A method of forming a vertical fin field effect transistor (vertical finFET) with a strained channel, including forming one or more vertical fins on a substrate, forming a sacrificial stressor layer adjacent to the one or more vertical fins, wherein the sacrificial stressor layer imparts a strain in the adjacent vertical fins, forming a fin trench through one or more vertical fins and the sacrificial stressor layer to form a plurality of fin segments and a plurality of sacrificial stressor layer blocks, forming an anchor wall adjacent to and in contact with one or more fin segment endwalls, and removing at least one of the plurality of the sacrificial stressor layer blocks, wherein the anchor wall maintains the strain of the adjacent fin segments after removal of the sacrificial stressor layer blocks adjacent to the fin segment with the adjacent anchor wall.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a NMOS gate structure over a substrate. The method further includes forming an amorphized region in the substrate adjacent to the NMOS gate structure. The method also includes forming a lightly doped source/drain (LDD) region in the amorphized region. The method further includes depositing a stress film over the NMOS gate structure, performing an annealing process, and removing the stress film.

A semiconductor device includes an isolation feature in a substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a first source/drain feature in the substrate, wherein a first side of the first source/drain feature contacts the isolation feature, and the first source/drain feature exposes a portion of the isolation feature below a top surface of the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a silicide layer over the first source/drain feature. The semiconductor device further includes a dielectric layer along the exposed portion of the isolation feature below the top surface of the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer contacts the silicide layer. The semiconductor device further includes a second source/drain feature in the substrate on an opposite side of a gate stack from the first source/drain feature, wherein the second source/drain feature has a substantially uniform thickness.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure in which first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers are alternately stacked is formed, a sacrificial gate structure is formed over the fin structure, a source/drain region of the fin structure, which is not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, is etched thereby forming a source/drain space, a stressor layer is formed in the source/drain space, a metal gate structure including part of the second semiconductor layer as channel regions is formed by a gate replacement process, after the metal gate structure is formed, the stressor layer is at least partially removed, and a source/drain contact comprising metal or a metallic material is formed in the source/drain space from which the stressor layer is at least partially removed.

A semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same are provided. In an embodiment, an exemplary semiconductor method includes forming a fin-shaped structure extending from a substrate, the fin-shaped structure includes a number of channel layers interleaved by a number of sacrificial layers, recessing a source/drain region to form a source/drain opening, performing a PAI process to amorphize a portion of the substrate exposed by the source/drain opening, forming a tensile stress film over the substrate, performing an annealing process to recrystallize the portion of the substrate, the recrystallized portion of the substrate includes dislocations, forming an epitaxial source/drain feature over the source/drain opening, and forming a gate structure wrapping around each of the plurality of channel layers. By performing the above operations, dislocations are controllably and intentionally formed and carrier mobility in the number of channel layers may be advantageously enhanced, leading to improved device performance.

A method includes followings operations. A substrate including a first surface and a second surface is provided. The substrate and a transparent film are heated to attach the transparent film on the first surface. A first coefficient of a thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch is between the substrate and the transparent film. The substrate and the transparent film are cooled. A polymeric material is disposed on the second surface. A second CTE mismatch is between the substrate and the polymeric material. The second CTE mismatch is counteracted by the first CTE mismatch.

The present invention provides a method of fabricating a fin field effect transistor (finFET), comprising: firstly, an interfacial layer is formed on a fin structure, next, a high-k dielectric layer is formed on the interfacial layer; afterwards, a stress film is formed on the high-k dielectric layer, an annealing process is then performed to the stress film, and an etching process is performed to remove the stress film.

A chip includes a semiconductor substrate, and a first N-type Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (NMOSFET) at a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first NMOSFET includes a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate, a source/drain region adjacent to the gate stack, and a dislocation plane having a portion in the source/drain region. The chip further includes a second NMOSFET at the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second NMOSFET is free from dislocation planes.

Various methods include providing a substrate, forming a projection extending upwardly from the substrate, the projection having a channel region therein, and forming a gate structure engaging the projection adjacent to the channel region, the gate structure having spaced first and second conductive layers and a strain-inducing conductive layer disposed between the first and second conductive layers. The method also includes forming epitaxial growths on portions of the projection at each side of the gate structure, the epitaxial growths imparting a first strain to the channel region, and imparting a second strain to the channel region, including performing at least one stress memorization technique on the gate structure such that the strain-inducing conductive layer imparts the second strain to the channel region, and removing the capping layer, wherein the imparting the second strain is carried out in a manner that imparts tensile strain to the channel region.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack over a substrate, forming an amorphized region in the substrate adjacent to an edge of the gate stack, forming a stress film over the substrate, performing a process to form a dislocation with a pinchoff point in the substrate, removing at least a portion of the dislocation to form a recess cavity with a tip in the substrate, and forming a source/drain feature in the recess cavity.