A method for making a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate with a contact feature thereon; forming a dielectric layer on the substrate; etching the dielectric layer to form an interconnect opening exposing the contact feature; forming a metal layer on the dielectric layer and outside of the contact feature; and forming a graphene conductive structure on the metal layer, the graphene conductive structure filling the interconnect opening, being electrically connected to the contact feature, and having at least one graphene layer that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate.

The present disclosure describes a method for forming a barrier structure between liner-free conductive structures and underlying conductive structures. The method includes forming openings in a dielectric layer disposed on a contact layer, where the openings expose conductive structures in the contact layer. A first metal layer is deposited in the openings and is grown thicker on top surfaces of the conductive structures and thinner on sidewall surfaces of the openings. The method further includes exposing the first metal layer to ammonia to form a bilayer with the first metal layer and a nitride of the first metal layer, and subsequently exposing the nitride to an oxygen plasma to convert a portion of the nitride of the first metal layer to an oxide layer. The method also includes removing the oxide layer and forming a semiconductor-containing layer on the nitride of the first metal layer.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a base portion and a fin portion over the base portion. The semiconductor device structure includes an epitaxial structure over the fin portion. The semiconductor device structure includes a dielectric fin over the base portion. The semiconductor device structure includes a silicide layer between the dielectric fin and the epitaxial structure. A distance between the silicide layer and the dielectric fin increases toward the base portion.

A process of smoothing a top surface of a bit line metal of a memory structure to decrease resistance of a bit line stack. The process includes depositing titanium layer of approximately 30 angstroms to 50 angstroms on polysilicon layer on a substrate, depositing first titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on titanium layer, annealing substrate at a temperature of approximately 700 degrees Celsius to approximately 850 degrees Celsius, depositing second titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on first titanium nitride layer after annealing, depositing a bit line metal layer of ruthenium on second titanium nitride layer, annealing bit line metal layer at temperature of approximately 550 degrees Celsius to approximately 650 degrees Celsius, and soaking bit line metal layer in hydrogen-based ambient for approximately 3 minutes to approximately 6 minutes during annealing.

A semiconductor structure includes a fin structure formed over a substrate. The structure also includes a gate structure formed across the fin structure. The structure also includes source/drain epitaxial structures formed on opposite sides of the gate structure. The structure also includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) structure formed over the gate structure. The structure also includes a contact blocking structure formed through the ILD structure over the source/drain epitaxial structure. A lower portion of the contact blocking structure is surrounded by an air gap, and the air gap is covered by a portion of the ILD structure.

A semiconductor structure having metal contact features and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer covering an epitaxial structure over a semiconductor substrate and forming an opening in the dielectric layer to expose the epitaxial structure. The method includes forming a metal-containing layer over the dielectric layer and the epitaxial structure. The method includes heating the epitaxial structure and the metal-containing layer to transform a first portion of the metal-containing layer contacting the epitaxial structure into a metal-semiconductor compound layer. The method includes oxidizing the metal-containing layer to transform a second portion of the metal-containing layer over the metal-semiconductor compound layer into a metal oxide layer. The method includes applying a metal chloride-containing etching gas on the metal oxide layer to remove the metal oxide layer and forming a metal contact feature over the metal-semiconductor compound layer.

A method is provided which includes forming a semiconductor substrate having one or more fins. The method includes forming over the fins a plurality of gate structures. The method includes forming gate spacers on sidewalls of the gate structure. The method includes forming a source/drain region on the semiconductor substrate between each adjacent gate spacer. The method includes depositing an interlevel dielectric layer on the source/drain regions and over the gate structures. The method includes depositing a hardmask on the interlevel dielectric layer. The method includes patterning the hardmask to form a plurality of openings and exposing the top surface of each of the source/drain regions. The method includes depositing an optical planarization layer in a portion of the openings and above the top surface of the gate structures. The method includes etching the interlevel dielectric layer in the opening to form an undercut region below the hardmask.

A method includes etching a dielectric layer to form a trench in the dielectric layer, depositing a metal layer extending into the trench, performing a nitridation process on the metal layer to convert a portion of the metal layer into a metal nitride layer, performing an oxidation process on the metal nitride layer to form a metal oxynitride layer, removing the metal oxynitride layer, and filling a metallic material into the trench using a bottom-up deposition process to form a contact plug.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device that includes a semiconductor fin disposed over a substrate, an isolation structure at least partially surrounding the fin, an epitaxial source/drain (S/D) feature disposed over the semiconductor fin, where an extended portion of the epitaxial S/D feature extends over the isolation structure, and a silicide layer disposed on the epitaxial S/D feature, where the silicide layer covers top, bottom, sidewall, front, and back surfaces of the extended portion of the S/D feature.

A semiconductor device and method includes: forming a gate stack over a substrate; growing a source/drain region adjacent the gate stack, the source/drain region being n-type doped Si; growing a semiconductor cap layer over the source/drain region, the semiconductor cap layer having Ge impurities, the source/drain region free of the Ge impurities; depositing a metal layer over the semiconductor cap layer; annealing the metal layer and the semiconductor cap layer to form a silicide layer over the source/drain region, the silicide layer having the Ge impurities; and forming a metal contact electrically coupled to the silicide layer.