A transistor comprises a substrate, a pair of spacers on the substrate, a gate dielectric layer on the substrate and between the pair of spacers, a gate electrode layer on the gate dielectric layer and between the pair of spacers, an insulating cap layer on the gate electrode layer and between the pair of spacers, and a pair of diffusion regions adjacent to the pair of spacers. The insulating cap layer forms an etch stop structure that is self aligned to the gate and prevents the contact etch from exposing the gate electrode, thereby preventing a short between the gate and contact. The insulator-cap layer enables self-aligned contacts, allowing initial patterning of wider contacts that are more robust to patterning limitations.

Methods are disclosed herein for fabricating integrated circuit devices, such as fin-like field-effect transistors (FinFETs), and disclosed are the associated devices. An exemplary method includes forming a first semiconductor material layer over a fin portion of a substrate; forming a second semiconductor material layer over the first semiconductor material layer; and converting a portion of the first semiconductor material layer to a first semiconductor oxide layer. The fin portion of the substrate, the first semiconductor material layer, the first semiconductor oxide layer, and the second semiconductor material layer form a fin. The method further includes forming a gate stack overwrapping the fin.

A semiconductor device with favorable electrical characteristics is provided. A source electrode and a drain electrode of a channel-etched transistor are each made to have a stacked-layer structure including a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. A silicide that contains a metal element contained in the second conductive layer and nitrogen is formed to be in contact with a top surface and a side surface of the second conductive layer. Before etching of the first conductive layer, the silicide is formed by exposing the second conductive layer to an atmosphere containing silane, and plasma treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere without exposure to the air.

A method for processing a substrate includes positioning a silicon substrate in a deposition chamber. One or more intermediate layers are deposited on a surface of the silicon. The one or more intermediate layers can include strontium, which combines with the silicon to form strontium silicide. Alternatively, the one or more intermediate layers comprise germanium. A layer of amorphous strontium titanate is deposited on the one or more intermediate layers in a transient environment in which oxygen pressure is reduced while temperature is increased. The substrate is then exposed to an oxidizing and annealing atmosphere that oxidizes the one or more intermediate layers and converts the layer of amorphous strontium titanate to crystalline strontium titanate.

A method for removing a native oxide film from a semiconductor substrate includes repetitively depositing layers of germanium on the native oxide and heating the substrate causing the layer of germanium to form germanium oxide, desorbing a portion of the native oxide film. The process is repeated until the oxide film is removed. A subsequent layer of strontium titanate can be deposited on the semiconductor substrate, over either residual germanium or a deposited germanium layer. The germanium can be converted to silicon germanium oxide by exposing the strontium titanate to oxygen.

A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) in the substrate; removing part of the STI to form a trench in a substrate; forming an amorphous silicon layer in the trench and on the STI; performing an oxidation process to transform the amorphous silicon layer into a silicon dioxide layer; and forming a barrier layer and a conductive layer in the trench.

A semiconductor device includes first and second semiconductor fins, a first gate structure, and a second gate structure. The first and second semiconductor fins respectively includes a first channel region and a second channel region, which the first and second gate structures are respectively on. The first gate structure includes a first silicon oxide layer on the first channel region, a first high-k dielectric layer on the first silicon oxide layer, and a first metal gate on the first high-k dielectric layer. The second gate structure includes a second silicon oxide layer on the second channel region, a second high-k dielectric layer on the second silicon oxide layer, and a second metal gate on the second high-k dielectric layer. The first silicon oxide layer has a Si.sup.4+ ion concentration greater than a Si.sup.4+ ion concentration of a bottom portion of the second silicon oxide layer.

Methods are disclosed herein for fabricating integrated circuit devices, such as fin-like field-effect transistors (FinFETs), and disclosed are the associated devices. An exemplary method includes forming a first semiconductor material layer over a fin portion of a substrate; forming a second semiconductor material layer over the first semiconductor material layer; and converting a portion of the first semiconductor material layer to a first semiconductor oxide layer. The fin portion of the substrate, the first semiconductor material layer, the first semiconductor oxide layer, and the second semiconductor material layer form a fin. The method further includes forming a gate stack overwrapping the fin.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a semiconductor fin comprising a channel region for a fin field effect transistor (finFET). A gate oxide layer is then formed on the channel. The gate oxide layer is treated with a nitrogen containing agent so as to form a nitrogenous layer and an interfacial layer. The nitrogenous layer is then removed. A high-k dielectric layer is formed on the interfacial layer. A metal gate is formed on the high-k dielectric layer. The nitrogenous layer is removed by rinsing the semiconductor fin with deionized water. The gate oxide and interfacial layer contains the same material.

A method of removing an oxide layer is provided. A metal layer is deposited over an oxide layer formed at a top surface of a germanium substrate. A metal oxide layer is deposited over the metal layer. The metal oxide layer includes a same metal material as the metal layer. The metal layer and the oxide layer are reacted and combined with the metal oxide layer to form a dielectric layer during an anneal process. During the anneal process, the oxide layer is reacted with the metal layer and removed.