A device includes a conductive feature, a first dielectric layer, a via, an etch stop layer, a second dielectric layer, and a conductive line. The first dielectric layer is above the conductive feature. The via is in the first dielectric layer and above the conductive feature. The etch stop layer is above the first dielectric layer. A side surface of the etch stop layer is coterminous with a sidewall of the via. The second dielectric layer is above the etch stop layer. The conductive line is in the second dielectric layer and over the via. The conductive line is in contact with the side surface of the etch stop layer and a top surface of the etch stop layer.

A semiconductor device includes a stack of semiconductor layers vertically arranged above a semiconductor base structure, a gate dielectric layer having portions each surrounding one of the semiconductor layers, and a gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric layer. Each portion of the gate dielectric layer has a top section above the respective semiconductor layer and a bottom section below the semiconductor layer. The top section has a top thickness along a vertical direction perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor base structure; and the bottom section has a bottom thickness along the vertical direction. The top thickness is greater than the bottom thickness.

A semiconductor device includes a stack of semiconductor layers vertically arranged above a semiconductor base structure, a gate dielectric layer having portions each surrounding one of the semiconductor layers, and a gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric layer. Each portion of the gate dielectric layer has a top section above the respective semiconductor layer and a bottom section below the semiconductor layer. The top section has a top thickness along a vertical direction perpendicular to a top surface of the semiconductor base structure; and the bottom section has a bottom thickness along the vertical direction. The top thickness is greater than the bottom thickness.

A niobium compound and a method of forming a thin film using the niobium compound, the compound being represented by the following General formula I: ##STR00001## wherein, in General formula I, R.sup.1, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-C6 linear or branched alkyl group or a C3-C6 cyclic hydrocarbon group, at least one of R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 being a C1-C6 linear or branched alkyl group, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1-C6 linear or branched alkyl group, or a C3-C6 cyclic hydrocarbon group.

A method for providing a pre-deposition treatment (e.g., of a work-function layer) to accomplish work function tuning. In various embodiments, a gate dielectric layer is formed over a substrate, and a work-function metal layer is deposited over the gate dielectric layer. In some embodiments, a first in-situ process including a pre-treatment process of the work-function metal layer is performed. By way of example, the pre-treatment process removes an oxidized layer of the work-function metal layer to form a treated work-function metal layer. In some embodiments, after performing the first in-situ process, a second in-situ process including a deposition process of another metal layer over the treated work-function metal layer is performed.

A semiconductor structure includes a nanofog oxide adhered to an inert 2D or 3D surface or a weakly reactive metal surface, the nanofog oxide consisting essentially of 0.5-2 nm Al.sub.2O.sub.3 nanoparticles. The nanofog can also consists of sub 1 nm particles. Oxide layers can be formed on the nanofog, for example a bilayer stack of Al.sub.2O.sub.3—HfO.sub.2. Additional examples are from the group consisting of ZrO.sub.2, HfZrO.sub.2, silicon or other doped HfO.sub.2 or ZrO.sub.2, ZrTiO.sub.2, HfTiO.sub.2, La.sub.2O.sub.3, Y.sub.2O.sub.3, Ga.sub.2O.sub.3, GdGaOx, and alloys thereof, including the ferroelectric phases of HfZrO.sub.2, silicon or other doped HfO.sub.2 or ZrO.sub.2. The structure provides the basis for various devices, including MIM capacitors, FET transistors and MOSCAP capacitors.

Methods for forming a doped metal oxide film on a substrate by cyclical deposition are provided. In some embodiments, methods may include contacting the substrate with a first reactant comprising a metal halide source, contacting the substrate with a second reactant comprising a hydrogenated source and contacting the substrate with a third reactant comprising an oxide source. In some embodiments, related semiconductor device structures may include a doped metal oxide film formed by cyclical deposition processes.

A semiconductor structure may include one or more metal gates, one or more channels below the one or more metal gates, a gate dielectric layer separating the one or more metal gates from the one or more channels, and a high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. Both the high-k material and the gate dielectric layer may be in direct contact with the one or more channels. The high-k material may provide threshold voltage variation in the one or more metal gates. The high-k material is a first high-k material or a second high-k material. The semiconductor structure may only include the first high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure may only include the second high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure may include both the first high-k material and the second high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer.

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.

Fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) having various different thicknesses of gate oxides and related apparatuses, methods, and computing systems are disclosed. An apparatus includes first FinFETs, second FinFETs, and third FinFETs. The first FinFETs include a first gate oxide material, a second gate oxide material, and a third gate oxide material. The second FinFETs include the second gate oxide material and the third gate oxide material. The third FinFETs include the third gate oxide material. A method includes forming the first gate oxide material on first fins, second fins, and third fins; removing the first gate oxide material from the second fins and the third fins; forming a second gate oxide material over the first fins, the second fins, and the third fins; and removing the second gate oxide material from the third fins.