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.

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.

The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor packaging processes, and provides a semiconductor structure and a forming method thereof. The forming method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate, where a surface of the semiconductor substrate is provided with an exposed conductive structure; forming a passivation layer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and a surface of the exposed conductive structure; etching the passivation layer to form a recess, where a bottom of the recess exposes one end of the conductive structure; forming an adhesion layer on a surface of the recess; and etching to form a hole in the bottom of the recess.

An etching method is provided. In the etching method, a protective film-forming gas including an amine gas is supplied to a substrate having a surface on which a first film and a second film are formed, the first film and the second film having respective properties of being etched by an etching gas, and a protective film is formed to cover the first film such that the first film is selectively protected between the first film and the second film when the etching gas is supplied. Further, the second film is selectively etched by supplying the etching gas to the substrate after the protective film is formed.

A device includes a substrate including an active region, a gate stack over the active region, and a hard mask over the gate stack. The hard mask includes a capping layer, a buttress layer extending along sidewalls and a bottom of the capping layer, and a liner layer extending along sidewalls and a bottom of the buttress layer. The buttress layer includes a metal oxide material or a metal nitride material.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate, where a plurality of contact pads are formed on the substrate; depositing a dielectric layer on the substrate, where the dielectric layer fills gaps between the contact pads and covers the contact pads; and etching the dielectric layer through a plasma etching process to expose the contact pads, where an etching gas used in the plasma etching process includes an oxygen-free etching gas. The manufacturing method can avoid the formation of metal oxides on the contact pads, and avoid residual conductive metal particles or metal compounds on surfaces of the contact pads and the adjacent dielectric layers, which is beneficial to ensure the electrical performance of the semiconductor structure, thereby improving the use reliability of the semiconductor structure.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a contact hole, a semiconductor structure and electronic equipment. The method includes: forming a mask layer on an upper end face of a first oxide layer of the semiconductor structure, and exposing a pattern of a target contact hole on the mask layer; exposing a portion, corresponding to a target contact hole, of an upper end face of a contact layer and a portion, corresponding to the target contact hole, of an upper end face of an upper layer structure; depositing a second insulation layer on an etched surface, and depositing a second oxide layer on the second insulation layer; and removing portions, above the upper end face of the first oxide layer, of the second insulation layer and the second oxide layer, and removing a part of the contact layer, and exposing an upper end face of a zeroth layer contact.

The present application provides a semiconductor structure and a forming method thereof. The method of forming the semiconductor structure includes: forming a capacitor base, the capacitor base including a plurality of capacitor switching structures and an isolation layer located between adjacent capacitor switching structures and covering top surfaces of the capacitor switching structures; removing the isolation layer covering the top surfaces of the capacitor switching structures, and exposing the capacitor switching structures; oxidizing a surface of the capacitor base exposing the capacitor switching structures, and forming an oxide layer; and removing the oxide layer, and exposing the capacitor switching structures.

A device includes a first semiconductor fin extending from a substrate, a second semiconductor fin extending from the substrate, a dielectric fin over the substrate, a first isolation region between the first semiconductor fin and the dielectric fin, and a second isolation region between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin is disposed between the second semiconductor fin and the dielectric fin. The first isolation region has a first concentration of an impurity. The second isolation region has a second concentration of the impurity. The second concentration is less than the first concentration. A top surface of the second isolation region is disposed closer to the substrate than a top surface of the first isolation region.

Methods process microelectronic workpieces with inverse extreme ultraviolet (EUV) patterning processes. In part, the inverse patterning techniques are applied to reduce or eliminate defects experienced with conventional EUV patterning processes. The inverse patterning techniques include additional process steps as compared to the conventional EUV patterning processes, such as an overcoat process, an etch back or planarization process, and a pattern removal process. In addition, further example embodiments combine inverse patterning techniques with line smoothing treatments to reduce pattern roughness and achieve a target level of line roughness. By using this additional technique, line pattern roughness can be significantly improved in addition to reducing or eliminating microbridge and/or other defects.