A gate structure may include a first gate electrode extending in a first direction, a second gate electrode on a portion of the first gate electrode, a gate mask on the first and second gate electrodes, and a gate insulation pattern on a lower surface and a sidewall of the first gate electrode and sidewalls of the second gate electrode and the gate mask. The gate structure is in an upper portion of a substrate. A grain size of the second gate electrode is greater than a grain size of the first gate electrode.

A semiconductor structure includes a metal gate structure comprising a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode, a conductive layer disposed over the metal gate structure, and a contact feature in direct contact with the top portion of the conductive layer, where the conductive layer includes a bottom portion disposed below a top surface of the metal gate structure and a top portion disposed over the top surface of the metal gate structure, and where the top portion laterally extends beyond a sidewall of the bottom portion.

A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a metal gate stack having a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode disposed over the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The method further includes performing a plasma treatment to a top surface of the metal gate stack and forming a conductive layer over the treated top surface of the metal gate stack. A top portion of the conductive layer is formed above a top surface of the gate dielectric layer, and a bottom portion of the conductive layer penetrates into the first and the second metal layers of the gate electrode at different distances.

A substrate fixing device includes a baseplate, an electrostatic attraction member, and an electrode pin. The baseplate includes a metallic member in which a through hole is famed. The electrostatic attraction member is over a surface of the baseplate and includes an attraction electrode. The electrode pin is inserted through the through hole to be connected to the attraction electrode. A recess communicating with the through hole is formed in the surface of the metallic member with the through hole being within the recess in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metallic member.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including PMOSFET and NMOSFET regions; and first/second transistors on the PMOSFET/NMOSFET regions, respectively, wherein the first transistor includes a first gate dielectric layer on the substrate; a first lower metal pattern on the first gate dielectric layer; a second lower metal pattern on the first lower metal pattern; and a first intermediate pattern between the first and second lower metal patterns, the second transistor includes a second gate dielectric layer on the substrate; a third lower metal pattern on the second gate dielectric layer; and a second intermediate pattern between the second gate dielectric layer and the third lower metal pattern, the first and second intermediate patterns each include lanthanum, the first to third lower metal patterns each include a metal nitride, and a thickness of the first lower metal pattern is greater than a thickness of the third lower metal pattern.

Various methods for fabricating a semiconductor device by selective in-situ cleaning of a target surface of a semiconductor substrate by selective dry surface atomic layer etching of the target surface film, selectively removing one or more top layers of atoms from the target surface film of the semiconductor substrate. The selective in-situ cleaning of a target surface can be followed by deposition on the cleaned target surface such as to form a cap layer, a conductive contact layer, or a gate dielectric layer.

A method of making a semiconductor structure, the method including forming a conductive layer over a substrate. The method further includes forming a first imaging layer over the conductive layer, where the first imaging layer comprises a plurality of layers. The method further includes forming openings in the first imaging layer to expose a first set of areas of the conductive layer. The method further includes implanting ions into each area of the first set of area. The method further includes forming a second imaging layer over the conductive layer. The method further includes forming openings in the second imaging layer to expose a second set of areas of the conductive layer, wherein the second set of areas is different from the first set of areas. The method further includes implanting ions into the each area of the second set of areas.

Disclosed is an ion controllable transistor-based neuromorphic synaptic device used for a memory and a neuromorphic computing in such a manner that a synaptic weight is analogically updated and maintained. The ion controllable transistor-based neuromorphic synaptic device includes a channel area formed on a semiconductor substrate; a source area and a drain area formed at both sides of the channel area, respectively; an interlayer insulating film provided on the channel area; a gate area formed on the interlayer insulating film; and a solid electrolyte layer inserted between the interlayer insulating film and the gate area.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part; first and second electrodes respectively on back and front surfaces of the semiconductor part; and a control electrode between the semiconductor part and the second electrode. The control electrode is provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part. The control electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor part by a first insulating film and electrically insulated from the second electrode by a second insulating film. The control electrode includes an insulator at a position apart from the first insulating film and the second insulating film. The semiconductor part includes a first layer of a first conductivity type provided between the first and second electrodes, the second layer of a second conductivity type provided between the first layer and the second electrode and the third layer of the first conductivity type selectively provided between the second layer and the second electrode.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part; first and second electrodes respectively on back and front surfaces of the semiconductor part; and a control electrode between the semiconductor part and the second electrode. The control electrode is provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part. The control electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor part by a first insulating film and electrically insulated from the second electrode by a second insulating film. The control electrode includes an insulator at a position apart from the first insulating film and the second insulating film. The semiconductor part includes a first layer of a first conductivity type provided between the first and second electrodes, the second layer of a second conductivity type provided between the first layer and the second electrode and the third layer of the first conductivity type selectively provided between the second layer and the second electrode.