A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. A substrate having thereon at least one metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor is provided. A stress memorization technique (SMT) process is performed. The SMT process includes steps of depositing an SMT film covering the at least one MOS transistor on the substrate, and subjecting the SMT film to a thermal process. A lithographic process and an etching process are performed to form a patterned SMT film. A silicide layer is formed on the MOS transistor. The patterned SMT film acts as a salicide block layer when forming the silicide layer.

A semiconductor device includes: a cell region including active regions where components of transistors are formed; the cell region are arranged to function as a D flip-flop that includes a primary latch (having a first sleepy inverter and a first non-sleepy (NS) inverter), a secondary latch (having a second sleepy inverter and a second NS inverter), and a clock buffer (having third and fourth NS inverters). The transistors are grouped: a first group has a standard threshold voltage (Vt_std); a second group has a low threshold voltage (Vt_low); and an optional third group has a high threshold voltage (Vt_high). The transistors which comprise the first or second NS inverter have Vt_low. Alternatively, the transistors of the cell region are further arranged to function as a scan-insertion type of D flip-flop (SDFQ) that further includes a multiplexer; and the transistors of the multiplexer have Vt_low.

Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a first logic cell and a second logic cell on a substrate. Each of the first and second logic cells includes a first active region and a second active region that are adjacent to each other in a first direction, a gate electrode that runs across the first and second active regions and extends lengthwise in the first direction, and a first metal layer on the gate electrode. The first metal layer includes a first power line and a second power line that extend lengthwise in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and are parallel to each other. The first and second logic cells are adjacent to each other in the second direction along the first and second power lines. The first and second active regions extend lengthwise in the second direction from the first logic cell to the second logic cell.

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 including: a first silicon level including a first single crystal silicon layer and a plurality of first transistors; a first metal layer disposed over the first silicon level; a second metal layer disposed over the first metal layer; a third metal layer disposed over the second metal layer; a second level including a plurality of second transistors, disposed over the third metal layer; a third level including a plurality of third transistors, disposed over the second level; a via disposed through the second and third levels; a fourth metal layer disposed over the third level; a fifth metal layer disposed over the fourth metal layer; and a fourth level including a second single crystal silicon layer and is disposed over the fifth metal layer, where each of the plurality of second transistors includes a metal gate, and the via has a diameter of less than 450 nm.

A method includes forming a source/drain region, forming a dielectric layer over the source/drain region, and etching the dielectric layer to form a contact opening. The source/drain region is exposed to the contact opening. The method further includes depositing a dielectric spacer layer extending into the contact opening, etching the dielectric spacer layer to form a contact spacer in the contact opening, implanting a dopant into the source/drain region through the contact opening after the dielectric spacer layer is deposited, and forming a contact plug to fill the contact opening.

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.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having gate contacts, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having gate contacts, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a gate structure over a semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is laterally adjacent to and in contact with the gate structure. A trench contact structure is over the semiconductor fin, where the gate endcap isolation structure is laterally adjacent to and in contact with the trench contact structure. A local gate-to-contact interconnect is electrically connecting the gate structure to the trench contact structure.

A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device are disclosed. The method includes forming a fin base on a substrate, epitaxially growing a S/D region on the fin base, forming a contact opening on the S/D region, forming a semiconductor nitride layer on a sidewall of the contact opening, performing a densification process on the semiconductor nitride layer to form a densified semiconductor nitride layer, forming a silicide layer on an exposed surface of the S/D region in the contact opening, forming a contact plug in the contact opening, and forming a via structure in the contact plug.