A semiconductor device includes a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a dielectric layer disposed over a portion of the substrate. The semiconductor device includes a diffusion blocking layer disposed over the dielectric layer. The diffusion blocking layer and the dielectric layer have different material compositions. The semiconductor device includes a ferroelectric layer disposed over the diffusion blocking layer.

A semiconductor device includes: an isolation insulating layer; fin structures protruding from the isolation insulating layer; gate structures, each having a metal gate and a cap insulating layer disposed over the metal gate; a first source/drain epitaxial layer and a second source/drain epitaxial layer disposed between two adjacent gate structures; and a first conductive contact disposed on the first source/drain epitaxial layer, and a second conductive contact disposed on the second source/drain epitaxial layer; a separation isolation region disposed between the first and second conductive contact; and an insulating layer disposed between the separation isolation region and the isolation insulating layer. The separation isolation region is made of a different material than the insulating layer.

A method comprises forming a gate structure between gate spacers; etching back the gate structure to fall below top ends of the gate spacers; forming a gate dielectric cap over the etched back gate structure; performing an ion implantation process to form a doped region in the gate dielectric cap; depositing a contact etch stop layer over the gate dielectric cap and an ILD layer over the contact etch stop layer; performing a first etching process to form a gate contact opening extending through the ILD layer and terminating prior to reaching the doped region of the gate dielectric cap; performing a second etching process to deepen the gate contact opening, wherein the second etching process etches the doped region of the gate dielectric cap at a slower etch rate than etching the contact etch stop layer; and forming a gate contact in the deepened gate contact opening.

The invention provides a fin structure for a fin field effect transistor, including a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of silicon fins, wherein a top of each one of the silicon fins is a round-like shape in a cross-section view. An isolation layer is disposed on the substrate between the silicon fins at a lower portion of the silicon fins while an upper portion of the silicon fins is exposed. A stress buffer layer is disposed on a sidewall of the silicon fins between the isolation layer and the lower portion of the silicon fins. The stress buffer layer includes a nitride portion.

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 over a bottom fin structure. A sacrificial gate structure having sidewall spacers is formed over the fin structure. A source/drain region of the fin structure, which is not covered by the sacrificial gate structure, is removed. The second semiconductor layers are laterally recessed. Dielectric inner spacers are formed on lateral ends of the recessed second semiconductor layers. The first semiconductor layers are laterally recessed. A source/drain epitaxial layer is formed to contact lateral ends of the recessed first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layers are removed thereby releasing the first semiconductor layers in a channel region. A gate structure is formed around the first semiconductor layers.

Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first plurality of conductive interconnect lines in and spaced apart by a first ILD layer, wherein individual ones of the first plurality of conductive interconnect lines comprise a first conductive barrier material along sidewalls and a bottom of a first conductive fill material. A second plurality of conductive interconnect lines is in and spaced apart by a second ILD layer above the first ILD layer, wherein individual ones of the second plurality of conductive interconnect lines comprise a second conductive barrier material along sidewalls and a bottom of a second conductive fill material, wherein the second conductive fill material is different in composition from the first conductive fill material.

A structure includes a substrate, an isolation structure over the substrate, a fin extending from the substrate and adjacent to the isolation structure, two source/drain (S/D) features over the fin, channel layers suspended over the substrate and connecting the S/D features, a first gate structure wrapping around each of the channel layers in the stack, two outer spacers disposed on two opposing sidewalls of the first gate structure that are on outer surfaces of the stack, inner spacers disposed between the S/D features and the channel layers, and a gate-end dielectric feature over the isolation structure and directly contacting an end of the gate structure. The gate-end dielectric feature includes a first material of a dielectric constant that is higher than dielectric constants of materials included in the outer spacers and the inner spacers.

Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes first and second gate dielectric layers over a fin. First and second gate electrodes are over the first and second gate dielectric layers, respectively, the first and second gate electrodes both having an insulating cap having a top surface. First dielectric spacer are adjacent the first side of the first gate electrode. A trench contact structure is over a semiconductor source or drain region adjacent first and second dielectric spacers, the trench contact structure comprising an insulating cap on a conductive structure, the insulating cap of the trench contact structure having a top surface substantially co-planar with the insulating caps of the first and second gate electrodes.

A semiconductor device structure, along with methods of forming such, are described. The structure includes a plurality of semiconductor layers and a first source/drain epitaxial feature in contact with the plurality of semiconductor layers. The first source/drain epitaxial feature includes a bottom portion having substantially straight sidewalls. The structure further includes a spacer having a gate spacer portion and one or more source/drain spacer portions. Each source/drain spacer portion has a first height, and a source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portions is in contact with one of the substantially straight sidewalls of the first source/drain epitaxial feature. The structure further includes a dielectric feature disposed adjacent one source/drain spacer portion of the one or more source/drain spacer portion. The dielectric has a second height substantially greater than the first height.

Self-aligned gate edge trigate and finFET devices and methods of fabricating self-aligned gate edge trigate and finFET devices are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a plurality of semiconductor fins disposed above a substrate and protruding through an uppermost surface of a trench isolation region. A gate structure is disposed over the plurality of semiconductor fins. The gate structure defines a channel region in each of the plurality of semiconductor fins. Source and drain regions are on opposing ends of the channel regions of each of the plurality of semiconductor fins, at opposing sides of the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a plurality of gate edge isolation structures. Individual ones of the plurality of gate edge isolation structures alternate with individual ones of the plurality of semiconductor fins.