The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a semiconductor memory device with air gaps between conductive features. The method includes forming an isolation layer defining a first active region in a substrate; forming a first doped region in the first active region; forming a first word line buried in a first trench adjacent to the first doped region; and forming a high-level bit line contact positioned on the first doped region; forming a first air gap surrounding the high-level bit line contact. The forming of the first word line comprises: forming a lower electrode structure and an upper electrode structure on the lower electrode structure. The forming of the upper electrode structure comprises: forming a source layer substantially covering a sidewall of the first trench; forming a conductive layer on the source layer; and forming a work-function adjustment layer disposed between the source layer and the conductive layer.

Methods of cutting gate structures and fins, and structures formed thereby, are described. In an embodiment, a substrate includes first and second fins and an isolation region. The first and second fins extend longitudinally parallel, with the isolation region disposed therebetween. A gate structure includes a conformal gate dielectric over the first fin and a gate electrode over the conformal gate dielectric. A first insulating fill structure abuts the gate structure and extends vertically from a level of an upper surface of the gate structure to at least a surface of the isolation region. No portion of the conformal gate dielectric extends vertically between the first insulating fill structure and the gate electrode. A second insulating fill structure abuts the first insulating fill structure and an end sidewall of the second fin. The first insulating fill structure is disposed laterally between the gate structure and the second insulating fill structure.

A semiconductor feature includes: a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric structure and a semiconductor device disposed on the semiconductor substrate; an interconnecting structure disposed in the dielectric structure and connected to the semiconductor device; an STI structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the semiconductor device; two DTI structures penetrating the semiconductor substrate and the STI structure and surrounding the semiconductor device; a passivation structure connected to the semiconductor substrate and the DTI structures and located opposite to the interconnecting structure; and a conductive structure surrounded by the passivation structure, penetrating the semiconductor substrate and the STI structure into the dielectric structure, located between the DTI structures and electrically connected to the semiconductor device via the interconnecting structure.

A method includes etching a hybrid substrate to form a recess extending into the hybrid substrate. The hybrid substrate includes a first semiconductor layer having a first surface orientation, a dielectric layer over the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer having a second surface orientation different from the first surface orientation. After the etching, a top surface of the first semiconductor layer is exposed to the recess. A spacer is formed on a sidewall of the recess. The spacer contacts a sidewall of the dielectric layer and a sidewall of the second semiconductor layer. An epitaxy is performed to grow an epitaxy semiconductor region from the first semiconductor layer. The spacer is removed.

An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of semiconductor strips, a first recess being formed by two adjacent semiconductor strips among the plurality of semiconductor strips, a second recess being formed within the first recess, and an isolation region being provided in the first recess and the second recess. The second recess has a lower depth than the first recess.

A method includes providing a semiconductor structure including a first semiconductor substrate, an insulator layer over the first semiconductor substrate, and a second semiconductor substrate over the insulator layer; patterning the second semiconductor substrate to form a top fin portion over the insulator layer; conformally depositing a protection layer to cover the top fin portion, wherein a first portion of the protection layer is in contact with a top surface of the insulator layer; etching the protection layer to remove a second portion of the protection layer directly over the top fin portion while a third portion of the protection layer still covers a sidewall of the top fin portion; etching the insulator layer by using the third portion of the protection layer as an etch mask; and after etching the insulator layer, removing the third portion of the protection layer.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a cell region, a peripheral region, and a boundary region between the cell region and the peripheral region, cell active patterns on the cell region of the substrate, peripheral active patterns on the peripheral region of the substrate, a boundary insulating pattern disposed on the boundary region of the substrate and disposed between the cell active patterns and the peripheral active patterns, and a bumper pattern disposed on the cell region of the substrate and disposed between the boundary insulating pattern and the cell active patterns. A width of the bumper pattern in a first direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate is greater than a width of each of the cell active patterns in the first direction.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, an element isolation portion that is formed at the semiconductor layer and that defines an element region in the semiconductor layer, and a first contact that is formed in a linear shape along the element isolation portion in a plan view and that is electrically connected to the element isolation portion. The semiconductor device further includes a semiconductor substrate supporting the semiconductor layer and a buried layer formed so as to be contiguous to the semiconductor layer, and the element isolation portion may reach the semiconductor substrate through the buried layer from a front surface of the semiconductor layer.

A semiconductor device includes a trench defining an active region in a substrate, a first insulating layer on a bottom surface and side surfaces of the active region inside the trench, a shielding layer on a surface of the first insulating layer, the shielding layer including a plurality of spaced apart particles, a second insulating layer on the shielding layer and having first charge trapped therein, the plurality of spaced apart particles being configured to concentrate second charge having an opposite polarity to the charge trapped in the second insulating layer, and a gap-fill insulating layer on the second insulating layer in the trench.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first shallow trench isolation structure in a first region of a substrate and second shallow trench isolation structures in a second region of the substrate. The method also includes forming a mask layer over the substrate, the first shallow trench isolation structure, and the second shallow trench isolation structures. The method further includes etching the mask layer and second shallow trench isolation structures in the second region sequentially to form a semiconductor protrusion between the second shallow trench isolation structures.