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.

In one example, a method includes performing a first etching process to pattern a dielectric layer and expose a contact etch stop layer, performing a second etching process to remove the etch stop layer and expose a top surface of an underlying feature, performing a third etching process to laterally recess the etch stop layer, and depositing a conductive material over the underlying feature to create a conductive feature in direct contact with the underlying feature.

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are described herein. A method includes forming an opening through an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer to expose a contact etch stop layer (CESL) disposed over a conductive feature in a metallization layer. The opening is formed using photo sensitive materials, lithographic techniques, and a dry etch process that stops on the CESL. Once the CESL is exposed, a CESL breakthrough process is performed to extend the opening through the CESL and expose the conductive feature. The CESL breakthrough process is a flexible process with a high selectivity of the CESL to ILD layer. Once the CESL breakthrough process has been performed, a conductive fill material may be deposited to fill or overfill the opening and is then planarized with the ILD layer to form a contact plug over the conductive feature in an intermediate step of forming a semiconductor device.

An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a gate structure, a source epitaxial structure, a drain epitaxial structure, a front-side interconnection structure, a backside dielectric layer, and a backside via. The source epitaxial structure and the drain epitaxial structure are respectively on opposite sides of the gate structure. The front-side interconnection structure is on a front-side of the source epitaxial structure and a front-side of the drain epitaxial structure. The backside dielectric layer is on a backside of the source epitaxial structure and a backside of the drain epitaxial structure and has an air gap therein. The backside via extends through the backside dielectric layer to a first one of the source epitaxial structure and the drain epitaxial structure.

The present disclosure describes a method for forming metallization layers that include a ruthenium metal liner and a cobalt metal fill. The method includes depositing a first dielectric on a substrate having a gate structure and source/drain (S/D) structures, forming an opening in the first dielectric to expose the S/D structures, and depositing a ruthenium metal on bottom and sidewall surfaces of the opening. The method further includes depositing a cobalt metal on the ruthenium metal to fill the opening, reflowing the cobalt metal, and planarizing the cobalt and ruthenium metals to form S/D conductive structures with a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the first dielectric.

An apparatus comprises a first metal feature in a first dielectric layer over a substrate, wherein a sidewall portion of the first dielectric layer is over a top surface of the first metal feature, a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and a second metal feature extending through the second dielectric layer, wherein a bottom of a first portion of the second metal feature is in contact with the top surface of the first metal feature and a bottom of a second portion of the second metal feature is in contact with the sidewall portion of the first dielectric layer.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a magnetic tunnel junction arranged between a bottom electrode and a top electrode and surrounded by a dielectric structure disposed over a substrate. The top electrode has a width that decreases as a height of the top electrode increases. A bottom electrode via couples the bottom electrode to a lower interconnect. An upper interconnect structure is coupled to the top electrode. The upper interconnect structure has a vertically extending surface that is disposed laterally between first and second outermost sidewalls of the upper interconnect structure and along a sidewall of the top electrode. The vertically extending surface and the first outermost sidewall are connected to a bottom surface of the upper interconnect structure that is vertically below a top of the top electrode.

Methods for making semiconductor device having improve contact structures including the operations of depositing a first dielectric material, depositing a barrier material over the first dielectric material, depositing a second dielectric material over the barrier material, etching a two-slope contact opening with an upper sidewall angle of the opening through the second dielectric material that is less than a lower sidewall angle of the opening through the first dielectric material, and filling the two-slope contact opening with a conductive material, the conductive material.

The present disclosure describes an interconnect structure and a method forming the same. The interconnect structure can include a substrate, a layer of conductive material over the substrate, a metallic capping layer over the layer of conductive material, a layer of insulating material over top and side surfaces of the metallic capping layer, and a layer of trench conductor formed in the layer of insulating material and the metallic capping layer.

Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards an integrated circuit (IC) chip comprising a front-end-of-line (FEOL) through semiconductor-on-substrate via (TSV), as well as a method for forming the IC chip. In some embodiments, a semiconductor layer overlies a substrate. The semiconductor layer may, for example, be or comprise a group III-V semiconductor and/or some other suitable semiconductor(s). A semiconductor device is on the semiconductor layer, and a FEOL layer overlies the semiconductor device. The FEOL TSV extends through the FEOL layer and the semiconductor layer to the substrate at a periphery of the IC chip. An intermetal dielectric (IMD) layer overlies the FEOL TSV and the FEOL layer, and an alternating stack of wires and vias is in the IMD layer.