A method for making a semiconductor device includes forming a first fin structure, a second fin structure, and a third fin structure over a substrate. The first through third fin structures all extend along a first lateral direction, and the second fin structure is disposed between the first and third fin structures. The method includes forming a mold by filling up trenches between neighboring ones of the first through third fin structures with a first dielectric material. The method includes cutting the second fin structure by removing an upper portion of the second fin structure. The method includes replacing the upper portion of the second fin structure with a second dielectric material to form a dielectric cut structure. The method includes recessing the mold to expose upper portions of the first fin structure and the third fin structure, respectively.

A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method for forming the semiconductor structure includes forming first fin structures and a second fin structures over a substrate, forming a first gate stack and a second gate stack that extend in a first direction across the first fin structures and the second fin structures, respectively, and etching the first gate stack and the second gate stack to form a first trench through the first gate stack and a second trench through the second gate stack. A first dimension of the first trench in the first direction is greater than a second dimension of the second trench in the first direction. The method further includes forming a first gate cutting structure and a second gate cutting structure in the first trench and the second trench, respectively.

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 plurality of semiconductor fins having a longest dimension along a first direction. Adjacent individual semiconductor fins of the first plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart from one another by a first amount in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A second plurality of semiconductor fins has a longest dimension along the first direction. Adjacent individual semiconductor fins of the second plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart from one another by the first amount in the second direction, and closest semiconductor fins of the first plurality of semiconductor fins and the second plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart by a second amount in the second direction.

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 plurality of semiconductor fins having a longest dimension along a first direction. Adjacent individual semiconductor fins of the first plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart from one another by a first amount in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A second plurality of semiconductor fins has a longest dimension along the first direction. Adjacent individual semiconductor fins of the second plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart from one another by the first amount in the second direction, and closest semiconductor fins of the first plurality of semiconductor fins and the second plurality of semiconductor fins are spaced apart by a second amount in the second direction.

A method includes receiving a structure that includes a substrate including a first well region having a first dopant type and a second well region having a second dopant type that is opposite to the first dopant type; and fins extending above the substrate. The method further includes forming a patterned etch mask on the structure, wherein the patterned etch mask provides an opening that is directly above a first fin of the fins, wherein the first fin is directly above the first well region. The method further includes etching the structure through the patterned etch mask, wherein the etching removes the first fin and forms a recess in the substrate that spans from the first well region into the second well region; and forming a dielectric material between remaining portions of the fins and within the recess.

A semiconductor memory structure includes a first active region and a second active region adjacent to the first active region, an isolation structure surrounding the first active region and the second active region, a first bit line structure extending across the first active region, and a contact plug extending into the second active region. The isolation structure includes a first insulating material and a second insulating material disposed on the first insulating material. The first bit line structure includes a contact portion extending into the first active region. An upper surface of the first insulating material is positioned lower than a bottom of the contact portion.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a combination structure of a horizontal oxide layer structure and a vertical oxide layer structure, can include: etching from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to inside of the semiconductor substrate to form a trench; depositing oxides in the trench to form the vertical oxide layer structure; etching the vertical oxide layer structure from an upper surface thereof to decrease height of the vertical oxide layer structure, and to make a top surface of the vertical oxide layer structure be below the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, in order to expose side surfaces of the trench; and forming, by an oxidation process, the horizontal oxide layer structure to cover part of the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and the upper surface of the vertical oxide layer structure.

A semiconductor structure is disclosed that includes: a source feature and a drain feature disposed in a substrate; a gate structure disposed above the substrate and between the source feature and the drain feature; and a first ladder shallow trench isolation (STI) feature disposed in the substrate at least partially under the gate structure in a channel region between the source feature and the drain feature, the first ladder STI feature including a plurality of sections of different depths including a first depth section and a second depth section.

A method includes forming a dummy gate stack on a first protruding structure of a wafer, wherein the first protruding structure comprises a first semiconductor layer, etching the dummy gate stack to form a trench in the dummy gate stack and to reveal the first semiconductor layer, and removing the first semiconductor layer and a semiconductor strip underlying the first semiconductor layer to extend the trench downwardly. The trench is filled with a dielectric material to form a dielectric isolation region. A backside grinding process is performed on a semiconductor substrate of the wafer. The dielectric isolation region is revealed from a backside of the wafer. A backside dielectric layer is formed. on the backside of the wafer, and the backside dielectric layer contacts the dielectric isolation region.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes operations as follows. A substrate is provided, and a mask layer is formed on the substrate. An etching process is performed to form a plurality of first trenches in the mask layer, where the first trench has an inverted trapezoid cross-sectional shape. An epitaxy layer is formed on the substrate, where the epitaxy layer is filled in each of the first trenches to form an active area. The mask layer is removed to form a plurality of second trenches, where the second trench is arranged between adjacent active areas, and the second trench has a regular trapezoid cross-sectional shape. A dielectric layer is filled in the second trench to form an isolation structure.