Methods of etching a metal layer and a metal-containing barrier layer to a predetermined depth are described. In some embodiments, the metal layer and metal-containing barrier layer are formed on a substrate with a first dielectric and a second dielectric thereon. The metal layer and the metal-containing barrier layer formed within a feature in the first dielectric and the second dielectric. In some embodiments, the metal layer and metal-containing barrier layer can be sequentially etched from a feature formed in a dielectric material. In some embodiments, the sidewalls of the feature formed in a dielectric material are passivated to change the adhesion properties of the dielectric material.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method to form an air gap structure. An opening is formed in a first dielectric layer between adjacent conductors. A first dielectric layer is formed over the opening to fill a first portion of the opening. A remainder of the opening is free of the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on a top surface of the first dielectric layer, with a remainder of the opening unfilled. The second dielectric layer is devoid of wiring. The remainder of the opening below the second dielectric layer defines an air gap structure. A wiring layer is formed above the air gap structure.

The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device that includes a transistor. The transistor includes a source/drain region that includes a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface. The transistor includes a salicide region on the back surface and a channel region in contact with the source/drain region. The channel region has a front surface co-planar with the front surface of the source/drain region. The transistor further includes a gate structure disposed on a front surface of the channel region. The semiconductor device also includes a backside contact structure that includes a conductive contact in contact with the salicide region and a liner layer surrounding the conductive contact.

Methods of forming a semiconductor device structure are described. The method includes forming a first conductive feature including a conductive fill material over a substrate, forming an etch stop layer on the conductive fill material, forming an intermetallization dielectric on the etch stop layer, forming an opening in the etch stop layer and the intermetallization dielectric to expose a portion of the conductive fill material, forming a recess in the exposed portion of the conductive fill material, and the opening and the recess together form a rivet-shaped space. The method further includes forming a second conductive feature in the rivet-shaped space and forming a metal nitride layer over the intermetallization dielectric and the second conductive feature. The forming the metal nitride layer includes depositing the metal nitride layer and treating the metal nitride layer with a plasma treatment process.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes depositing an etch-stop layer (ESL) over a first dielectric layer. The ESL layer deposition can include: flowing a first precursor over the first dielectric layer; purging at least a portion of the first precursor; flowing a second precursor over the first dielectric layer to form a sublayer of the ESL layer; and purging at least a portion of the second precursor. The method can further include depositing a second dielectric layer on the ESL layer and forming a via in the second dielectric layer and through the ESL layer.

The present disclosure describes a method for forming a nitrogen-rich protective layer within a low-k layer of a metallization layer to prevent damage to the low-k layer from subsequent processing operations. The method includes forming, on a substrate, a metallization layer having conductive structures in a low-k dielectric. The method further includes forming a capping layer on the conductive structures, where forming the capping layer includes exposing the metallization layer to a first plasma process to form a nitrogen-rich protective layer below a top surface of the low-k dielectric, releasing a precursor on the metallization layer to cover top surfaces of the conductive structures with precursor molecules, and treating the precursor molecules with a second plasma process to dissociate the precursor molecules and form the capping layer. Additionally, the method includes forming an etch stop layer to cover the capping layer and top surfaces of the low-k dielectric.

A semiconductor device with densified dielectric structures and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure, forming an isolation structure adjacent to the fin structure, forming a source/drain (S/D) region on the fin structure, depositing a flowable dielectric layer on the isolation structure, converting the flowable dielectric layer into a non-flowable dielectric layer, performing a densification process on the non-flowable dielectric layer, and repeating the depositing, converting, and performing to form a stack of densified dielectric layers surrounding the S/D region.

The present disclosure provides a method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, including forming a dielectric layer over a first region and a second region of a substrate, wherein the second region is adjacent to the first region, increasing a thickness of the dielectric layer in the first region, including forming an oxygen capturing layer over the dielectric layer in the first region, including forming the oxygen capturing layer over the first region and the second region, and removing the oxygen capturing layer over the second region with a mask layer, performing an oxidizing operation from a top surface of the oxygen capturing layer to increase oxygen concentration of the oxygen capturing layer, removing the oxygen capturing layer over the first region, and forming a gate structure over the dielectric layer.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods of fabricating conductive features to prevent metal extrusion. Particularly, the conductive feature includes a control layer to reduce grain size of a metal containing layer, thus obtaining a robust structure to decrease extrusion defects. In some embodiments, the control layer is formed between a barrier layer and the conductive feature. In some embodiments, the control layer is formed by adding a control element, such as oxygen, to an upper portion of the barrier layer.

An integrated circuit device includes a fin-type active area that extends on a substrate in a first direction, a gate structure that extends on the substrate in a second direction and crosses the fin-type active area, source/drain areas arranged on first and second sides of the gate structure, and a contact structure electrically connected to the source/drain areas. The source/drain areas comprise a plurality of merged source/drain structures. Each source/drain area comprises a plurality of first points respectively located on an upper surface of the source/drain area at a center of each source/drain structure, and each source/drain area comprises at least one second point respectively located on the upper surface of the source/drain area where side surfaces of adjacent source/drain structures merge with one another. A bottom surface of the contact structure is non-uniform and corresponds to the first and second points.