A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate trench in the substrate, a gate insulating film in the gate trench, a titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film on the gate insulating film, the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film including a top surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a polysilicon-upper gate electrode film on the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film, and a gate capping film on the polysilicon-upper gate electrode film. A center portion of the top surface of the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film overlaps a center portion of the polysilicon-upper gate electrode film in a direction that is perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate, and each of the first side surface and the second side surface of the titanium nitride (TiN)-lower gate electrode film is connected to the gate insulating film.

A conductive hard mask layer can be patterned with peripheral discrete openings. An anisotropic etch process can be performed to form peripheral discrete via cavities, which are subsequently expanded to form a continuous moat trench. An edge seal structure can be formed in the continuous moat trench. Alternatively, a conductive bridge structure may be formed prior to formation of a patterned conductive hard mask layer, and a moat trench can be formed around a periphery of the semiconductor die while the conductive bridge structure provides electrical connection between an inner portion and an outer portion of the conductive hard mask layer. The entire conductive hard mask layer can be electrically connected to a semiconductor substrate to reduce or prevent arcing during an anisotropic etch process that forms the peripheral discrete via cavities or the moat trench.

The present disclosure relates to a method, which includes forming a patterned mask layer having an opening disposed on a first surface of a substrate; performing a cyclic etching and deposition processes from the first surface to form a recess corresponding to the opening and a liner layer disposed thereon; performing a first removal process to remove the liner layer for exposing a portion of the substrate in the recess; and performing a trimming process to remove the portion of the substrate in the recess.

A semiconductor device includes a logic device including a first portion of a first substrate extending vertically below a first source/drain region, a second portion of the first substrate extending vertically below a second source/drain region, a first shallow trench isolation (STI) extending vertically and isolating the first portion of the first substrate and the second portion of the first substrate, a backside power delivery network (BSPDN) below the logic device, a first dielectric layer extending vertically through sidewalls of a backside contact. The first dielectric layer isolates the backside contact from the first portion of the first substrate and the second portion of the first substrate.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first and second surface opposite to each other, and an active region on the first surface and defined by a first isolation region; a plurality of active fins on the active region, extending in a first direction, and defined by a second isolation region having a second depth smaller than a first depth of the first isolation region; a buried conductive wiring in a trench adjacent to the fins, and extending in a direction of the trench; a filling insulation portion in the trench, and having the wiring therein; an interlayer insulation layer on the first and second isolation regions and on the buried conductive wiring; a contact structure penetrating the interlayer insulation layer, and contacting the buried conductive wiring; and a conductive through structure extending through the substrate from the second surface to the trench, and contacting the buried conductive wiring.

A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure comprising alternating conductive structures and insulative structures arranged in tiers, each of the tiers individually comprising a conductive structure and an insulative structure, strings of memory cells vertically extending through the stack structure, the strings of memory cells comprising a channel material vertically extending through the stack structure, and conductive rails laterally adjacent to the conductive structures of the stack structure. The conductive rails comprise a material composition that is different than a material composition of the conductive structures of the stack structure. Related memory devices, electronic systems, and methods are also described.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes: forming first conducting portions that are spaced apart from each other on a base structure; forming isolation elements, each of which includes a dielectric lower portion and an etching-resistant upper portion covering the dielectric lower portion, the etching-resistant upper portion being made of an etching-resistant material different from a dielectric material of the dielectric lower portion, each of the isolation elements being isolated and exposed from two adjacent ones of the first conducting portions; sequentially forming an etch stop layer and an interlayer dielectric over the first conducting portions and the isolation elements; forming a cavity which extends through the etch stop layer and the interlayer dielectric, and which exposes one of the first conducting portions; and filling the cavity with a second conducting portion.

The present disclosure discloses a method for manufacturing a via, including: forming a first dielectric layer on the surface of an underlying structure; performing patterned etching on the first dielectric layer to form a via opening; forming a first metal layer; performing first-time metal CMP to remove the first metal layer on the outer surface of the via opening, where a top surface of the first metal layer in the via opening is located below a top surface of the first dielectric layer; performing second-time dielectric etch back, to selectively etch the first dielectric layer, lower the top surface of the first dielectric layer as being below the top surface of the first metal layer, and form a metal protrusion of a via; and forming a pattern of an upper metal interconnection layer.

A chip includes a chip substrate having a first thickness and including a back surface. The back surface includes an etched portion with an etching depth that is less than the first thickness. The chip further includes a first thin film including a dielectric material and located on the back surface. The chip further includes a second thin film including a barrier layer material and located on the first thin film. The chip further includes a third thin film including a metal material, embedded in the chip substrate, and located on the second thin film. The chip further includes a coverage layer including nitride or carbon nitride and located on the first thin film, the second thin film, and the third thin film.

Interconnect structures and corresponding techniques for forming the interconnect structures are disclosed herein. An exemplary interconnect structure includes a conductive feature that includes cobalt and a via disposed over the conductive feature. The via includes a first via barrier layer disposed over the conductive feature, a second via barrier layer disposed over the first via barrier layer, and a via bulk layer disposed over the second via barrier layer. The first via barrier layer includes titanium, and the second via barrier layer includes titanium and nitrogen. The via bulk layer can include tungsten and/or cobalt. A capping layer may be disposed over the conductive feature, where the via extends through the capping layer to contact the conductive feature. In some implementations, the capping layer includes cobalt and silicon.