The present disclosure generally relates to a buried channel semiconductor device that includes one or more energy barrier modulation regions. In an example, a device includes a source/drain region, an energy barrier modulation region, a channel covering surface region, and a gate structure. The source/drain region is in a doped region in a semiconductor substrate that has an upper surface. The energy barrier modulation and channel covering surface regions are in the doped region and at the upper surface. The gate structure is over the upper surface. The energy barrier modulation and channel covering surface regions underlie the gate structure. The energy barrier modulation region is laterally between the source/drain and channel covering surface regions. The doped and energy barrier modulation regions are doped with a first conductivity type, and the source/drain and channel covering surface regions are doped with a second conductivity type opposite from the first conductivity type.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a gate structure on a substrate, forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on the gate structure, forming a contact hole in the ILD layer adjacent to the gate structure, performing a plasma doping process to form a doped layer in the ILD layer and a source/drain region adjacent to the gate structure, forming a conductive layer in the contact hole, planarizing the conductive layer to form a contact plug, removing the doped layer to form an air gap adjacent to the contact plug, and then forming a stop layer on the ILD layer and the contact plug.

In some embodiments, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a pair of source/drain regions disposed in a semiconductor substrate, where the source/drain regions are laterally spaced. A gate electrode is disposed over the semiconductor substrate between the source/drain regions. Sidewall spacers are disposed over the semiconductor substrate on opposite sides of the gate electrode. A silicide blocking structure is disposed over the sidewalls spacers, where respective sides of the source/drain regions facing the gate electrode are spaced apart from outer sides of the sidewall spacers and are substantially aligned with outer sidewalls of the silicide blocking structure.

Present disclosure provides a FinFET structure, including a plurality of fins, a gate, and a first dopant layer. The gate is disposed substantially orthogonal over the plurality of fins, covering a portion of a top surface and a portion of sidewalls of the plurality of fins. The first dopant layer covers the top surface and the sidewalls of a junction portion of a first fin, configured to provide dopants of a first conductive type to the junction portion of the first fin. The junction portion is adjacent to the gate.

An integrated circuit structure includes a gate stack over a semiconductor substrate, and an opening extending into the semiconductor substrate, wherein the opening is adjacent to the gate stack. A first silicon germanium region is disposed in the opening, wherein the first silicon germanium region has a first germanium percentage. A second silicon germanium region is over the first silicon germanium region. The second silicon germanium region comprises a portion in the opening. The second silicon germanium region has a second germanium percentage greater than the first germanium percentage. A silicon cap substantially free from germanium is over the second silicon germanium region.

A method to form a semiconductor structure with an active region and a compatible dielectric layer is described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor structure has a dielectric layer comprised of an oxide of a first semiconductor material, wherein a second (and compositionally different) semiconductor material is formed between the dielectric layer and the first semiconductor material. In another embodiment, a portion of the second semiconductor material is replaced with a third semiconductor material in order to impart uniaxial strain to the lattice structure of the second semiconductor material.

A flash memory device and method of making the same are disclosed. The flash memory device is located on a substrate and includes a floating gate electrode, a tunnel dielectric layer located between the substrate and the floating gate electrode, a smaller length control gate electrode and a control gate dielectric layer located between the floating gate electrode and the smaller length control gate electrode. The length of a major axis of the smaller length control gate electrode is less than a length of a major axis of the floating gate electrode.

A FinFET device and a method of forming the same are disclosed. In accordance with some embodiments, a FinFET device includes a substrate having at least one fin, a gate stack across the at least one fin, a strained layer aside the gate stack and a silicide layer over the strained layer. The strained layer has a boron surface concentration greater than about 2E20 atom/cm.sup.3 within a depth range of about 0-5 nm from a surface of the strained layer.

Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The method comprises forming an active fin extending along a first direction; forming a field insulating layer exposing an upper part of the active fin, along long sides of the active fin; forming a dummy gate pattern extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction, on the active fin; forming a spacer on at least one side of the dummy gate pattern; forming a liner layer covering the active fin exposed by the spacer and the dummy gate pattern; forming a dopant supply layer containing a dopant element, on the liner layer; and forming a doped region in the active fin along an upper surface of the active fin by heat-treating the dopant supply layer.

A memory cell disposed on a substrate has a first gate structure and a second gate structure. The memory cell includes a first heavily doped region adjacent to an outer side of the first gate structure. Further, a first lightly doped drain (LDD) region with a first type dopant is between the first heavily doped region and the outer side of the first gate structure. A pocket doped region with a second type dopant is overlapping with the first LDD region. The second type dopant is opposite to the first type dopant in conductive type. A second heavily doped region is adjacent to an outer side of the second gate structure, opposite to the first heavily doped region. A second LDD region with the first type dopant is disposed between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.