A method of forming a power rail to semiconductor devices comprising removing a portion of the gate structure forming a gate cut trench separating a first active region of fin structures from a second active region of fin structures. A conformal etch stop layer is formed in the gate cut trench. A fill material is formed on the conformal etch stop layer filling at least a portion of the gate cut trench. The fill material has a composition that is etched selectively to the conformal etch stop layer. A power rail is formed in the gate cut trench. The conformal etch stop layer obstructs lateral etching during forming the power rail to substantially eliminate power rail to gate structure shorting.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a fin structure including a stacked layer of first and second semiconductor layers and a hard mask layer over the stacked layer is formed. A sacrificial cladding layer is formed over at least sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. An etching is performed to remove lateral portions of the sacrificial cladding layer, thereby leaving the sacrificial cladding layer on sidewalls of the exposed hard mask layer and stacked layer. A first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer made of a different material than the first dielectric layer are formed. The second dielectric layer is recessed, and a third dielectric layer made of a different material than the second dielectric layer is formed on the recessed second dielectric layer. During the etching operation, a protection layer is formed over the sacrificial cladding layer.

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer below a second semiconductor layer; first and second gate dielectric layers surrounding the first and the second semiconductor layers, respectively; and a gate electrode surrounding both the first and the second gate dielectric layers. The first gate dielectric layer has a first top section above the first semiconductor layer and a first bottom section below the first semiconductor layer. The second gate dielectric layer has a second top section above the second semiconductor layer and a second bottom section below the second semiconductor layer. The first top section has a first thickness. The second top section has a second thickness. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

The present disclosure describes a method for the formation of gate stacks having two or more titanium-aluminum (TiAl) layers with different Al concentrations (e.g., different Al/Ti ratios). For example, a gate structure can include a first TiAl layer with a first Al/Ti ratio and a second TiAl layer with a second Al/Ti ratio greater than the first Al/Ti ratio of the first TiAl layer.

Disclosed herein are stacked transistors with dielectric between channel materials, as well as related methods and devices. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit structure may include stacked strata of transistors, wherein a dielectric material is between channel materials of adjacent strata, and the dielectric material is surrounded by a gate dielectric.

In a method of forming a FinFET, a first sacrificial layer is formed over a source/drain structure of a FinFET structure and an isolation insulating layer. The first sacrificial layer is recessed so that a remaining layer of the first sacrificial layer is formed on the isolation insulating layer and an upper portion of the source/drain structure is exposed. A second sacrificial layer is formed on the remaining layer and the exposed source/drain structure. The second sacrificial layer and the remaining layer are patterned, thereby forming an opening. A dielectric layer is formed in the opening. After the dielectric layer is formed, the patterned first and second sacrificial layers are removed to form a contact opening over the source/drain structure. A conductive layer is formed in the contact opening.

Semiconductor structures and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and first nanostructures and second nanostructures formed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure also includes a gate structure including a first portion wrapping around the first nanostructures and a second portion wrapping around the second nanostructures. The semiconductor structure also includes a dielectric feature sandwiched between the first portion and the second portion of the gate structure. In addition, the dielectric feature includes a bottom portion and a top portion over the bottom portion, and the top portion of the dielectric feature includes a shell layer and a core portion surrounded by the shell layer.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a metal gate on a substrate, a spacer around the metal gate, and a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer around the spacer, performing a plasma treatment process to transform the spacer into a first bottom portion and a first top portion, performing a cleaning process to remove the first top portion, and forming a second ILD layer on the metal gate and the first ILD layer.

A semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate having a first channel structure and a second channel structure respectively extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a first gate structure disposed on the first channel structure and extending in the second direction on the substrate; a second gate structure disposed on the second channel structure and extending in the second direction; first source/drain regions respectively disposed on opposite sides of the first gate structure; second source/drain regions respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second gate structure; a gate separation pattern disposed between the first and second gate structures and having an upper surface at a level lower than that of an upper surface of each of the first and second gate structures, the gate separation pattern including a first insulating material; and a gate capping layer disposed on the first and second gate structures and having an extension portion extending between the first and second gate structures to be connected to the gate separation pattern, the gate capping layer including a second insulating material different from the first insulating material.

Semiconductor devices is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and an adjacent second region; a plurality of adjacent first fins in the first region of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of adjacent second fins in the second region of the semiconductor substrate; a first type of fin sidewall spacers; a second type of fin sidewall spacers; first doped layers formed between adjacent first type of fin sidewall spacers in the first region; and second doped layers formed between adjacent first type of fin sidewall spacers in the second region.