Various embodiments of the present application are directed to an IC device and associated forming methods. In some embodiments, a memory region and a logic region are integrated in a substrate. A memory cell structure is disposed on the memory region. A plurality of logic devices disposed on a plurality of logic sub-regions of the logic region. A first logic device is disposed on a first upper surface of a first logic sub-region. A second logic device is disposed on a second upper surface of a second logic sub-region. A third logic device is disposed on a third upper surface of a third logic sub-region. Heights of the first, second, and third upper surfaces of the logic sub-regions monotonically decrease. By arranging logic devices on multiple recessed positions of the substrate, design flexibility is improved and devices with multiple operation voltages are better suited.

An integrated circuit interconnect structure includes a first metallization level including a first metal line having a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending a length in a first direction. A second metal line is adjacent to the first metal line and a dielectric is between the first metal line and the second metal line. A second metallization level is above the first metallization level where the second metallization level includes a third metal line extending a length in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The third metal line extends over the first metal line and the second metal line but not beyond the first sidewall. A conductive via is between the first metal line and the third metal line where the conductive via does not extend beyond the first sidewall or beyond the second sidewall.

Stacked transistor structures having a conductive interconnect between upper and lower transistors. In an embodiment, the interconnect is formed by first provisioning a protective layer over an area to be protected (gate dielectric or other sensitive material) of upper transistor, and then etching material adjacent and below the protected area to expose an underlying contact point of lower transistor. A metal is deposited into the void created by the etch to provide the interconnect. The protective layer is resistant to the etch process and is preserved in the structure, and in some cases may be utilized as a work-function metal. In an embodiment, the protective layer is formed by deposition of reactive semiconductor and metal material layers which are subsequently transformed into a work function metal or work function metal-containing compound. A remnant of unreacted reactive semiconductor material may be left in structure and collinear with protective layer.

A negative capacitance semiconductor device includes a substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed over a portion of the substrate. A ferroelectric structure is disposed over the dielectric layer. Within the ferroelectric structure: a material composition of the ferroelectric structure varies as a function of a height within the ferroelectric structure. A gate electrode is disposed over the ferroelectric structure.

A semiconductor device including: a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure that includes a nitride semiconductor layer, a gate insulator film, and a gate electrode stacked in stated order; and a source electrode and a drain electrode that are disposed to sandwich the gate electrode in a plan view and contact the nitride semiconductor layer. The gate insulator film includes a threshold value control layer that includes an oxynitride film.

A Vertical Reconfigurable Field Effect Transistor (VRFET) has a substrate and a vertical channel. The vertical channel is in contact with a top silicide region that forms a lower Schottky junction with the vertical channel and a top silicide region that forms an upper Schottky junction with the vertical channel. The lower silicide region and the upper silicide region each form a source/drain (S/D) of the device. A lower gate stack surrounds the vertical channel and has a lower overlap that encompasses the lower Schottky junction. An upper gate stack surrounds the vertical channel and has an upper overlap that encompasses the upper Schottky junction. The lower gate stack is electrically insulated from the upper gate stack. The lower gate stack can electrically control the lower Schottky junction (S/D). The upper gate stack can electrically control the upper Schottky junction (S/D). The control of the lower Schottky junction (S/D) is independent and separate from the control of the upper Schottky junction (S/D). The upper gate stack is stacked above the lower gate stack enabling a reduced device footprint.

A semiconductor device includes a first fin type pattern on a substrate, a second fin type pattern, parallel to the first fin type pattern, on the substrate, and an epitaxial pattern on the first and second fin type patterns. The epitaxial pattern may include a shared semiconductor pattern on the first fin type pattern and the second fin type pattern. The shared semiconductor pattern may include a first sidewall adjacent to the first fin type pattern and a second sidewall adjacent to the second fin type pattern. The first sidewall may include a first lower facet, a first upper facet on the first lower facet and a first connecting curved surface connecting the first lower and upper facets. The second sidewall may include a second lower facet, a second upper facet on the second lower facet and a second connecting curved surface connecting the second lower and upper facets.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first to fourth electrodes, a semiconductor member, and first and second insulating members. The semiconductor member is located between the second and first electrodes, and includes a first semiconductor region a second semiconductor region between the first semiconductor region and the first electrode, a third semiconductor region between the second semiconductor region and the first electrode, a fourth semiconductor region between the second semiconductor region and the first electrode, a fifth semiconductor region between the first semiconductor region and the second electrode, a sixth semiconductor region between the fifth semiconductor region and the second electrode, and a seventh semiconductor region between the fifth semiconductor region and the second electrode. A portion of the first insulating member is between the third electrode and the semiconductor member. A portion of the second insulating member is between the fourth electrode and the semiconductor member.

The semiconductor device includes a first source/drain layer, a dielectric layer, a channel, a gate electrode, a first gate dielectric layer, a seed layer, a conductive layer, and a second source/drain layer. The dielectric layer is disposed on the first source/drain layer, in which the dielectric layer has a hole penetrating the dielectric layer. The channel is disposed in the hole and extends substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the first source/drain layer. The gate electrode surrounds the channel. The first gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the channel. The seed layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the dielectric layer and on an upper surface of the dielectric layer, in which the seed layer covers a portion of a sidewall of the hole.

A method and structure for forming a via-first metal gate contact includes depositing a first dielectric layer over a substrate having a gate structure with a metal gate layer. An opening is formed within the first dielectric layer to expose a portion of the substrate, and a first metal layer is deposited within the opening. A second dielectric layer is deposited over the first dielectric layer and over the first metal layer. The first and second dielectric layers are etched to form a gate via opening. The gate via opening exposes the metal gate layer. A portion of the second dielectric layer is removed to form a contact opening that exposes the first metal layer. The gate via and contact openings merge to form a composite opening. A second metal layer is deposited within the composite opening, thus connecting the metal gate layer to the first metal layer.