A multi-layer full dense mesh (MFDM) device. The MFDM may include a metal-top layer including a bump pad array that may include a power1 (PWR1) bump pad within a PWR1 bump region, a VSS bump pad within a VSS bump region, and a power2 (PWR2) bump pad within a PWR2 bump region. The metal-top layer may also include a PWR1 majority metal-top region. The MFDM may also include a metal-top-1 layer beneath the metal-top layer and including a VSS majority metal-top-1 region, a PWR1 metal-top-1 region, and a PWR2 metal-top-1 region. The MFDM may also include a metal-top-2 layer beneath the metal-top-1 layer and including a PWR2 majority metal-top-2 region, a VSS metal-top-2 region, and a PWR1 metal-top-2 region. The MFDM may also include top-1 VIAs disposed between the metal-top layer and the metal-top-1 layer, and top-2 VIAs disposed between the metal-top-1 layer and the metal-top-2 layer.

A microelectronic device contains a high voltage component having a high voltage node and a low voltage node. The high voltage node is isolated from the low voltage node by a main dielectric between the high voltage node and low voltage elements at a surface of the substrate of the microelectronic device. A lower-bandgap dielectric layer is disposed between the high voltage node and the main dielectric. The lower-bandgap dielectric layer contains at least one sub-layer with a bandgap energy less than a bandgap energy of the main dielectric. The lower-bandgap dielectric layer extends beyond the high voltage node continuously around the high voltage node. The lower-bandgap dielectric layer has an isolation break surrounding the high voltage node at a distance of at least twice the thickness of the lower-bandgap dielectric layer from the high voltage node.

A package includes a device die, and an encapsulating material encapsulating the device die therein. The encapsulating material has a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the device die. A coil extends from the top surface to a bottom surface of the encapsulating material, and the device die is in the region encircled by the coil. At least one dielectric layer is formed over the encapsulating material and the coil. A plurality of redistribution lines is in the at least one dielectric layer. The coil is electrically coupled to the device die through the plurality of redistribution lines.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first conductive layer on the substrate and including a main pattern, and substantially symmetrical auxiliary patterns extending from two sides of the main pattern, an insulating layer on the substrate and the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on the insulating layer and overlapping at least a portion of the main pattern and the auxiliary patterns.

Insulating a via in a semiconductor substrate, including: depositing, in the via, a dielectric layer; depositing, in the via, a barrier layer; allowing the barrier layer to oxidize; and depositing, in the via, a conducting layer.

A method of fabricating a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure on a substrate includes forming a patterned metal layer over the substrate; forming an insulator layer over the patterned metal layer; forming a second metal layer over the insulator layer; removing part of the insulating layer and part of the second metal layer thereby forming a substantially coplanar surface that is formed by the patterned metal layer, the insulator layer, and the second metal layer; removing a portion of the second metal layer and a portion of the patterned metal layer to form a fin from the insulator layer that protrudes beyond the first metal layer and the second metal layer; and forming an inter-metal dielectric layer over the fin.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods and test structures for an intermediate metal level of an integrated circuit (IC). A method according to the present disclosure can include: fabricating a first plurality of metal levels including an intermediate metal level of an IC structure, the intermediate metal level being one of a plurality of metal levels in the IC structure other than a capping metal level of the IC structure; performing a first functional test on a first circuit positioned within the intermediate metal level; fabricating a second plurality of metal levels after performing the first functional test, the second plurality of metal levels including the capping metal level of the IC structure; and performing a second functional test on a second circuit positioned within the plurality of metal levels, after the fabricating of the capping metal level.

In connection with a semiconductor device including a capacitor element there is provided a technique capable of improving the reliability of the capacitor element. A capacitor element is formed in an element isolation region formed over a semiconductor substrate. The capacitor element includes a lower electrode and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode through a capacitor insulating film. Basically, the lower electrode and the upper electrode are formed from polysilicon films and a cobalt silicide film formed over the surfaces of the polysilicon films. End portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the upper electrode are spaced apart a distance from end portions of the upper electrode. Besides, end portions of the cobalt silicide film formed over the lower electrode are spaced apart a distance from boundaries between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

An electrical circuit comprising at least two negative capacitance insulators connected in series, one of the two negative capacitance insulators is biased to generate a negative capacitance. One of the negative capacitance insulators may include an air-gap which is part of a nanoelectromechnical system (NEMS) device and the second negative capacitance insulator includes a ferroelectric material. Both of the negative capacitance insulators may be located between the channel and gate of a field effect transistor. The NEMS device may include a movable electrode, a dielectric and a fixed electrode and arranged so that the movable electrode is attached to at least two points and spaced apart from the dielectric and fixed electrode, and the ferroelectric capacitor is electrically connected to either of the electrodes.

Provided herein is a semiconductor memory device including: a memory cell array having a multilayer stacked structure; and a peripheral circuit configured to drive the memory cell array. The peripheral circuit includes a power decoupling capacitor circuit configured to provide decoupling capacitors to the memory cell array and the peripheral circuit. The power decoupling capacitor circuit includes conductive lines which are alternately stacked on top of one another, a plurality of semiconductor pillars configured to pass through the conductive lines, a horizontal connector configured to connect the semiconductor pillars to each other, and a vertical connector configured to pass through the conductive lines and insulated from the horizontal connector.