A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate with a first region and a second region defined thereon. The first region is disposed adjoining the second region in a first direction. The semiconductor substrate includes fin structures, first recessed fins, and a bump. The fin structures are disposed in the first region. Each fin structure is elongated in the first direction. The first recessed fins are disposed in the second region. Each first recessed fin is elongated in the first direction. A topmost surface of each first recessed fin is lower than a topmost surface of each fin structure. The bump is disposed in the second region and disposed between two adjacent recessed fins in the first direction. A topmost surface of the bump is higher than the topmost surface of each first recessed fin and lower than the topmost surface of each fin structure.

At least one method, apparatus and system are disclosed for forming a fin field effect transistor (finFET) having an oxide level in a fin array region within a predetermined height of the oxide level of a field region. A first oxide process is performed for controlling a first oxide recess level in a field region adjacent to a fin array region comprising a plurality of fins in a finFET device. The first oxide process comprises depositing an oxide layer over the field region and the fin array region and performing an oxide recess process to bring the oxide layer to the first oxide recess level in the field region. A second oxide process is performed for controlling a second oxide recess level in the fin array region. The second oxide process comprises isolating the fin array region, depositing oxide material, and performing an oxide recess process to bring the oxide level in the fin array region to the second oxide recess level. The first oxide recess level is within a predetermined height differential of the second oxide recess level.

Semiconductor devices are fabricated with vertical field effect transistor (FET) devices having uniform structural profiles. Semiconductor fabrication methods for vertical FET devices implement a process flow to fabricate dummy fins within isolation regions to enable the formation of vertical FET devices with uniform structural profiles within device regions. Sacrificial semiconductor fins are formed in the isolation regions concurrently with semiconductor fins in the device regions, to minimize/eliminate micro-loading effects from an etch process used for fin patterning and, thereby, form uniform profile semiconductor fins. The sacrificial semiconductor fins within the isolation regions also serve to minimize/eliminate non-uniform topography and micro-loading effects when planarizing and recessing conductive gate layers and, thereby form conductive gate structures for vertical FET devices with uniform gate lengths in the device regions. The sacrificial semiconductor fins are subsequently removed and replaced with insulating material to form the dummy fins.

Semiconductor devices including a dummy gate structure on a fin are provided. A semiconductor device includes a fin protruding from a substrate. The semiconductor device includes a source/drain region in the fin, and a recess region of the fin that is between first and second portions of the source/drain region. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a dummy gate structure overlapping the recess region, and a spacer that is on the fin and adjacent a sidewall of the dummy gate structure.

A semiconductor device is provided, including: a substrate having a first area and a second area; several first gate structures formed at the first area, and at least one of the first gate structures including a first hardmask on a first gate, and the first gate structure having a first gate length; several second gate structures formed at the second area, and at least one of the second gate structures including a second hardmask on a second gate, and the second gate structure having a second gate length. The first gate length is smaller than the second gate length, and the first hardmask contains at least a portion of nitrogen (N.sub.2)-based silicon nitride (SiN) which is free of OH concentration.

Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming an isolation trench between two fin structures on an integrated circuit substrate, forming a flowable film in the isolation trench using a flowable chemical vapor deposition process, and annealing the flowable film to form a silicon oxide dielectric layer in the isolation trench. The annealing is performed at a temperature of less than about 200 C. with a process gas including N.sub.2 and H.sub.2O.sub.2.

In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a doped layer is formed in a substrate. A barrier layer that is in contact with the doped layer is formed. A semiconductor layer is formed over the substrate and the barrier layer. A fin structure is formed by patterning the semiconductor layer, the barrier layer, and the doped layer such that the fin structure includes a channel region including the semiconductor layer and a well region including the doped layer. An isolation insulating layer is formed such that a first portion of the fin structure protrudes from the isolation insulating layer and a second portion of the fin structure is embedded in the isolation insulating layer. A gate structure is formed over the fin structure and the isolation insulating layer.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a fin structure on a substrate; forming a dummy gate over the fin structure; forming spacers on sides of the dummy gate; forming a doped region within the fin structure; replacing the dummy gate with a metal gate; replacing an upper portion of the metal gate with a first dielectric layer; forming a conductive layer directly on the doped region; replacing an upper portion of the conductive layer with a second dielectric layer; removing the first dielectric layer thereby exposing a sidewall of the spacer; removing an upper portion of the spacer to thereby expose a sidewall of the second dielectric layer; removing at least a portion of the second dielectric layer to form a trench; and forming a conductive plug in the trench.

A semiconductor device includes at least a substrate, fin-shaped structures, a protection layer, epitaxial layers, and a gate electrode. The fin-shaped structures are disposed in a first region and a second region of the substrate. The protection layer conformally covers the surface of the substrate and the sidewalls of fin-shaped structures. The epitaxial layers respectively conformally and directly cover the fin-shaped structures in the first region. The gate electrode covers the fin-shaped structures in the second region, and the protection layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the fin-shaped structures.

Various embodiments include methods and integrated circuit structures. In some cases, an integrated circuit (IC) structure includes: a substrate; a set of fin structures overlying the substrate, the set of fin structures including a substrate base and a silicide layer over the substrate base; an oxide layer located between adjacent fins in the set of fin structures; and a nitride layer over the set of fin structures, wherein a height of the nitride layer is substantially uniform across the set of fin structures.