Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first silicon fin having a longest dimension along a first direction. A second silicon fin having a longest dimension is along the first direction. An insulator material is between the first silicon fin and the second silicon fin. A gate line is over the first silicon fin and over the second silicon fin along a second direction, the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the gate line having a first side and a second side, wherein the gate line has a discontinuity over the insulator material, the discontinuity filled by a dielectric plug.

A semiconductor device includes transistors on a substrate, a first interlayered insulating layer on the transistors, first and second lower interconnection lines in an upper portion of the first interlayered insulating layer, and first and second vias on the first and second lower interconnection lines, respectively. Each of the first and second lower interconnection lines includes a first metal pattern. The first lower interconnection line further includes a second metal pattern, on the first metal pattern with a metallic material different from the first metal pattern. The second metal pattern is absent in the second lower interconnection line. The second via includes first and second portions, which are in contact with respective top surfaces of the first interlayered insulating layer and the second lower interconnection line, and the lowest level of a bottom surface of the second portion is lower than that of a bottom surface of the first via.

A semiconductor device include a substrate having a gate area and a contact area, a buried insulating layer formed over the substrate, a fin-type insulating pattern formed over the buried insulating layer and extending in a first horizontal direction, a lower metal layer covering an upper surface and side surfaces of the fin-type insulating pattern in the contact pattern, a channel layer covering an upper surface and side surfaces of the lower metal layer in the contact area and covering the upper surface and the side surfaces of the fin-type insulating pattern in the gate area, a gate pattern disposed over the channel layer in the gate area and extending in a second direction, and a source/drain contact pattern disposed over the channel layer in the contact area. The lower metal layer includes a Ti-based metal. The channel layer includes an oxide semiconductor material.

Fin field effect transistors (FinFETs) having various different thicknesses of gate oxides and related apparatuses, methods, and computing systems are disclosed. An apparatus includes first FinFETs, second FinFETs, and third FinFETs. The first FinFETs include a first gate oxide material, a second gate oxide material, and a third gate oxide material. The second FinFETs include the second gate oxide material and the third gate oxide material. The third FinFETs include the third gate oxide material. A method includes forming the first gate oxide material on first fins, second fins, and third fins; removing the first gate oxide material from the second fins and the third fins; forming a second gate oxide material over the first fins, the second fins, and the third fins; and removing the second gate oxide material from the third fins.

Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a fin. An isolation structure surrounds a lower fin portion, the isolation structure comprising an insulating material having a top surface, and a semiconductor material on a portion of the top surface of the insulating material, wherein the semiconductor material is separated from the fin. A gate dielectric layer is over the top of an upper fin portion and laterally adjacent the sidewalls of the upper fin portion, the gate dielectric layer further on the semiconductor material on the portion of the top surface of the insulating material. A gate electrode is over the gate dielectric layer.

An array of poly lines on an active device area of an integrated chip is extended to form a dummy device structure on an adjacent isolation region. The resulting dummy device structure is an array of poly lines having the same line width, line spacing, and pitch as the array of poly lines on the active device area. The poly lines of the dummy device structure are on grid with the poly lines on the active device area. Because the dummy device structure is formed of poly lines that are on grid with the poly lines on the active device area, the dummy device structure may be much closer to the active device area than would otherwise be possible. The resulting proximity of the dummy device structure to the active device area improves anti-dishing performance and reduces empty space on the integrated chip.

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers vertically separated from one another. The semiconductor device includes a gate structure that comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the lower portion wraps around each of the plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor device includes a gate spacer that extends along a sidewall of the upper portion of the gate structure and has a bottom surface. A portion of the bottom surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of a topmost one of the plurality of semiconductor layers form an angle that is less than 90 degrees.

Thermal stability of a transistor is improved in different ways. An interfacial layer between a source/drain electrode and a semiconductor layer is formed from a material having a higher bond dissociation energy than indium oxide. Alternatively, the interfacial layer is formed from a metal-doped oxide semiconductor material. As another option, a metal layer or a metal oxide layer is formed between the source/drain electrode and the interfacial layer.

Embodiments of the disclosure are in the field of advanced integrated circuit structure fabrication and, in particular, 10 nanometer node and smaller integrated circuit structure fabrication and the resulting structures. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes first and second gate dielectric layers over a fin. First and second gate electrodes are over the first and second gate dielectric layers, respectively, the first and second gate electrodes both having an insulating cap having a top surface. First dielectric spacer are adjacent the first side of the first gate electrode. A trench contact structure is over a semiconductor source or drain region adjacent first and second dielectric spacers, the trench contact structure comprising an insulating cap on a conductive structure, the insulating cap of the trench contact structure having a top surface substantially co-planar with the insulating caps of the first and second gate electrodes.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures with reduced or removed caps, and methods of fabricating self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures with reduced or removed caps, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate electrode over a first semiconductor fin. A second gate electrode is over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, the gate endcap isolation structure having a higher-k dielectric cap layer on a lower-k dielectric wall. A local interconnect is on the first gate electrode, on the higher-k dielectric cap layer, and on the second gate electrode, the local interconnect having a bottommost surface above an uppermost surface of the higher-k dielectric cap layer.