A semiconductor device includes etch stop films formed on the first gate electrode, the first source region, the first drain region, and the shallow trench isolation regions, respectively. First interlayer insulating films are formed on the etch stop film, respectively. Deep trenches are formed in the substrate between adjacent ones of the first interlayer insulating films to overlap the shallow trench isolation regions. Sidewall insulating films are formed in the deep trenches, respectively. A gap-fill insulating film is formed on the sidewall insulating film. A second interlayer insulating film is formed on the gap-fill insulating film. A top surface of the second interlayer insulating film is substantially planar and a bottom surface of the second interlayer insulating film is undulating.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure includes following steps. First, a first layer, a second layer and a third layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. The second layer is conformally disposed on the top surface of the first layer. The second layer and the first layer have different compositions, and the third layer and the second layer also have different compositions. Then, a planarizing process is performed on the third layer until portions of the second layer are exposed. Afterwards, hydrofluoric acid and aqueous oxidant are concurrently or sequentially provided to the remaining second and third layers. Finally, an etch back process is carried out to remove all the second layer and portions of the first layer.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a patterned substrate. The method may be applied to a process of manufacturing a device such as an electronic device or integrated circuit, or another use, for example, to manufacture an integrated optical system, a guidance and detection pattern of a magnetic domain memory, a flat panel display, a LCD, a thin film magnetic head or an organic light emitting diode, and used to construct a pattern on a surface to be used to manufacture a discrete tract medium such as an integrated circuit, a bit-patterned medium and/or a magnetic storage device such as a hard drive.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming fins on a substrate, depositing a gate layer having a first material on the fins, and depositing a sacrificial layer having a second material on the gate layer. The method further includes removing a first portion of the sacrificial layer using a first slurry or etchant having a first selectivity of second material to first material. The method further includes removing a first portion of the gate layer and a second portion of the sacrificial layer using a second slurry or etchant having a second selectivity of second material to first material to form a planarized gate layer. The first selectivity is greater than the second selectivity. An example benefit includes reduced dependency of the gate layer planarization process on underlying structure density and reduced variation in thickness of the gate layer on device structures across a wafer.

In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first dielectric layer is formed over an underlying structure disposed on a substrate. A planarization resistance layer is formed over the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed over the first dielectric layer and the planarization resistance layer. A planarization operation is performed on the second dielectric layer, the planarization resistance layer and the first dielectric layer. The planarization resistance film is made of a material different from the first dielectric layer.

A method of planarizing a substrate surface is disclosed. A substrate having a major surface of a material layer is provided. The major surface of the material layer comprises a first region with relatively low removal rate and a second region of relatively high removal rate. A photoresist pattern is formed on the material layer. The photoresist pattern masks the second region, while exposes at least a portion of the first region. At least a portion of the material layer not covered by the photoresist pattern is etched away. A polish stop layer is deposited on the material layer. A cap layer is deposited on the polish stop layer. A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is performed to polish the cap layer.

The invention provides polishing slurry for CMP for suppressing corrosion of wiring lines of a conductive substance, or for suppressing bimetallic corrosion of a barrier conductor and conductive substance, by suppressing electrons from being transferred at near the boundaries between a barrier conductor and a conductive substance such as copper. The invention provides polishing slurry for CMP for polishing at least a conductor layer and a conductive substance layer in contact with the conductor layer, wherein the absolute value of the potential difference between the conductive substance and the conductor at 50±5° C. is 0.25 V or less in the polishing slurry when a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a potentiometer are connected to the conductive substance and the conductor, respectively. The polishing slurry for CMP preferably comprises at least one compound selected from heterocyclic compounds containing any one of hydroxyl group, carbonyl group, carboxyl group, amino group, amide group and sulfinyl group, and containing at least one of nitrogen and sulfur atoms.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a first flowable-material (FM) layer over a substrate. A top surface of the first FM layer in a first region is higher than a top surface of the first FM layer in a second region. The method also includes forming a sacrificial plug to cover the first FM layer in the first region, forming a second FM layer over the sacrificial plug in the first region and over the first FM layer in the second region, performing a first recessing process such that the second FM layer is removed in the first region and performing a second recessing process on the second FM layer in the second region while the first FM layer is protected by the sacrificial plug in the first region.

The present disclosure relate to a method to an integrated chip having a source/drain self-aligned contact to a transistor or other semiconductor device. In some embodiments, the integrated chip has a pair of gate structures including a gate electrode arranged over a substrate and an insulating material arranged over the gate electrode. A source/drain region is arranged within the substrate between the pair of gate structures. An etch stop layer is arranged along sidewalls of the pair of gate structures and over the source/drain region, and a dielectric layer is over the insulating material. A source/drain contact is arranged over the insulating material and the etch stop layer and is separated from the sidewalls of the pair of gate structures by the etch stop layer. The source/drain contact is electrically coupled to the source/drain region.

The invention provides a method of forming a semiconductor structure, which include: providing an intermediate semiconductor structure having semiconductor substrate, a fin having an EG oxide layer in contact with at least a portion of the fin, and a gate stack disposed over a portion of the fin; forming a silicon nitride layer over portions of the fin that are not located under the gate stack; and after forming the silicon nitride layer, performing one or more ion implantation steps on the intermediate semiconductor structure. The invention also provides a method of forming a semiconductor structure including: providing an intermediate semiconductor structure having a semiconductor substrate, a fin having an EG oxide layer in contact with at least a portion of the fin, and a gate material disposed over the fin; forming, over the fin and gate material of the intermediate semiconductor structure, a gate stack hardmask including an oxide layer; forming a silicon nitride barrier layer on the oxide layer of the gate stack hardmask; performing one or more gate stack hardmask patterning steps; removing the EG oxide layer from portions of the fin that are not located under the gate; and subsequent to removing the EG oxide layer from portions of the fin that are not located under the gate, performing one or more ion implantation steps.