A semiconductor device includes substrate, a first gate structure, a second gate structure, and an epitaxy layer. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are over the substrate, in which the first gate structure and the second gate structure each comprises a shielding electrode, a gate electrode over the shielding electrode, and a first gate dielectric layer vertically separating the shielding electrode from the gate electrode. The epitaxy layer is over the substrate and cups an underside of the first gate structure and the second gate structure, in which the epitaxy layer comprises a doped region laterally between the first gate dielectric layer of the first gate structure and the first gate dielectric layer of the second gate structure, a dopant concentration of the doped region being non-uniform along a lateral direction.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices. An example semiconductor device includes a first well region and a second well region isolated from each other by a first device isolation film; an NPN transistor provided by a first collector region formed in the first well region and including first conductivity-type impurities, and a first emitter region formed in the second well region and including the first conductivity-type impurities; a PNP transistor provided by a second emitter region formed in the first well region and including second conductivity-type impurities different from the first conductivity-type, and a second collector region formed in the second well region and including the second conductivity-type impurities; and an NMOS transistor including a source region and a drain region formed in the second well region and including the first conductivity-type impurities, and a gate structure disposed between the source region and the drain region.

A high-voltage device structure and methods of forming the same are described. In some embodiments, the structure includes a deep well region of a first conductivity type disposed in a substrate, a doped region disposed on the deep well region; a well region of the first conductivity type surrounding the deep well region and the doped region; a source region disposed on the well region, a drain region disposed on the doped region, and a first pickup region of the first conductivity type disposed on the well region. The first pickup region is laterally in contact with the source region, and the first pickup region, the well region, and the deep well region are electrically connected.

A method includes forming a p-well and an n-well in a substrate. The method further includes forming a stack of interleaving first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over the p-well and the n-well, the first semiconductor layers having a first thickness and the second semiconductor layers having a second thickness different than the first thickness. The method further includes annealing the stack of interleaving semiconductor layers. The method further includes patterning the stack to form fin-shaped structures including a first fin-shaped structure over the n-well and a second fin-shaped structure over the p-well. The method further includes etching to remove the second semiconductor layers from the first and second fin-shaped structures, where the first semiconductor layers have a different thickness within each of the first and second fin-shaped structures after the etching. The method further includes forming a metal gate over the first and second fin-shaped structures.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first surface and an insulator that surrounds a first region of the first surface. A gate electrode is on the first region and has a first resistivity. A first conductor is also on the first region. The first conductor comprises a same material as the gate electrode, but has a second resistivity that is different from the first resistivity. The resistivity may be different, for example, by either use of different dopants/impurities or different concentrations of dopants/impurities. Resistivity may also be different due to inclusion of a metal silicide on the conductors or not.

A semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes a channel portion, a gate electrode disposed opposite the channel portion via a gate insulating film, and source/drain regions disposed at both edges of the channel portion. The source/drain regions include semiconductor layers that have a first conductivity type and that are formed inside recessed portions disposed on a base body. Impurity layers having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type are formed between the base body and bottom portions of the semiconductor layers.

A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a base, a first fin, and a second fin over the base. The method includes forming a gate stack over the first fin and the second fin. The method includes forming a first spacer over gate sidewalls of the gate stack and a second spacer adjacent to the second fin. The method includes partially removing the first fin and the second fin. The method includes forming a first source/drain structure and a second source/drain structure in the first trench and the second trench respectively. A first ratio of a first height of the first merged portion to a second height of a first top surface of the first source/drain structure is greater than or equal to about 0.5.

An ESD cell includes an n+ buried layer (NBL) within a p-epi layer on a substrate. An outer deep trench isolation ring (outer DT ring) includes dielectric sidewalls having a deep n-type diffusion (DEEPN diffusion) ring (DEEPN ring) contacting the dielectric sidewall extending downward to the NBL. The DEEPN ring defines an enclosed p-epi region. A plurality of inner DT structures are within the enclosed p-epi region having dielectric sidewalls and DEEPN diffusions contacting the dielectric sidewalls extending downward from the topside surface to the NBL. The inner DT structures have a sufficiently small spacing with one another so that adjacent DEEPN diffusion regions overlap to form continuous wall of n-type material extending from a first side to a second side of the outer DT ring dividing the enclosed p-epi region into a first and second p-epi region. The first and second p-epi region are connected by the NBL.

An ESD cell includes an n+ buried layer (NBL) within a p-epi layer on a substrate. An outer deep trench isolation ring (outer DT ring) includes dielectric sidewalls having a deep n-type diffusion (DEEPN diffusion) ring (DEEPN ring) contacting the dielectric sidewall extending downward to the NBL. The DEEPN ring defines an enclosed p-epi region. A plurality of inner DT structures are within the enclosed p-epi region having dielectric sidewalls and DEEPN diffusions contacting the dielectric sidewalls extending downward from the topside surface to the NBL. The inner DT structures have a sufficiently small spacing with one another so that adjacent DEEPN diffusion regions overlap to form continuous wall of n-type material extending from a first side to a second side of the outer DT ring dividing the enclosed p-epi region into a first and second p-epi region. The first and second p-epi region are connected by the NBL.

A semiconductor device includes an active fin extending in a first direction on a substrate, a gate electrode intersecting the active fin and extending in a second direction, source/drain regions disposed on the active fin on both sides of the gate electrode, and a contact plug disposed on the source/drain regions. The contact plug has at least one side extending in the second direction which has a step portion having a step shape.