The current disclosure describes techniques of protecting a metal interconnect structure from being damaged by subsequent chemical mechanical polishing processes used for forming other metal structures over the metal interconnect structure. The metal interconnect structure is receded to form a recess between the metal interconnect structure and the surrounding dielectric layer. A metal cap structure is formed within the recess. An upper portion of the dielectric layer is strained to include a tensile stress which expands the dielectric layer against the metal cap structure to reduce or eliminate a gap in the interface between the metal cap structure and the dielectric layer.

A semiconductor structure and its fabrication method are provided in the present disclosure. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a plurality of fins on the substrate, and forming an isolation structure layer including a plurality of isolation structures on the substrate, each isolation structure being formed between adjacent fins. The method further includes forming a first opening by etching at least one isolation structure of the plurality of isolation structures and a portion of the substrate, and forming a power rail by filling the first opening with a conductive material, where a top surface of the power rail is lower than a top surface of the plurality of fins.

A semiconductor structure includes a first metallization layer disposed on a first etch stop layer. The first metallization layer includes a first conductive line and a second conductive line, each disposed in a first dielectric layer and extending from the first etch stop layer. The height of the first conductive line is greater than a height of the second conductive line. The semiconductor structure further includes a first via layer comprising a second dielectric layer disposed on a top surface of the first metallization layer and a first via and a second via in the second dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a first conductive material disposed on a top surface of the first conductive line in the first via. The semiconductor structure further includes a second conductive material disposed on a top surface of the second conductive line in the second via.

Processing forms an integrated circuit structure having first and second layers on opposite sides of an insulator, and an interconnect structure extending through the insulator between the first layer and the second layer. The interconnect structure is formed in an opening extending through the insulator between the first layer and the second layer and has an electrical conductor in the opening extending between the first layer and the second layer and a thermally conductive electrical insulator liner along sidewalls of the opening extending between the first layer and the second layer. The electrical conductor is positioned to conduct electrical signals between the first layer and the second layer, and the thermally conductive electrical insulator liner is positioned to transfer heat between the first layer and the second layer.

Semiconductor structures are provided. A semiconductor structure includes a memory cell and a logic cell. The memory cell includes a latch circuit formed by two cross-coupled inverters, and a pass-gate transistor coupling an output of the latch circuit to a bit line. A first source/drain region of the pass-gate transistor is electrically connected to the bit line through a first contact over the first source/drain region and a first via over the first contact. A second source/drain region of a transistor of the logic cell is electrically connected to a local interconnect line through a second contact over the second source/drain region and a second via over the second contact. The local interconnect line and the bit line are formed in the same metal layer, and a top surface of the local interconnection line is lower than a top surface of the bit line.

The present disclosure provides a method that includes depositing a metal layer onto a substrate, subtractive patterning the metal layer into first metal lines, and forming at least one second metal line between two adjacent ones of the first metal lines using a damascene process. The first metal lines have a different metallization structure from the at least one second metal line.

Provided are methods of filling patterned features with molybdenum (Mo). The methods involve selective deposition of Mo films on bottom metal-containing surfaces of a feature including dielectric sidewalls. The selective growth of Mo on the bottom surface allows bottom-up growth and high quality, void-free fill. Also provided are related apparatus.

In some implementations, one or more semiconductor processing tools may form a via for a semiconductor device. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may deposit a metal plug within the via. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may deposit an oxide-based layer on the metal plug within the via. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may deposit a resistor on the oxide-based layer within the via. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may deposit a first landing pad and a second landing pad on the resistor within the via. The one or more semiconductor processing tools may deposit a first metal plug on the first landing pad and a second metal plug on the second landing pad.

The present disclosure describes a semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same. The semiconductor structure can include a substrate, a gate structure over the substrate, a layer of dielectric material over the gate structure, a source/drain (S/D) contact layer formed through and adjacent to the gate structure, and a trench conductor layer over and in contact with the S/D contact layer. The S/D contact layer can include a layer of platinum-group metallic material and a silicide layer formed between the substrate and the layer of platinum-group metallic material. A top width of a top portion of the layer of platinum-group metallic material can be greater than or substantially equal to a bottom width of a bottom portion of the layer of platinum-group metallic material.

A method for making a semiconductor structure, including: forming a conductive layer; forming a patterned mask layer on the conductive layer; patterning the conductive layer to form a recess and a conductive feature; forming a first dielectric layer over the patterned mask layer and filling the recess with the first dielectric layer; patterning the first dielectric layer to form an opening; selectively forming a blocking layer in the opening; forming an etch stop layer to cover the first dielectric layer and exposing the blocking layer; forming on the etch stop layer a second dielectric layer; forming a second dielectric layer on the etch stop layer; patterning the second dielectric layer to form a through hole and exposing the conductive feature; and filling the through hole with an electrically conductive material to form an interconnect electrically connected to the conductive feature.