The present disclosure describes various non-planar semiconductor devices, such as fin field-effect transistors (finFETs) to provide an example, having one or more metal rail conductors and various methods for fabricating these non-planar semiconductor devices. In some situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be electrically connected to gate, source, and/or drain regions of these various non-planar semiconductor devices. In these situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be utilized to electrically connect the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices to other gate, source, and/or drain regions of various non-planar semiconductor devices and/or other semiconductor devices. However, in other situations, the one or more metal rail conductors can be isolated from the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions these various non-planar semiconductor devices. This isolation prevents electrical connection between the one or more metal rail conductors and the gate, the source, and/or the drain regions these various non-planar semiconductor devices.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first fin and a second fin protruding above a substrate; forming isolation regions on opposing sides of the first fin and the second fin; forming a metal gate over the first fin and over the second fin, the metal gate being surrounded by a first dielectric layer; and forming a recess in the metal gate between the first fin and the second fin, where the recess extends from an upper surface of the metal gate distal the substrate into the metal gate, where the recess has an upper portion distal the substrate and a lower portion between the upper portion and the substrate, where the upper portion has a first width, and the lower portion has a second width larger than the first width, the first width and the second width measured along a longitudinal direction of the metal gate.

An integrated circuit device with a substrate and a plurality of fins is provided where fin width is less than 11 nanometers, fin height is greater than 155 nanometers and spacing between any two neighboring fins is less than 30 nanometers and each fin is in non-collapsed state. An integrated circuit device with a substrate and a plurality of fins is provided where fin width is less than 15 nanometers, fin height is greater than 190 nanometers and spacing between any two neighboring fins is less than 30 nanometers and each fin is in non-collapsed state. A method for forming a fin-based transistor structure is provided where a plurality of fins on a substrate are pre-treated with at least one of a self-assembled monolayer, a non-polar solvent, and a surfactant. One or more of these treatments is to reduce adhesion and/or cohesive forces to prevent occurrence of fin collapse.

Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first plurality of conductive interconnect lines in and spaced apart by a first ILD layer, wherein individual ones of the first plurality of conductive interconnect lines comprise a first conductive barrier material along sidewalls and a bottom of a first conductive fill material. A second plurality of conductive interconnect lines is in and spaced apart by a second ILD layer above the first ILD layer, wherein individual ones of the second plurality of conductive interconnect lines comprise a second conductive barrier material along sidewalls and a bottom of a second conductive fill material, wherein the second conductive fill material is different in composition from the first conductive fill material.

A device includes a fin extending from a substrate, a gate stack over and along sidewalls of the fin, a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate stack, and an epitaxial source/drain region in the fin and adjacent the gate spacer. The epitaxial source/drain region includes a first epitaxial layer on the fin, the first epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium, and arsenic, and a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer including silicon and phosphorus, the first epitaxial layer separating the second epitaxial layer from the fin. The epitaxial source/drain region further includes a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial layer, the third epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium, and phosphorus.

A semiconductor device including a device isolation region is provided. The semiconductor device includes first active regions disposed on a substrate, and an isolation region between the active regions. The isolation region includes a first portion formed of a first insulating material, and a second portion formed of a second insulating material, having different characteristics from those of the first insulating material. The first portion is closer to the first active regions than the second portion. The second portion has a bottom surface having a height different from that of a bottom surface of the first portion.

A method for forming a multi-gate semiconductor device includes forming a fin structure including alternating stacked first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over a substrate, forming a dummy gate structure across the fin structure, forming a first spacer alongside the dummy gate structure, removing a first portion of the first spacer to expose the dummy gate structure, forming a second spacer between a second portion of first spacer and the dummy gate structure after removing the first portion of the first spacer, removing the dummy gate structure to expose a sidewall of the second spacer, removing the first semiconductor layers of the fin structure to form a plurality of nanostructures from the second semiconductor layers of the fin structure, and forming a gate conductive structure to wrap around the plurality of nanostructures. The gate conductive structure is in contact with the sidewall of the second spacer.

A semiconductor device according to some embodiments of the disclosure may include a fin type active pattern extending in a first direction, a plurality of gate structures on the fin type active pattern and extending in a second direction different from the first direction, a plurality of inter-contact insulation patterns on respective ones of the plurality of gate structures, a plurality of interlayer insulation layers on side surfaces of the plurality of gate structures, and a plurality of contact plugs respectively between pairs of the plurality of gate structures. The fin type active pattern may include a plurality of source/drains. Lower ends of the plurality of contact plugs may contact the plurality of source/drains. The plurality of gate structures may each include a first gate metal, a second gate metal, a gate capping layer, a gate insulation layer, a first spacer, and a second spacer.

A semiconductor device includes a first device fin and a second device fin. A first source/drain component is epitaxially grown over the first device fin. A second source/drain component is epitaxially grown over the second device fin. A first dummy fin structure is disposed between the first device fin and the second device fin. A gate structure partially wraps around the first device fin, the second device fin, and the first dummy fin structure. A first portion of the first dummy fin structure is disposed between the first source/drain component and the second source/drain component and outside the gate structure. A second portion of the first dummy fin structure is disposed underneath the gate structure. The first portion of the first dummy fin structure and the second portion of the first dummy fin structure have different physical characteristics.

A first dielectric layer is formed over upper and side surfaces of a semiconductor fin structure. A mask layer is formed over a first portion of the first dielectric layer disposed over the upper surface of the fin structure. The mask layer and the first dielectric layer have different material compositions. Second portions of the first dielectric layer disposed on side surfaces of the fin structure are etched. The mask layer protects the first portion of the first dielectric layer from being etched. A second dielectric layer is formed over the mask layer and the side surfaces of the fin structure. An oxidation process is performed to convert the mask layer into a dielectric material having substantially a same material composition as the first or second dielectric layer. The dielectric material and remaining portions of the first or second dielectric layer collectively serve as a gate dielectric of a transistor.