Various methods overcome the limitations and achieve superior scaling by (i) replacing a single highly challenging high aspect ratio etch step with two or more etch steps of less challenging aspect ratios and which involve wider and more mechanically stable active strips, (ii) using dielectric pillars for support and to maintain structural stability during a high aspect ratio etch step and subsequent processing steps, or (iii) using multiple masking steps to provide two or more etch steps of less challenging aspect ratios and which involve wider and more mechanically stable active strips.

Some embodiments include a memory device and methods of forming the memory device. One such memory device includes a first group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the first group being formed in a cavity of a first control gate located in one device level of the memory device. The memory device also includes a second group of memory cells, each of the memory cells of the second group being formed in a cavity of a second control gate located in another device level of the memory device. Additional apparatus and methods are described.

In an example, for manufacturing a semiconductor device, first dopants are implanted through a first surface section of a first surface of a silicon carbide body. A trench is formed that extends from the first surface into the silicon carbide body. The trench includes a first sidewall surface and an opposite second sidewall surface. A spacer mask is formed. The spacer mask covers at least the first sidewall surface. Second dopants are implanted through a portion of a bottom surface of the trench exposed by the spacer mask. The first dopants and the second dopants have a same conductivity type. The first dopants and the second dopants are activated. The first dopants form a doped top shielding region adjoining the second sidewall surface. The second dopants form a doped buried shielding region adjoining the bottom surface.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes at least the following steps. An opening is formed in a substrate. A first protection layer is formed on an exposed surface of the opening. A first etching process is performed on the opening with the first protection layer thereon, to simultaneously remove the first protection layer on a sidewall of the opening and a portion of the substrate to deepen a depth of the opening.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip structure. The integrated chip structure includes a first doped region and a second doped region disposed within a substrate. A data storage structure is arranged over the substrate and laterally between the first doped region and the second doped region. An isolation structure is arranged within the substrate along a first side of the data storage structure. The first doped region is laterally between the isolation structure and the data storage structure. A remnant is arranged over and along a sidewall of the isolation structure. The remnant includes a first material having a vertically extending segment and a horizontally extending segment protruding outward from a sidewall of the vertically extending segment.

A semiconductor device including a transistor having a minute size is provided. In the semiconductor device, a second conductive layer is provided over a first conductive layer; the second conductive layer has a first opening overlapping with the first conductive layer; a third conductive layer is provided over the second conductive layer; the third conductive layer has a second opening overlapping with the first opening; a first insulating layer is in contact with a sidewall of the first opening in the second conductive layer; a semiconductor layer is in contact with a top surface of the first conductive layer, a side surface of the first insulating layer, and a top surface of the third conductive layer; a second insulating layer is provided over the semiconductor layer; a fourth conductive layer is provided over the second insulating layer; the first insulating layer includes a region sandwiched between the sidewall of the first opening in the second conductive layer and the semiconductor layer; and the semiconductor layer includes a region sandwiched between the sidewall of the first opening in the second conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer.

A method of forming a portion of a gate-all-around field-effect transistor (GAA FET) nanosheet structure includes performing a trim back recess process to form recesses in inner spacers of a fin-shaped column in a first direction from a sidewall of the fin-shaped column, wherein the fin-shaped column includes a stack of nanosheet channels and sacrificial layers having the inner spacers on both sides thereof in the first direction, performing an interface epitaxial growth process to grow interface source/drain (S/D) epi layers from exposed surfaces of the nanosheet channels of the fin-shaped column on the sidewalls of the fin-shaped column, performing an etch back process to etch back the interface S/D epi layer and form a continuous surface of the interface S/D epi layer, and performing a full epitaxial growth process to fully grow an S/D epi layer from the continuous surface of the interface S/D epi layer.

A semiconductor device having a high degree of integration is provided. A first and second transistors which are electrically connected to each other and a first insulating layer are included. The first transistor includes a first semiconductor layer, a second insulating layer, and a first to third conductive layers. The second transistor includes a second semiconductor layer, a third insulating layer, and a fourth to sixth conductive layers. The first insulating layer is positioned over the first conductive layer and includes an opening reaching the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is positioned over the first insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is in contact with a top surface of the first conductive layer, an inner wall of the opening, and the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer is positioned over the second insulating layer to overlap with the inner wall of the opening. The third insulating layer is positioned over the fourth conductive layer. The fifth and sixth conductive layers are positioned over the fourth conductive layer with the third insulating layer therebetween. The second semiconductor layer is in contact with top surfaces of the fifth and sixth conductive layers, side surfaces thereof that face each other, and a top surface of the third insulating layer sandwiched between the fifth conductive layer and the sixth conductive layer.

Gate contact structures disposed over active portions of gates and methods of forming such gate contact structures are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a substrate having an active region and an isolation region. A gate structure has a portion disposed above the active region and a portion disposed above the isolation region of the substrate. Source and drain regions are disposed in the active region of the substrate, on either side of the portion of the gate structure disposed above the active region. A gate contact structure is disposed on the portion of the gate structure disposed above the active region of the substrate.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate electrode in the substrate, a channel region above the gate electrode, a gate dielectric layer between the gate electrode and the channel region, and at least two source/drain regions in contact with the channel region. The channel region includes at least one boron-carbon-nitrogen single-walled nanotube (BCN-SWNT).