The present disclosure describes a method for the fabrication of ruthenium conductive structures over cobalt conductive structures. In some embodiments, the method includes forming a first opening in a dielectric layer to expose a first cobalt contact and filling the first opening with ruthenium metal to form a ruthenium contact on the first cobalt contact. The method also includes forming a second opening in the dielectric layer to expose a second cobalt contact and a gate structure and filling the second opening with tungsten to form a tungsten contact on the second cobalt contact and the gate structure. Further, the method includes forming a copper conductive structure on the ruthenium contact and the tungsten contact, where the copper from the copper conductive structure is in contact with the ruthenium metal from the ruthenium contact.

A semiconductor device includes a first layer including a plurality of wirings arranged in line and space layout and a second layer including a pad electrically connected to at least one of the wirings, wherein the wirings and the pads are patterned by different lithographic processes.

Self-aligned gate edge trigate and finFET devices and methods of fabricating self-aligned gate edge trigate and finFET devices are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes a plurality of semiconductor fins disposed above a substrate and protruding through an uppermost surface of a trench isolation region. A gate structure is disposed over the plurality of semiconductor fins. The gate structure defines a channel region in each of the plurality of semiconductor fins. Source and drain regions are on opposing ends of the channel regions of each of the plurality of semiconductor fins, at opposing sides of the gate structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a plurality of gate edge isolation structures. Individual ones of the plurality of gate edge isolation structures alternate with individual ones of the plurality of semiconductor fins.

A method includes forming a gate structure over a substrate; forming a source/drain region adjacent the gate structure; forming a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) over the source/drain region; forming a contact plug extending through the first ILD that electrically contacts the source/drain region; forming a silicide layer on the contact plug; forming a second ILD extending over the first ILD and the silicide layer; etching an opening extending through the second ILD and the silicide layer to expose the contact plug, wherein the silicide layer is used as an etch stop during the etching of the opening; and forming a conductive feature in the opening that electrically contacts the contact plug.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods for forming conductive lines and conductive sockets using mandrels with turns, as well as the resulting conductive lines and sockets. A conductive socket of the present disclosure may have a top layout with at least one turn and with a width that is substantially the same as that of conductive lines along the at least one turn. Such a top layout may reduce loading during formation of the conductive socket. Conductive lines of the present disclosure may comprise outer conductive lines and inner conductive lines having ends laterally offset from ends of the outer conductive lines along lengths of the conductive lines. Formation of the inner and outer conductive lines using a mandrel with a turn may enlarge a process window while cutting ends of a sidewall spacer structure from which the inner and outer conductive lines are formed.

Some embodiments include an integrated assembly having a stack of alternating first and second levels. A panel extends through the stack. The first levels have proximal regions adjacent the panel, and have distal regions further from the panel than the proximal regions. The distal regions have first conductive structures, and the proximal regions have second conductive structures. Detectable interfaces are present where the first conductive structures join to the second conductive structures. Some embodiments include methods of forming integrated assemblies.

A semiconductor device includes a lower insulating film that includes a first and second trenches on a substrate, a first wiring in the first trench, a second wiring in the second trench, a capping insulating film including an insulating recess portion and an insulating liner portion, an upper insulating film on the capping insulating film, and an upper contact that penetrates the capping insulating film and connects to the first wiring, The insulating recess portion is in the second trench and the insulating liner portion extends along an upper surface of the lower insulating film. The upper contact includes a contact recess portion in the first trench, an extended portion connected to the contact recess portion, and a plug portion connected to the extended portion inside the upper insulating film. A width of the extended portion is greater than a width of the plug portion.

In one exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a semiconductor structure having a substrate, one or more first dielectric layers over the substrate, a first metal plug in the one or more first dielectric layers, and one or more second dielectric layers over the one or more first dielectric layers and the first metal plug. The method further comprises etching a via hole into the one or more second dielectric layers to expose the first metal plug, etching a top surface of the first metal plug to create a recess thereon, and applying a metal corrosion protectant comprising a metal corrosion inhibitor to the top surface of the first metal plug.

A method includes depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) over a source/drain region, implanting impurities into a portion of the ILD, recessing the portion of the ILD to form a trench, forming spacers on sidewalls of the trench, the spacers including a spacer material, forming a source/drain contact in the trench and removing the spacers and the portion of the ILD with an etching process to form an air-gap, the air-gap disposed under and along sidewalls of the source/drain contact, where the etching process selectively etches the spacer material and the impurity.

The present application relates to a semiconductor device with an intervening layer and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device with the intervening layer. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a bottom conductive plug positioned on the substrate, an intervening conductive layer positioned on the bottom conductive plug, and a top conductive plug positioned on the intervening conductive layer. A top surface of the intervening conductive layer is non-planar.