A novel dielectric cap structure for VTFET device fabrication is provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a VTFET device includes: patterning fins in a substrate using fin hardmasks, including a first fin(s) and a second fin(s); depositing a liner over the fins and the fin hardmasks; selectively forming first hardmask caps on top of the fin hardmasks/liner over the first fin(s); forming first bottom source and drain at a base of the first fin(s) while the fin hardmasks/liner over the first fin(s) are preserved by the first hardmask caps; selectively forming second hardmask caps on top of the fin hardmasks/liner over the second fin(s); and forming second bottom source and drains at a base of the second fin(s) while the fin hardmasks/liner over the second fin(s) are preserved by the second hardmask caps. A device structure is also provided.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure having a fin structure. The semiconductor includes a substrate defined with an active region. A first gate structure is disposed in the active region and includes a dielectric material. A second gate structure is disposed in the active region and includes the dielectric material. A fin structure having a first top surface is arranged to alternate with the first gate structure and the second gate structure. The first gate structure has a second top surface and the second gate structure has a third top surface. The second top surface and the third top surface are lower than the first top surface.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having local interconnects, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having local interconnects, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate structure over a first semiconductor fin, and a second gate structure over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first and second semiconductor fins and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A gate plug is over the gate endcap isolation structure and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A local gate interconnect is between the gate plug and the gate endcap isolation structure, the local gate interconnect in contact with the first and second gate structures.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a boundary region between first and second regions, first active patterns on the first region, second active patterns on the second region, and an isolation insulating pattern on the boundary region between the first and second active patterns. A width of at least some of the first active patterns have different widths. Widths of the second active patterns may be equal to each other. A bottom surface of the isolation insulating pattern includes a first bottom surface adjacent to a corresponding first active pattern, a second bottom surface adjacent to a corresponding second active pattern, and a third bottom surface between the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface. The third bottom surface is located at a different height from those of the first and second bottom surfaces with respect to a bottom surface of the substrate.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes the following: providing a substrate; forming a semiconductor layer on the substrate; performing P-type doping on the semiconductor layer to transform the semiconductor layer into an initial mask layer; performing a first patterning treatment on the initial mask layer to form a mask layer having an opening; and performing a second patterning on the substrate by taking the mask layer as a mask and using an etching process. An etching rate of the substrate is greater than an etching rate of the mask layer during the etching process.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, which includes: a base is provided and a stack layer is formed on the base, wherein the stack layer includes at least a first sacrificial layer, and a material of the first sacrificial layer includes an amorphous elemental semiconductor material; second hard mask patterns are formed on the first sacrificial layer through a self-aligned process; a doping process is performed, which includes the operation that a region of the first sacrificial layer exposed from gaps between the second hard mask patterns is doped; the second hard mask patterns are removed; and an undoped region of the first sacrificial layer is removed through a selective etching process so as to form first sacrificial patterns.

The present application provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, a semiconductor structure, and a memory. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes the following steps: providing a substrate, and forming a stabilizing layer on the substrate; forming a stabilizing structure consisting of a plurality of linear structures and grooves among the linear structures; forming a hard mask layer covering the stabilizing structure; forming a mask pattern connected to a top of the linear structure and an inner wall of the groove on the hard mask layer; and transferring the mask pattern to the substrate.

A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a hard mask layer over a target layer. The method also includes forming first mandrels over the hard mask layer. The method also includes forming a first opening in the first mandrels. The method also includes depositing a spacer layer over the hard mask layer and the first mandrels. The method also includes depositing a second mandrel material over the spacer layer. The method also includes planarizing the second mandrel material. The method also includes forming a second opening in the second mandrel material. The method also includes patterning and etching the second mandrel material to form second mandrels. The method also includes etching the spacer layer. The method also includes etching the hard mask layer and the target layer.

A method of manufacturing a FinFET includes at last the following steps. A semiconductor substrate is patterned to form trenches in the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor fins located between two adjacent trenches of the trenches. Gate stacks is formed over portions of the semiconductor fins. Strained material portions are formed over the semiconductor fins revealed by the gate stacks. First metal contacts are formed over the gate stacks, the first metal contacts electrically connecting the strained material portions. Air gaps are formed in the FinFET at positions between two adjacent gate stacks and between two adjacent strained materials.

A semiconductor device includes a gate structure extending from a first surface of a semiconductor portion into a mesa section between neighboring field electrode structures and an alignment layer formed on the first surface. The alignment layer includes mask pits formed in the alignment layer in a vertical projection of the field electrode structures. Sidewalls of the mask pits have a smaller tilt angle with respect to the first surface than sidewalls of the field electrode structures. The gate structure is in the vertical projection of a gap between neighboring mask pits.