A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, at least one first gate structure, at least one first spacer, at least one source drain structure, at least one conductor, and at least one protection layer. The first gate structure is present on the substrate. The first spacer is present on at least one sidewall of the first gate structure. The source drain structure is present adjacent to the first spacer. The conductor is electrically connected to the source drain structure. The protection layer is present between the conductor and the first spacer and on a top surface of the first gate structure.

Gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having source or drain structures with epitaxial nubs, and methods of fabricating gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having source or drain structures with epitaxial nubs, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires and a second vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A first pair of epitaxial source or drain structures includes vertically discrete portions aligned with the first vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A second pair of epitaxial source or drain structures includes vertically discrete portions aligned with the second vertical arrangement of horizontal nanowires. A conductive contact structure is laterally between and in contact with the one of the first pair of epitaxial source or drain structures and the one of the second pair of epitaxial source or drain structures.

A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode, a first cap insulating layer disposed over the first gate electrode, first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the first gate electrode and the first cap insulating layer and second sidewall spacers disposed over the first sidewall spacers. The semiconductor device further includes a first protective layer formed over the first cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers. The first protective layer has a π-shape having a head portion and two leg portions in a cross section along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

A semiconductor structure may include one or more nanosheet field-effect transistors formed on a first portion of a substrate, and one or more fin field-effect transistors formed on a second portion of the substrate. A source drain of the one or more nanosheet field-effect transistors or a gate of the one or more nanosheet field-effect transistors may be separated from the substrate by an isolation layer. A source drain of the one or more fin field-effect transistors or a gate of the one or more fin field-effect transistors may be in direct contact with the substrate. The semiconductor structure may include a gate spacer surrounding the gate of the one or more nanosheet field-effect transistors and the gate of the one or more fin field-effect transistors.

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate. The gate stack has a conductive structure and a gate dielectric layer, and a top of the gate dielectric layer is higher than a top of the conductive structure. The semiconductor device also includes a protection element over the gate stack. The semiconductor device further includes a spacer extending along a side surface of the protection element and a sidewall of the gate stack.

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first fin arranged over the semiconductor substrate, and an isolation structure. The first fin includes an upper portion, a bottom portion, and an insulator layer between the upper portion and the bottom portion. A top surface of the insulator layer is wider than a bottom surface of the upper portion of the first fin. The isolation structure surrounds the bottom portion of the first fin.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a first region over a substrate, wherein the first region comprises a first semiconductor material having a L-valley transport energy band structure, a second region in contact with the first region at a junction, wherein the second region comprises a second semiconductor material having a X-valley transport energy band structure, wherein a <111> crystal direction of one or more crystals of the first and second semiconductor materials are substantially orthogonal to the junction, and a metal adjacent to the second region, the metal conductively coupled to the first region through the junction. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a gate structure over a fin structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a source/drain structure in the fin structure and adjacent to the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a first contact plug over the source/drain structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a first via plug over the first contact plug. The semiconductor structure also includes a dielectric layer surrounding the first via plug. The first via plug includes a first group IV element and the dielectric layer includes the first group IV element and a second group IV element.

Embodiments herein may describe techniques for an integrated circuit including a FinFET transistor to be used as an antifuse element having a path through a fin area to couple a source electrode and a drain electrode after a programming operation is performed. A FinFET transistor may include a source electrode in contact with a source area, a drain electrode in contact with a drain area, a fin area including silicon and between the source area and the drain area, and a gate electrode above the fin area and above the substrate. After a programming operation is performed to apply a programming voltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode to generate a current between the source electrode, the fin area, and the drain electrode, a path may be formed through the fin area to couple the source electrode and the drain electrode. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor arrangement includes removing a portion of a first dielectric layer to form a first recess defined by sidewalls of the first dielectric layer, forming a first conductive layer in the first recess, removing a portion of the first conductive layer to form a second recess defined by the sidewalls of the first dielectric layer, forming a second conductive layer in the second recess, where the second conductive layer contacts the first conductive layer, forming a second dielectric layer over the second conductive layer, removing a portion of the second dielectric layer to form a third recess defined by sidewalls of the second dielectric layer, where the second conductive layer is exposed through the third recess, and forming a third conductive layer in the third recess, where the third conductive layer contacts the second conductive layer.