Exemplary integrated cluster tools may include a factory interface including a first transfer robot. The tools may include a wet clean system coupled with the factory interface at a first side of the wet clean system. The tools may include a load lock chamber coupled with the wet clean system at a second side of the wet clean system opposite the first side of the wet clean system. The tools may include a first transfer chamber coupled with the load lock chamber. The first transfer chamber may include a second transfer robot. The tools may include a thermal treatment chamber coupled with the first transfer chamber. The tools may include a second transfer chamber coupled with the first transfer chamber. The second transfer chamber may include a third transfer robot. The tools may include a metal deposition chamber coupled with the second transfer chamber.

A control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode of a memory cell of a non-volatile memory are formed in a memory cell region of a semiconductor substrate, and a dummy gate electrode is formed in a peripheral circuit region. Then, n.sup.+-type semiconductor regions for a source or a drain of the memory cell are formed in the memory cell region and n.sup.+-type semiconductor regions for a source or a drain of MISFET are formed in the peripheral circuit region. Then, a metal silicide layer is formed over the n.sup.+-type semiconductor regions but the metal silicide layer is not formed over the control gate electrode, the memory gate electrode, and the gate electrode. Subsequently, the gate electrode is removed and replaced with the gate electrode for MISFET, Then, after removing the gate electrode and replacing it with a gate electrode for MISFET, a metal silicide layer is formed over the memory gate electrode and the control gate electrode.

A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes: providing a substrate including a first region and a second region; forming a first initial gate dielectric layer in the first region and forming a second initial gate dielectric layer in the second region; injecting doped elements into the first initial gate dielectric layer and the second initial gate dielectric layer; and thinning the first initial gate dielectric layer and the second initial gate dielectric layer, to form a first gate dielectric layer and a second gate dielectric layer, where a thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is greater than a thickness of the second gate dielectric layer. A negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) effect is improved for a first transistor and a second transistor.

A method includes forming a gate stack, which includes a gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode over the gate dielectric. An inter-layer dielectric is formed on opposite sides of the gate stack. The gate stack and the inter-layer dielectric are planarized. The method further includes forming an inhibitor film on the gate stack, with at least a portion of the inter-layer dielectric exposed, selectively depositing a dielectric hard mask on the inter-layer dielectric, with the inhibitor film preventing the dielectric hard mask from being formed thereon, and etching to remove a portion of the gate stack, with the dielectric hard mask acting as a portion of a corresponding etching mask.

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit. This method includes forming an epitaxial material comprising single crystal piezo material overlying a surface region of a substrate to a desired thickness and forming a trench region to form an exposed portion of the surface region through a pattern provided in the epitaxial material. Also, the method includes forming a topside landing pad metal and a first electrode member overlying a portion of the epitaxial material and a second electrode member overlying the topside landing pad metal. Furthermore, the method can include processing the backside of the substrate to form a backside trench region exposing a backside of the epitaxial material and the landing pad metal and forming a backside resonator metal material overlying the backside of the epitaxial material to couple to the second electrode member overlying the topside landing pad metal.

A semiconductor device includes: a first electrode; a first semiconductor layer of first conductivity type provided on the first electrode; a second semiconductor layer of first conductivity type provided on the first semiconductor layer; a first semiconductor region of second conductivity type provided on the second semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor region of second conductivity type provided on the second semiconductor layer; a first insulating film provided in a trench between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, the trench reaching the second semiconductor layer from above the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region, the first insulating film containing silicon oxide; a second electrode provided in the trench, the second electrode facing the second semiconductor layer via the first insulating film, the second electrode containing polysilicon; a third electrode provided above the second electrode, the third electrode facing the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region via a second insulating film containing silicon oxide; a third insulating film provided between the second electrode and the third electrode, the third insulating film containing silicon nitride; a third semiconductor region of first conductivity type provided on the first semiconductor region; a fourth semiconductor region of first conductivity type provided on the second semiconductor region; an interlayer insulating film provided on the third electrode; and a fourth electrode provided on the interlayer insulating film, the fourth electrode being electrically connected to the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region.

Provided is a memory device including a substrate, a plurality of word-line structures, a plurality of cap structures, and a plurality of air gaps. The word-line structures are disposed on the substrate. The cap structures are respectively disposed on the word-line structures. A material of the cap structures includes a nitride. The nitride has a nitrogen concentration decreasing along a direction near to a corresponding word-line structure toward far away from the corresponding word-line structure. The air gaps are respectively disposed between the word-line structures. The air gaps are in direct contact with the word-line structures. A method of forming a memory device is also provided.

A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a fin-shaped structure on a substrate; forming a gate dielectric layer on the fin-shaped structure; forming a gate electrode on the fin-shaped structure; performing a nitridation process to implant ions into the gate dielectric layer adjacent to two sides of the gate electrode; and forming an epitaxial layer adjacent to two sides of the gate electrode.

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a fin structure on the semiconductor substrate, a gate structure on the fin structure, and a pair of source/drain features on both sides of the gate structure. The gate structure includes an interfacial layer on the fin structure, a gate dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, and a gate electrode layer of a conductive material on and directly contacting the gate dielectric layer. The gate dielectric layer includes nitrogen element.

A method includes providing a structure having a substrate, a semiconductor channel layer over the substrate, an interfacial oxide layer over the semiconductor channel layer, and a high-k gate dielectric layer over the interfacial oxide layer, wherein the semiconductor channel layer includes germanium. The method further includes forming a metal nitride layer over the high-k gate dielectric layer and performing a first treatment to the structure using a metal-containing gas. After the performing of the first treatment, the method further includes depositing a silicon layer over the metal nitride layer; and then annealing the structure such that a metal intermixing layer is formed over the high-k gate dielectric layer. The metal intermixing layer includes a metal oxide having metal species from the high-k gate dielectric layer and additional metal species from the metal-containing gas.