A method includes forming a transistor, which includes forming a semiconductor nanostructure, forming an interfacial layer encircling the semiconductor region, depositing a dipole film on the interfacial layer, depositing a high-k dielectric layer on the dipole film, and depositing a gate electrode on the high-k dielectric layer. The formation of the transistor may be free from dipole dopant drive-in process and may be free from dipole film removal process.

Device-level interconnects having high thermal stability for stacked device structures are disclosed herein. An exemplary stacked semiconductor structure includes an upper source/drain contact disposed on an upper epitaxial source/drain, a lower source/drain contact disposed on a lower epitaxial source/drain, and a source/drain via connected to the upper source/drain contact and the lower source/drain contact. The source/drain via is disposed on the upper source/drain contact, the source/drain via extends below the upper source/drain contact, and the source/drain via includes ruthenium and aluminum. In some embodiments, the source/drain via includes a ruthenium plug wrapped by an aluminum liner. In some embodiments, the source/drain via includes a ruthenium aluminide plug. In some embodiments, the source/drain via includes a ruthenium plug wrapped by a ruthenium aluminide liner. In some embodiments, the source/drain via extends below a top of the lower epitaxial source/drain.

Methods for improving profiles of channel regions in semiconductor devices and semiconductor devices formed by the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a semiconductor fin over a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor fin including germanium, a germanium concentration of a first portion of the semiconductor fin being greater than a germanium concentration of a second portion of the semiconductor fin, a first distance between the first portion and a major surface of the semiconductor substrate being less than a second distance between the second portion and the major surface of the semiconductor substrate; and trimming the semiconductor fin, the first portion of the semiconductor fin being trimmed at a greater rate than the second portion of the semiconductor fin.

Structures and methods are disclosed in which a layer stack can be formed with a plurality of layers of a metal, where each of the layers of metal can be separated by a layer of a dielectric. An opening in the layer stack can be formed such that a semiconductor layer beneath the plurality of layers of the metal is uncovered. One or more vertical channel structures can be formed within the opening by epitaxial growth. The vertical channel structure can include a vertically oriented transistor. The vertical channel structure can include an interface of a silicide metal with a first metal layer of the plurality of metal layers. The interface can correspond to one of a source or a drain connection of a transistor. The silicide metal can be annealed above a temperature threshold to form a silicide interface between the vertical channel structure and the first metal layer.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a first semiconductor region formed over the substrate; a second semiconductor region formed over the substrate, and electrically connected to the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region formed over the substrate, and positioned between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region; a fourth semiconductor region formed over the first semiconductor region; a fifth semiconductor region formed over the second semiconductor region, and electrically connected to the fourth semiconductor region; a sixth semiconductor region formed over the third semiconductor region, and positioned between the fourth semiconductor region and the fifth semiconductor region; and wires formed between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, and between the fourth semiconductor region and the fifth semiconductor region, to cover the third semiconductor region and the sixth semiconductor region, the wires including conductors.

A transistor structure with a multi-layer field plate and related methods are disclosed. The transistor structure includes a dielectric layer that has a thinner portion over a first doped well and a second doped well, and a thicker portion adjacent the thinner portion and over the second doped well. The thicker portion has a height greater than the thinner portion above the doped wells. The transistor includes a first gate structure on the thinner portion and a field plate on the thicker portion of the dielectric layer.

A nano-FET and a method of forming is provided. In some embodiments, a nano-FET includes an epitaxial source/drain region contacting ends of a first nanostructure and a second nanostructure. The epitaxial source/drain region may include a first semiconductor material layer of a first semiconductor material, such that the first semiconductor material layer includes a first segment contacting the first nanostructure and a second segment contacting the second nanostructure, wherein the first segment is separated from the second segment. A second semiconductor material layer is formed over the first segment and the second segment. The second semiconductor material layer may include a second semiconductor material having a higher concentration of dopants of a first conductivity type than the first semiconductor material layer. The second semiconductor material layer may have a lower concentration percentage of silicon than the first semiconductor material layer.

A semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes: providing a substrate including a core NMOS area, a core PMOS area and a peripheral NMOS area; performing oxidation treatment on the substrate in the core PMOS area to convert a thickness of a part of the substrate in the core PMOS area into an oxide layer; removing the oxide layer; forming a first semiconductor layer on the remaining substrate in the core PMOS area; forming a gate dielectric layer located on the first semiconductor layer and on the substrate in the core NMOS area and the peripheral NMOS area; and forming a gate on the gate dielectric layer.

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 dielectric layer is on top of a first semiconductor stack. The first semiconductor stack is compressively strained. A second semiconductor stack is on top of the dielectric layer. The second semiconductor stack is tensely strained.