An integrated circuit (IC) may include at least one cell including a plurality of conductive lines that extend in a first direction and are in parallel to each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, first contacts respectively disposed at two sides of at least one conductive line from among the plurality of conductive lines, and a second contact disposed on the at least one conductive line and the first contacts and forming a single node by being electrically connected to the at least one conductive line and the first contacts.

Methods and structures for forming strained-channel FETs are described. A strain-inducing layer may be formed under stress in a silicon-on-insulator substrate below the insulator. Stress-relief cuts may be formed in the strain-inducing layer to relieve stress in the strain-inducing layer. The relief of stress can impart strain to an adjacent semiconductor layer. Strained-channel, fully-depleted SOI FETs and strained-channel finFETs may be formed from the adjacent semiconductor layer. The amount and type of strain may be controlled by etch depths and geometries of the stress-relief cuts and choice of materials for the strain-inducing layer.

A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming first fins from a first semiconductor material and second fins from a second semiconductor material and encapsulating the first fins and the second fins with a protective dielectric. Semiconductor material between the first fins and the second fins is etched to form trenches. A dielectric fill is employed to fill up the trenches, between the first fins and between the second fins. The first semiconductor material below the first fins and the second semiconductor material below the second fins are oxidized with the first and second fins being protected by the protective dielectric. Fins in an intermediary region between the first fins and the second fins are oxidized to form dummy fins in the intermediary region to maintain a substantially same topology across the device.

Single gate and dual gate FinFET devices suitable for use in an SRAM memory array have respective fins, source regions, and drain regions that are formed from portions of a single, contiguous layer on the semiconductor substrate, so that STI is unnecessary. Pairs of FinFETs can be configured as dependent-gate devices wherein adjacent channels are controlled by a common gate, or as independent-gate devices wherein one channel is controlled by two gates. Metal interconnects coupling a plurality of the FinFET devices are made of a same material as the gate electrodes. Such structural and material commonalities help to reduce costs of manufacturing high-density memory arrays.

A semiconductor structure includes a first layered dipole structure formed within a gate trench within a first polarity region of the semiconductor structure. A second layered dipole structure is formed within a gate trench within a second polarity region of the semiconductor structure and formed upon the first layered dipole structure. The layered dipole structure nearest to the bottom of the gate trench includes a dipole layer of opposite polarity relative to the polarity region of the semiconductor structure where the gate trench is located and reduces source to drain leakage.

A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes fin shaped structures and a recessed insulating layer. The fin shaped structures are disposed on a substrate. The recessed insulating layer covers a bottom portion of each of the fin shaped structures to expose a top portion of each of the fin shaped structures. The recessed insulating layer has a curve surface and a wicking structure is defined between a peak and a bottom of the curve surface. The wicking structure is disposed between the fin shaped structures and has a height being about 1/12 to 1/10 of a height of the top portion of the fin shaped structures.

After forming a laterally contacting pair of a semiconductor fin and a conductive strap structure having a base portion vertically contacting a deep trench capacitor embedded in a substrate and a fin portion laterally contacting the semiconductor fin, conducting spikes that are formed on the sidewalls of the deep trench are removed or pushed deeper into the deep trench. Subsequently, a dielectric cap that inhibits epitaxial growth of a semiconductor material thereon is formed over at least a portion of the base portion of the conductive strap structure. The dielectric cap can be formed either over an entirety of the base portion having a stepped structure or on a distal portion of the base portion.

A semiconductor device is provided. A substrate includes a first region and a second region. A first wire pattern, extending in a first direction, is formed at a first height from the substrate of the first region. A second wire pattern, extending in a second direction, is formed at a second height from the substrate of the second region. The first height is different from the second height. A first gate electrode, surrounding the first wire pattern, extends in a third direction crossing the first direction. A second gate electrode, surrounding the second wire pattern, extends in a fourth direction crossing the second direction. A first gate insulation layer is formed along a circumference of the first wire pattern and a sidewall of the first gate electrode. A second gate insulation layer is formed along a circumference of the second wire pattern and a sidewall of the second gate electrode.

Provided is a semiconductor device capable of holding data for a long period. The semiconductor device includes first to third transistors, a capacitor, and a circuit. The third transistor includes a first gate and a second gate. A gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first terminal of the capacitor. A first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the second gate. A second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the circuit. A gate of second transistor is electrically connected to a first terminal of the second transistor. A first terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second gate. A second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a first terminal of the capacitor. The circuit is configured to generate a negative potential. A channel formation region of the first transistor preferably includes an oxide semiconductor.

A semiconductor structure, including: a base substrate; an insulating layer on the base substrate, the insulating layer having a thickness between about 5 nm and about 100 nm; and an active layer comprising at least two pluralities of different volumes of semiconductor material comprising silicon, germanium, and/or silicon germanium, the active layer disposed over the insulating layer, the at least two pluralities of different volumes of semiconductor material comprising: a first plurality of volumes of semiconductor material having a tensile strain of at least about 0.6%; and a second plurality of volumes of semiconductor material having a compressive strain of at least about 0.6%. Also described is a method of preparing a semiconductor structure and a segmented strained silicon-on-insulator device.