A semiconductor device includes a trench extending through a semiconductor substrate and an epitaxial layer disposed over a first side of the semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial layer partially fills a portion of the trench. The semiconductor device further includes a back side metal layer disposed over a second side of the semiconductor substrate. The back side metal layer extends into the trench and fills the remaining portion of the trench. The epitaxial layer partially filling the trench contacts the back side metal layer filling the remaining portion within the trench.

An integrated circuit may be formed by forming a buried isolation layer in an isolation recess in a single-crystal silicon-based substrate. Exposed lateral surfaces of the substrate at the buried isolation layer are covered with a dielectric sidewall. A seed trench is formed through the buried isolation layer to expose the substrate. A single-crystal silicon-based seed layer is formed through the seed trench, extending above the top surface of the buried isolation layer. A silicon-based non-crystalline layer is formed contacting the seed layer. A cap layer is formed over the non-crystalline layer. A radiant-induced recrystallization process converts the non-crystalline layer to a single-crystal layer aligned with the seed layer. The cap layer is removed and the single-crystal layer is planarized, leaving an isolated semiconductor layer over the buried isolation layer.

A silicon island structure and a method of fabricating same are disclosed. The method includes: forming multiple first trenches in a silicon substrate; forming second trenches by partially filling some of the first trenches with an insulating material; depositing a protective layer over the silicon substrate and over the second trenches; removing the protective layer over bottoms of the second trenches and the insulating material under the second trenches, thereby exposing sidewalls of some first trenches; oxidizing portions of the silicon substrate between the exposed sidewalls of the first trenches to form an oxide layer; removing the protective layer covering sidewalls of the second trenches; and filling the second trenches with an isolating material to form isolations, wherein portions of the silicon substrate between the isolations define silicon islands. This method enables the formation of silicon islands at desired locations with reduced process complexity and cost.

A method for producing a semiconductor chip (100) is provided, in which, during a growth process for growing a first semiconductor layer (1), an inhomogeneous lateral temperature distribution is created along at least one direction of extent of the growing first semiconductor layer (1), such that a lateral variation of a material composition of the first semiconductor layer (1) is produced. A semiconductor chip (100) is additionally provided.

Electronic device fins may be formed by epitaxially growing a first layer of material on a substrate surface at a bottom of a trench formed between sidewalls of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. The trench height may be at least 1.5 times its width, and the first layer may fill less than the trench height. Then a second layer of material may be epitaxially grown on the first layer in the trench and over top surfaces of the STI regions. The second layer may have a second width extending over the trench and over portions of top surfaces of the STI regions. The second layer may then be patterned and etched to form a pair of electronic device fins over portions of the top surfaces of the STI regions, proximate to the trench. This process may avoid crystaline defects in the fins due to lattice mismatch in the layer interfaces.

Semiconductor structures are provided. A semiconductor structure includes a bottom substrate having a first region and a second region; an insulation layer formed on the bottom substrate in the first region; a top substrate on side surface of the trench and the insulation layer; a first fin portion formed over the insulation layer, and a gate structure crossing the first fin portion. The first fin portion is electrically isolated from the bottom substrate through the insulation layer to reduce the leakage current at the bottom of the first fin portion. The gate structure covers part of side and top surfaces of the first fin portion.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a buried insulation region within a substrate by processing the substrate using etching and deposition processes. A semiconductor layer is formed over the buried insulation region at a first side of the substrate. Device regions are formed in the semiconductor layer. The substrate is thinned from a second side of the substrate to expose the buried insulation region. The buried insulation region is selectively removed to expose a bottom surface of the substrate. A conductive region is formed under the bottom surface of the substrate.

A method for producing a semiconductor chip (100) is provided, in which, during a growth process for growing a first semiconductor layer (1), an inhomogeneous lateral temperature distribution is created along at least one direction of extent of the growing first semiconductor layer (1), such that a lateral variation of a material composition of the first semiconductor layer (1) is produced. A semiconductor chip (100) is additionally provided.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming openings partially filled with a sacrificial material, where the openings extend into a semiconductor substrate from a first side. A void region is formed in a central region of the openings. An epitaxial layer is formed over the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the openings, where the epitaxial layer covers the void region. From a second side of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the first side, the semiconductor substrate is thinned to expose the sacrificial material. The sacrificial material in the openings is removed and the epitaxial layer is exposed. A conductive material is deposited on the exposed surface of the epitaxial layer.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with a first surface. The device further includes one or more semiconductor devices formed or the first surface in an active area. The device further includes a plurality of cavities in the semiconductor substrate beneath the first surface. The device further includes dielectric support structures between each of the cavities and spaced apart from the first surface. The dielectric support structures support a part of the semiconductor substrate between the active area and the cavities. The dielectric support structures include an oxide.