant concentration of the first type dopant and second source/drain features of the first type dopant. The second dopant concentration is greater than (for example, at least three times greater than) the first dopant concentration.

A semiconductor device includes a gate structure on a substrate and an epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structure, in which the epitaxial layer includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer on the first buffer layer, a bulk layer on the second buffer layer, a first cap layer on the bulk layer, and a second cap layer on the first cap layer. Preferably, the bottom surface of the first buffer layer includes a linear surface, a bottom surface of the second buffer layer includes a curve, and the second buffer layer includes a linear sidewall.

A semiconductor device includes a gate structure on a substrate and an epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structure, in which the epitaxial layer includes a first buffer layer, a second buffer layer on the first buffer layer, a bulk layer on the second buffer layer, a first cap layer on the bulk layer, and a second cap layer on the first cap layer. Preferably, the bottom surface of the first buffer layer includes a linear surface, a bottom surface of the second buffer layer includes a curve, and the second buffer layer includes a linear sidewall.

Disclosed are etchstop regions in fins of semiconductor devices, and related methods. A semiconductor device includes a buried region, a fin on the buried region, and a gate formed at least partially around the fin. At least a portion of the fin that borders the buried region includes an etchstop material. The etchstop material includes a doped semiconductor material that has a slower etch rate than that of an intrinsic form of the semiconductor material. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate on a fin, implanting part of the fin with dopants configured to decrease an etch rate of the part of the fin, removing at least part of the fin, and forming an epitaxial semiconductor material on a remaining proximal portion of the fin.

Disclosed are etchstop regions in fins of semiconductor devices, and related methods. A semiconductor device includes a buried region, a fin on the buried region, and a gate formed at least partially around the fin. At least a portion of the fin that borders the buried region includes an etchstop material. The etchstop material includes a doped semiconductor material that has a slower etch rate than that of an intrinsic form of the semiconductor material. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a gate on a fin, implanting part of the fin with dopants configured to decrease an etch rate of the part of the fin, removing at least part of the fin, and forming an epitaxial semiconductor material on a remaining proximal portion of the fin.

A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate stack over an active region and a source/drain region in the active region adjacent the gate stack. The source/drain region includes a first semiconductor layer having a first germanium concentration and a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a second germanium concentration greater than the first germanium concentration. The source/drain region further includes a third semiconductor layer over the second semiconductor layer and a fourth semiconductor layer over the third semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer has a third germanium concentration greater than the second germanium concentration. The fourth semiconductor layer has a fourth germanium concentration less than the third germanium concentration.

A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises a fin disposed over a substrate, wherein the fin includes a channel region and a source/drain region; a gate structure disposed over the substrate and over the channel region of the fin; a source/drain feature epitaxially grown in the source/drain region of the fin, wherein the source/drain feature includes a top epitaxial layer and a lower epitaxial layer formed below the top epitaxial layer, and the lower epitaxial layer includes a wavy top surface; and a contact having a wavy bottom surface matingly engaged with the wavy top surface of the lower epitaxial layer of the source/drain feature.

A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. An exemplary semiconductor device comprises a fin disposed over a substrate, wherein the fin includes a channel region and a source/drain region; a gate structure disposed over the substrate and over the channel region of the fin; a source/drain feature epitaxially grown in the source/drain region of the fin, wherein the source/drain feature includes a top epitaxial layer and a lower epitaxial layer formed below the top epitaxial layer, and the lower epitaxial layer includes a wavy top surface; and a contact having a wavy bottom surface matingly engaged with the wavy top surface of the lower epitaxial layer of the source/drain feature.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a device isolation layer on the substrate, the device isolation layer defining a first active pattern, a pair of first source/drain patterns on the first active pattern, the pair of first source/drain patterns being spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and each of the pair of first source/drain patterns having a maximum first width in the first direction, a first channel pattern between the pair of first source/drain patterns, a gate electrode on the first channel pattern and extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a first amorphous region in the first active pattern, the first amorphous region being below at least one of the pair of first source/drain patterns, and having a maximum second width in the first direction that is less than the maximum first width.