One illustrative method disclosed herein may include forming a first straight sidewall spacer adjacent a gate structure of a transistor, forming a recessed layer of sacrificial material adjacent the first straight sidewall spacer and forming a second straight sidewall spacer on a portion of the outer surface of the first straight sidewall spacer and above the recessed layer of sacrificial material. The method may also include removing the recessed layer of sacrificial material so as to expose a first vertical portion of the outer surface of the first straight sidewall spacer and forming an epi material on and above the substrate, wherein an edge of the epi material engages the first straight sidewall spacer.

Semiconductor device structures comprising a spacer feature having multiple spacer layers are provided. In one example, a semiconductor device includes an active area on a substrate, the active area comprising a source/drain region, a gate structure over the active area, the source/drain region being proximate the gate structure, a spacer feature having a first portion along a sidewall of the gate structure and having a second portion along the source/drain region, wherein the first portion of the spacer feature comprises a bulk spacer layer along the sidewall of the gate structure, wherein the second portion of the spacer feature comprises the bulk spacer layer and a treated seal spacer layer, the treated seal spacer layer being disposed along the source/drain region and between the bulk spacer layer and the source/drain region, and a contact etching stop layer on the spacer feature.

Techniques and mechanisms to provide electrical insulation between a gate and a channel region of a non-planar circuit device. In an embodiment, the gate structure, and insulation spacers at opposite respective sides of the gate structure, each extend over a semiconductor fin structure. In a region between the insulation spacers, a first dielectric layer extends conformally over the fin, and a second dielectric layer adjoins and extends conformally over the first dielectric layer. A third dielectric layer, adjoining the second dielectric layer and the insulation spacers, extends under the gate structure. Of the first, second and third dielectric layers, the third dielectric layer is conformal to respective sidewalls of the insulation spacers. In another embodiment, the second dielectric layer is of dielectric constant which is greater than that of the first dielectric layer, and equal to or less than that of the third dielectric layer.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a composite spacer architecture over sidewalls of a sacrificial gate disposed over a semiconductor layer, and the subsequent deposition of a supplemental sacrificial gate over the sacrificial gate. A recess etch of the composite spacer architecture is followed by the formation within the recess of a sacrificial capping layer. The supplemental sacrificial gate and the sacrificial gate are removed to expose the composite spacer architecture, which is selectively etched to form a T-shaped cavity overlying a channel region of the semiconductor layer. A replacement metal gate is formed within a lower region of the T-shaped cavity, and a self-aligned contact (SAC) capping layer is formed within an upper region of the T-shaped cavity prior to metallization of the device.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device, the method including forming an active pattern on a substrate such that the active pattern includes sacrificial patterns and semiconductor patterns alternately and repeatedly stacked on the substrate; and forming first spacer patterns at both sides of each of the sacrificial patterns by performing an oxidation process, wherein the first spacer patterns correspond to oxidized portions of each of the sacrificial patterns, wherein the sacrificial patterns include a first semiconductor material containing impurities, wherein the semiconductor patterns include a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material, and wherein the impurities include an element different from semiconductor elements of the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material.

One illustrative method disclosed herein may include forming a first straight sidewall spacer adjacent a gate structure of a transistor, forming a second straight sidewall spacer on the first straight sidewall spacer and forming a recessed layer of sacrificial material adjacent the second straight sidewall spacer such that the recessed layer of sacrificial material covers an outer surface of a first vertical portion of the second straight sidewall spacer while exposing a second vertical portion of the second straight sidewall spacer. In this example, the method may also include removing the second vertical portion of the second straight sidewall spacer, removing the recessed layer of sacrificial material and forming an epi material such that an edge of the epi material engages the outer surface of the first vertical portion of the second straight sidewall spacer.

A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. A first patterned mask is formed on the substrate, the first patterned mask having a first opening therein. A second patterned mask is formed on the substrate in the first opening, the first patterned mask and the second patterned mask forming a combined patterned mask. The combined patterned mask is formed having one or more second openings, wherein one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are exposed. Trenches that correspond to the one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are formed in the substrate in the one or more second openings.

The disclosure concerns fabricating a quantum device. In an embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising: providing a substrate and an insulator formed on the substrate; from combinations of selective-area-grown semiconductor material along with regions of a superconducting material, forming a network of nanowires oriented in a plane of the substrate which can be used to produce a Majorana-based topological qubit; and fabricating a side gate for controlling a topological segment of the qubit; wherein the selective-area-grown semiconductor material is grown on the substrate, by etching trenches in the insulator formed on the substrate to define the nanowires and depositing the semiconductor material in the trenches defining the nanowires; and wherein the fabricating of the side gate comprises etching the dielectric to create a trench for the side gate and depositing the side gate in the trench for the side gate.

In a method of manufacturing an SRAM device, an insulating layer is formed over a substrate. First dummy patterns are formed over the insulating layer. Sidewall spacer layers, as second dummy patterns, are formed on sidewalls of the first dummy patterns. The first dummy patterns are removed, thereby leaving the second dummy patterns over the insulating layer. After removing the first dummy patterns, the second dummy patterns are divided. A mask layer is formed over the insulating layer and between the divided second dummy patterns. After forming the mask layer, the divided second dummy patterns are removed, thereby forming a hard mask layer having openings that correspond to the patterned second dummy patterns. The insulating layer is formed by using the hard mask layer as an etching mask, thereby forming via openings in the insulating layer. A conductive material is filled in the via openings, thereby forming contact bars.

A first contact hole is formed so as to extend to a NiSi layer as a lower wiring conductor layer connecting to an N+ layer of an SGT formed within a Si pillar, and so as to extend through a NiSi layer as an upper wiring conductor layer connecting to a gate TiN layer, and a NiSi layer as an intermediate wiring conductor layer connecting to an N+ layer. A second contact hole is formed so as to extend to the NiSi layer, and surround, in plan view, the first contact hole. An insulating SiO2 layer is formed on a side surface of the NiSi layer. A wiring metal layer in the contact holes connects the NiSi layer and the NiSi layer to each other.