Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods thereof are provided. An exemplary fabrication method includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer on a base substrate; forming a plurality of first openings and second openings in the interlayer dielectric layer, one first opening connecting to a second opening, the one first opening being between the second opening and the base substrate; forming a high-K gate dielectric layer on side and bottom surfaces of the first openings and on side surfaces of the second openings; forming a cap layer, containing oxygen ions, on the high-K gate dielectric layer; forming an amorphous silicon layer on the cap layer at least on the bottoms of the first openings; performing a thermal annealing process on the amorphous silicon layer, the cap layer and the high-K dielectric; removing the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a metal layer, in the first openings and the second openings.

The present application discloses method for fabricating a conductive feature and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate; forming a recess in the substrate; conformally forming a first nucleation layer in the recess; performing a post-treatment to the first nucleation layer; and forming a first bulk layer on the first nucleation layer to fill the recess. The first nucleation layer and the first bulk layer configure the conductive feature. The first nucleation layer and the first bulk layer include tungsten. The post-treatment includes a borane-containing reducing agent.

Some embodiments include a method of forming an integrated assembly. An arrangement is formed to include a conductive pillar extending through an insulative mass. An upper surface of the conductive pillar is recessed to form a cavity. An insulative collar is formed within the cavity to line an outer lateral periphery of the cavity. A recessed surface of the conductive pillar is exposed at a bottom of the lined cavity. A conductive expanse is formed over the insulative mass. A portion of the conductive expanse extends into the cavity and is configured as an interconnect. The conductive expanse is patterned into multiple conductive structures. One of the conductive structures includes the interconnect.

Some embodiments include a method of forming an integrated assembly. An arrangement is formed to include a conductive pillar extending through an insulative mass. An upper surface of the conductive pillar is recessed to form a cavity. An insulative collar is formed within the cavity to line an outer lateral periphery of the cavity. A recessed surface of the conductive pillar is exposed at a bottom of the lined cavity. A conductive expanse is formed over the insulative mass. A portion of the conductive expanse extends into the cavity and is configured as an interconnect. The conductive expanse is patterned into multiple conductive structures. One of the conductive structures includes the interconnect.

An approach providing a semiconductor wiring structure with a self-aligned top via on a first metal line and under a second metal line. The semiconductor wiring structure includes a plurality of first metal lines in a bottom portion of a first dielectric material. The semiconductor wiring structure includes a top via in a top portion of the first dielectric material, where the top via is over a first metal line of the plurality of first metal lines. The semiconductor wiring structure includes a second dielectric material above each of the plurality of first metal lines except the first metal line of the plurality of first metal lines. Furthermore, the semiconductor wiring structure includes a second metal line above the top via, wherein the second metal line is in a third dielectric material and a hardmask layer that is under the third dielectric material.

A semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer over a device base layer, the first dielectric layer having a first opening with a first sidewall; a first interconnect segment extending through the first opening; and a cap layer over a top surface of the first interconnect segment, wherein the cap layer comprises a first metal, carbon, and nitrogen.

To manufacture a semiconductor device, a structure is formed by alternately stacking a plurality of first films and a plurality of second films one-by-one on a substrate. A vertical hole is formed to vertically pass through the structure. A carbon-containing barrier film is formed to conformally cover an inner sidewall of the vertical hole. The carbon-containing barrier film is in contact with portions of the plurality of first films and the plurality of second films. A sacrificial metal film is formed on the carbon-containing barrier film in the vertical hole. The sacrificial metal film is removed to expose the carbon-containing barrier film. The carbon-containing barrier film is removed using an ashing process.

Methods for selectively depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize phenanthroline or a phenanthroline derivative to form the self-assembled monolayer. Some embodiments selective form the self-assembled monolayer on tungsten or molybdenum. Some embodiments utilize the self-assembled monolayer to selectively deposit on dielectric surfaces over metallic surfaces.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate. A patterned dielectric layer with a plurality of openings is formed on the substrate. A barrier layer is deposited in the openings by a first tool and a sacrificing protection layer is deposited on the barrier layer by the first tool. The sacrificing layer is removed and a metal layer is deposited on the barrier layer by a second tool.

A semiconductor structure includes at least one first semiconductor device located on a substrate, lower-level dielectric material layers embedding lower-level metal interconnect structures, at least one second semiconductor device and a dielectric material portion that overlie the lower-level dielectric material layers, at least one upper-level dielectric material layer, and an interconnection via structure vertically extending from the at least one upper-level dielectric material layer to a conductive structure that can be a node of the at least one first semiconductor device or one of lower-level metal interconnect structures. The interconnection via structure includes a transition metal layer and a fluorine-doped filler material portion in contact with the transition metal layer, composed primarily of a filler material selected from a silicide of the transition metal element or aluminum oxide, and including fluorine atoms.