A semiconductor structure includes a gate structure surrounding a plurality of channels and a cut feature that electrically isolates two separate portions of the gate structure. The cut feature comprises an outer layer having a work-function metal, and an inner layer comprising a dielectric material. The cut feature extends above a top surface of the gate structure.

A 3D semiconductor device including: a first level including a plurality of first metal layers; a second level, where the second level overlays the first level, where the second level includes at least one single crystal silicon layer, where the second level includes a plurality of transistors, where each transistor of the plurality of transistors includes a single crystal channel, where the second level includes a plurality of second metal layers, where the plurality of second metal layers include interconnections between the transistors of the plurality of transistors, and where the second level is overlaid by a first isolation layer; and a connective path between the plurality of transistors and the plurality of first metal layers, where the connective path includes a via disposed through at least the single crystal silicon layer, and where the via includes contact with at least one of the plurality of transistors.

A method includes forming a fin structure over a substrate; forming a gate structure over the substrate and crossing the fin structure, wherein the gate structures comprises a gate electrode and a hard mask layer over the gate electrode; forming gate spacers on opposite sidewalls of the gate structure; performing an ion implantation process to form doped regions in the hard mask layers of the gate structure and in the gate spacers, wherein the ion implantation process is performed at a tilt angle; etching portions of the fin structure exposed by the gate structure and the gate spacers to form recesses in the fin structure; and forming source/drain epitaxial structures in the recesses.

A method for fabricating semiconductor devices includes forming a first semiconductor channel structure and a second semiconductor channel structure over a substrate; forming a metal gate structure, wherein the metal gate structure includes a first portion and a second portion straddling the first semiconductor channel structure and the second semiconductor channel structure, respectively; replacing a third portion of the metal gate structure between the first portion and the second portion with a first dielectric material to form a gate isolation structure, wherein a width of the gate isolation structure along the second direction decreases with an increasing depth of the gate isolation structure toward the substrate; and replacing a portion of the gate isolation structure, the second portion of the metal gate structure, and the second semiconductor channel structure with a second dielectric material to form an edge isolation structure.

IC devices including inductors or transformers formed based on BPRs are disclosed. An example IC device includes semiconductor structures of one or more transistors, an electrically conductive layer, a support structure comprising a semiconductor material, and an inductor. The inductor includes an electrical conductor constituted by a power rail buried in the support structure. The inductor also includes a magnetic core coupled to the electrical conductor. The magnetic core includes magnetic rails buried in the support structure, magnetic TSVs buried in the support structure, and a magnetic plate at the backside of the support structure. The magnetic core includes a magnetic material, such as Fe, NiFe, CoZrTa, etc. In some embodiments, the IC device includes another power rail that is buried in the support structure and constitutes another electrical conductor coupled to the magnetic core. The two power rails and magnetic core can constitute a transformer.

IC devices including BPRs with integrated decoupling capacitance are disclosed. An example IC device includes a first layer comprising a transistor and a support structure adjoining the first layer. The support structure includes BPRs, which are power rails buried in the support structure, and a decoupling capacitor based on the BPRs. The conductive cores of the BPRs are the electrodes of the decoupling capacitor. The dielectric barriers of the BPRs can be the dielectric of the decupling capacitor. The dielectric of the decupling capacitor may also include a dielectric element between the BPRs. Additionally or alternatively, the IC device includes another decoupling capacitor at the backside of the support structure. The other decoupling capacitor is coupled to the BPRs and can provide additional decoupling capacitance for stabilizing power supply facilitated by the BPRs.

A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor substrate has an active region defined by an isolation structure. A trench passes through the active region and the isolation structure. The active region of the semiconductor substrate includes a fin structure in the trench. The fin structure includes a first protrusion extending upwards along a first sidewall of the trench.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first transistor, a second transistor and a third transistor. The substrate includes a high-voltage (HV) area, a medium-voltage (MV) area, and a low-voltage (LV) area. The first transistor is disposed in the HV area and includes a first gate dielectric layer and a first gate electrode. The second transistor is disposed in the LV area and includes a plurality of fin-shaped structures and a second gate electrode. The third transistor is disposed in the MV area and includes a third gate dielectric layer and a third gate electrode. The topmost surfaces of the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode and the third gate electrode are coplanar with each other.

A method includes forming isolation regions extending from a top surface of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate, and forming a hard mask strip over the isolation regions and a semiconductor strip, wherein the semiconductor strip is between two neighboring ones of the isolation regions. A dummy gate strip is formed over the hard mask strip, wherein a lengthwise direction of the dummy gate strip is perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the semiconductor strip, and wherein a portion of the dummy gate strip is aligned to a portion of the semiconductor strip. The method further includes removing the dummy gate strip, removing the hard mask strip, and recessing first portions of the isolation regions that are overlapped by the removed hard mask strip. A portion of the semiconductor strip between and contacting the removed first portions of the isolation regions forms a semiconductor fin.

Provided is a metal gate structure and related methods that include performing a metal gate cut process. The metal gate cut process includes a plurality of etching steps. For example, a first anisotropic dry etch is performed, a second isotropic dry etch is performed, and a third wet etch is performed. In some embodiments, the second isotropic etch removes a residual portion of a metal gate layer including a metal containing layer. In some embodiments, the third etch removes a residual portion of a dielectric layer.