Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having local interconnects, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having local interconnects, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate structure over a first semiconductor fin, and a second gate structure over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first and second semiconductor fins and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A gate plug is over the gate endcap isolation structure and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A local gate interconnect is between the gate plug and the gate endcap isolation structure, the local gate interconnect in contact with the first and second gate structures.

Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes a fin structure having a plurality of first semiconductor patterns and a plurality of second semiconductor patterns alternately stacked on a substrate, and extending in a first direction. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor cap layer on an upper surface of the fin structure, and extending along opposite side surfaces of the fin structure in a second direction crossing the first direction. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode on the semiconductor cap layer, and extending in the second direction. The semiconductor device includes a gate insulating film between the semiconductor cap layer and the gate electrode. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a source/drain region connected to the fin structure. The plurality of first semiconductor patterns include silicon germanium (SiGe) having a germanium (Ge) content in a range of 25% to 35%, and the plurality of second semiconductor patterns include silicon (Si).

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor fin projecting from a substrate. Semiconductor nanostructures are disposed over the semiconductor fin. A gate electrode is disposed over the semiconductor fin and around the semiconductor nanostructures. A dielectric fin is disposed over the substrate. A dielectric structure is disposed over the dielectric fin. An upper surface of the dielectric structure is disposed over the upper surface of the gate electrode. A dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate. The dielectric fin laterally separates both the gate electrode and the semiconductor nanostructures from the dielectric layer. An upper surface of the dielectric layer is disposed over the upper surface of the gate electrode structure and the upper surface of the dielectric structure. A lower surface of the dielectric layer is disposed below the upper surface of the dielectric fin.

A method comprises forming a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate; etching back the gate structure; forming a gate dielectric cap over the etched back gate structure; depositing an etch-resistant layer over the gate dielectric cap; depositing a contact etch stop layer over the gate dielectric cap and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the contact etch stop layer; performing a first etching process to form a gate contact opening extending through the ILD layer and terminating prior to reaching the etch-resistant layer; performing a second etching process to deepen the gate contact opening, wherein the second etching process etches the etch-resistant layer at a slower etch rate than etching the contact etch stop layer; and forming a gate contact in the deepened gate contact opening.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a boundary region between first and second regions, first active patterns on the first region, second active patterns on the second region, and an isolation insulating pattern on the boundary region between the first and second active patterns. A width of at least some of the first active patterns have different widths. Widths of the second active patterns may be equal to each other. A bottom surface of the isolation insulating pattern includes a first bottom surface adjacent to a corresponding first active pattern, a second bottom surface adjacent to a corresponding second active pattern, and a third bottom surface between the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface. The third bottom surface is located at a different height from those of the first and second bottom surfaces with respect to a bottom surface of the substrate.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for forming merged source/drain features from two or more fin structures. The merged source/drain features according to the present disclosure have a merged portion with an increased height percentage over the overall height of the source/drain feature. The increase height percentage provides an increased landing range for source/drain contact features, therefore, reducing the connection resistance between the source/drain feature and the source/drain contact features. In some embodiments, the emerged source/drain features include one or more voids formed within the merged portion.

The present disclosure is directed to methods for the formation of high-voltage nano-sheet transistors and low-voltage gate-all-around transistors on a common substrate. The method includes forming a fin structure with first and second nano-sheet layers on the substrate. The method also includes forming a gate structure having a first dielectric and a first gate electrode on the fin structure and removing portions of the fin structure not covered by the gate structure. The method further includes partially etching exposed surfaces of the first nano-sheet layers to form recessed portions of the first nano-sheet layers in the fin structure and forming a spacer structure on the recessed portions. In addition, the method includes replacing the first gate electrode with a second dielectric and a second gate electrode, and forming an epitaxial structure abutting the fin structure.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A plurality of fins is formed over a substrate. Dummy gates are formed patterned over the fins, each dummy gate having a spacer on sidewalls of the patterned dummy gates. Recesses are formed in the fins using the patterned dummy gates as a mask. A passivation layer is formed over the fins and in the recesses in the fins. The passivation layer is patterned to leave a remaining passivation layer only in some of the recesses in the fins. Source and drain regions are epitaxially formed only in the recesses in the fins without the remaining passivation layer.

Semiconductor structures and methods are provided. A method according to the present disclosure includes providing a workpiece that includes a plurality of active regions including channel regions and source/drain regions, and a plurality of dummy gate stacks intersecting the plurality of active regions at the channel regions, the plurality of dummy gate stacks including a device portion and a terminal end portion. The method further includes depositing a gate spacer layer over the workpiece, anisotropically etching the workpiece to recess the source/drain regions and to form a gate spacer from the gate spacer layer, forming a patterned photoresist layer over the workpiece to expose the device portion and the recessed source/drain regions while the terminal end portion is covered, and after the forming of the patterned photoresist layer, epitaxially forming source/drain features over the recessed source/drain regions.

A semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a semiconductor fin protruding from the substrate, where the semiconductor fin includes semiconductor layers stacked in a vertical direction, a gate stack engaging with channel regions of the semiconductor fin, and source/drain (S/D) features disposed adjacent to the gate stack in S/D regions of the semiconductor fin. In the present embodiments, the gate stack includes a first portion disposed over the semiconductor layers and a second portion disposed between the semiconductor layers, where the first portion includes a work-function metal (WFM) layer and a metal fill layer disposed over the WFM layer and the second portion includes the WFM layer but is free of the metal fill layer.