The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a first active region and a second fin active region extruded from a semiconductor substrate; an isolation featured formed in the semiconductor substrate and being interposed between the first and second fin active regions; a dielectric gate disposed on the isolation feature; a first gate stack disposed on the first fin active region and a second gate stack disposed on the second fin active region; a first source/drain feature formed in the first fin active region and interposed between the first gate stack and the dielectric gate; a second source/drain feature formed in the second fin active region and interposed between the second gate stack and the dielectric gate; a contact feature formed in a first inter-level dielectric material layer and landing on the first and second source/drain features and extending over the dielectric gate.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate; sequentially forming a layer of first conductive material, a layer of second conductive material, a layer of third conductive material, and an anti-reflective coating layer over the substrate; performing a plug etch process to turn the layer of first conductive material into a bottom conductive layer on the substrate, turn the layer of second conductive material into a middle conductive layer on the bottom conductive layer, and turn the layer of third conductive material into a top conductive layer on the middle conductive layer; selectively forming an insulating covering layer on a sidewall of the middle conductive layer, wherein the bottom conductive layer, the middle conductive layer, the top conductive layer, and the insulating covering layer together configure a plug structure; and forming a first dielectric layer on the substrate and surrounding the plug structure.

The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit (IC) structure. The IC structure includes a semiconductor substrate; an interconnection structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; and a redistribution layer (RDL) metallic feature formed on the interconnection structure. The RDL metallic feature further includes a barrier layer disposed on the interconnection structure; a diffusion layer disposed on the barrier layer, wherein the diffusion layer includes metal and oxygen; and a metallic layer disposed on the diffusion layer.

A semiconductor device includes a lower structure including a substrate and a cell structure on the substrate and a plurality of interconnection layers, which are stacked on the lower structure in a first direction extending perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. An uppermost interconnection layer of the plurality of interconnection layers includes uppermost conductive lines. Each of the uppermost conductive lines includes a lower metal compound pattern, a metal pattern, an upper metal compound pattern, and a capping pattern, which are sequentially stacked in the first direction. The lower metal compound pattern, the metal pattern, and the upper metal compound pattern include a same metallic element.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack over the substrate. The gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer, a first metal-containing layer, a silicon-containing layer, a second metal-containing layer, and a gate electrode layer sequentially stacked over the substrate. The silicon-containing layer is between the first metal-containing layer and the second metal-containing layer, and the silicon-containing layer is thinner than the second metal-containing layer.

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.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer that has a first main surface at one side and a second main surface at another side, a first main surface electrode that includes a first electrode covering the first main surface and a second electrode having a higher hardness than the first electrode and covering the first electrode, and an oxide layer that covers the first main surface electrode.

A semiconductor fabrication method that uses a graphene etch stop is disclosed. The method comprises forming a first set of trenches and a second set of trenches in a substrate. The first set of trenches are narrower than the second set of trenches. The method further comprises forming a graphene layer in the first and second sets of trenches. The method further comprises depositing a first conductor in the first and second sets of trenches. The method further comprises removing the first conductor from the second set of trenches using an etching process. The graphene layer acts as an etch stop for the etching process. The method further comprises depositing a second conductor in the second set of trenches. The second conductor is different than the first conductor.

An interconnection structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a dielectric layer, a first conductive feature disposed in the dielectric layer, and a conductive layer disposed over the dielectric layer. The conductive layer includes a first portion and a second portion adj acent the first portion, and the second portion of the conductive layer is disposed over the first conductive feature. The structure further includes a first barrier layer in contact with the first portion of the conductive layer, a second barrier layer in contact with the second portion of the conductive layer, and a support layer in contact with the first and second barrier layers. An air gap is located between the first and second barrier layers, and the dielectric layer and the support layer are exposed to the air gap.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor structure includes a first conductive layer, a first barrier layer, and an insulating layer. The first conductive layer includes at least two traces, and a recess is formed between two adjacent ones of the traces. The first barrier layer is provided on a sidewall of the recess. The insulating layer fills the recess, and an air gap is formed in the insulating layer located in the recess.