A method and apparatus for material deposition onto a sample to form a protective layer composed of at least two materials that have been formulated and arranged according to the material properties of the sample.

Fin-like field effect transistors (FinFETs) having high mobility strained channels and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes forming a first silicon fin in a first type FinFET device region and a second silicon fin in a second type FinFET device region. First epitaxial source/drain features and second epitaxial source/drain features are formed respectively over first source/drain regions of the first silicon fin second source/drain regions of the second silicon fin. A gate replacement process is performed to form a gate structure over a first channel region of the first silicon fin and a second channel region of the second silicon fin. During the gate replacement process, a masking layer covers the second channel region of the second silicon fin when a silicon germanium channel capping layer is formed over the first channel region of the first silicon fin.

The present disclosure describes a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure that includes forming a dummy gate structure over a substrate, forming a first spacer on a sidewall of the dummy gate structure and a second spacer on the first spacer, forming a source/drain structure on the substrate, removing the second spacer, forming a dielectric structure over the source/drain structure, replacing the dummy gate structure with a metal gate structure and a capping structure on the metal gate structure, and forming an opening in the dielectric structure. The opening exposes the source/drain structure. The method further includes forming a dummy spacer on a sidewall of the opening, forming a contact structure in the opening, and removing the dummy spacer to form an air gap between the contact structure and the metal gate structure. The contact structure is in contact with the source/drain structure in the opening.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of semiconductors, and discloses a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method therefor. The manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate; forming a source and a drain that are at least partially located in the substrate; forming a diffused layer on a surface of at least one of the source or the drain, where a conductivity type of the diffused layer is the same conductivity type as the source and the drain, and a doping density of a dopant contained in the diffused layer is separately greater than doping densities of dopants contained in the source and the drain; and performing an annealing processing after the diffused layer is formed. The present disclosure can increase a doping density at a surface of a source and/or a drain, helping to reduce a contact resistance, thereby improving performance of a device.

Examples of an integrated circuit with a gate structure and a method for forming the integrated circuit are provided herein. In some examples, a workpiece is received that includes a substrate having a channel region. A gate dielectric is formed on the channel region, and a layer containing a dopant is formed on the gate dielectric. The workpiece is annealed to transfer the dopant to the gate dielectric, and the layer is removed after the annealing. In some such examples, after the layer is removed, a work function layer is formed on the gate dielectric and a fill material is formed on the work function layer to form a gate structure.

Electronic devices and methods with a barrier layer and methods of forming the barrier layer are described. A substrate can be exposed to a metal precursor (e.g., a tantalum precursor), a reactant (e.g., ammonia) and an optional plasma to form a first thickness of the barrier layer. An optional aluminum film can be formed on the first barrier layer and a second barrier layer is formed on the first barrier layer to form barrier layer with an aluminum inter-layer.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate, forming an interfacial layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the substrate, depositing a high- dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms in the deposited high- dielectric layer, and performing a post-nitridation anneal process to passivate chemical bonds in the plasma nitridated high- dielectric layer.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack formed over a semiconductor substrate, a source/drain contact structure adjacent to the gate stack, and a gate spacer formed between the gate stack and the source/drain contact structure. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first insulating capping feature covering an upper surface of the gate stack, a second insulating capping feature covering an upper surface of the source/drain contact structure, and an insulating layer covering the upper surfaces of the first insulating capping feature and the second insulating capping feature. The second insulating capping feature includes a material that is different from a material of the first insulating capping feature. The semiconductor device structure also includes a via structure passing through the insulating layer and the first insulating capping feature and electrically connected to the gate stack.

Methods and systems for selectively depositing a p-type doped silicon germanium layer and structures and devices including a p-type doped silicon germanium layer are disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a substrate, comprising a surface comprising a first area comprising a first material and a second area comprising a second material, within a reaction chamber; depositing a p-type doped silicon germanium layer overlying the surface, the p-type doped silicon germanium layer comprising gallium; and depositing a cap layer overlying the p-type doped silicon germanium layer. The method can further include an etch step to remove the cap layer and the p-type doped silicon germanium layer overlying the second material.

A semiconductor device includes a fin structure protruding from a first isolation insulating layer provided over a substrate, a gate dielectric layer disposed over a channel region of the fin structure, a gate electrode layer disposed over the gate dielectric layer, a base semiconductor epitaxial layer disposed over a source/drain region of the fin structure, and a cap semiconductor epitaxial layer disposed over the base semiconductor epitaxial layer. The cap semiconductor epitaxial layer has a different lattice constant than the base semiconductor epitaxial layer, and a surface roughness of the cap semiconductor epitaxial layer along a source-to-drain direction is greater than zero and smaller than a surface roughness of the base semiconductor epitaxial layer along the source-to-drain direction.