Intel Corporation

Sairam Subramanian

Walid M Hafez

Chia-Hong Jan

Sridhar Govindaraju

Szuya S Liao

Mark Y Liu

Christopher Kenyon

Nick Lindert

Hsu-Yu Chang

Tanuj Trivedi

Kiran Chikkadi

Sagar Suthram

Manish Sharma

Amit Paliwal

David Sanchez

Enlan Yuan

Adjacent gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having non-merged epitaxial source or drain regions, and methods of fabricating adjacent gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having non-merged epitaxial source or drain regions, are described. For example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first vertical arrangement of nanowires and a second vertical arrangement of nanowires above a substrate. One or more gate stacks is over the first and second vertical arrangements of nanowires. First epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the first vertical arrangement of nanowires. Second epitaxial source or drain structures are at ends of the second vertical arrangement of nanowires. An intervening dielectric structure is between adjacent ones of the first epitaxial source or drain structures and between adjacent ones of the second epitaxial source or drain structures.

Adjacent gate-all-around integrated circuit structures having non-merged epitaxial source or drain regions

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having gate contacts, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having gate contacts, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a gate structure over a semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is laterally adjacent to and in contact with the gate structure. A trench contact structure is over the semiconductor fin, where the gate endcap isolation structure is laterally adjacent to and in contact with the trench contact structure. A local gate-to-contact interconnect is electrically connecting the gate structure to the trench contact structure.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architecture having gate contacts

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to in-line detection of electrical fails on integrated circuits. One embodiment is an apparatus including a device region with integrated circuits and a test region for in-line failure detection of the integrated circuits using an in-line voltage contrast test, the apparatus comprising: a substrate including a first area for the device region and a second different area for the test region; metal layers formed over both areas; wherein the integrated circuits are formed from first sections of the layers; and wherein a second section of an upper metal layer of the layers is segmented into test segments, each test segment to exhibit a predefined response during the in-line voltage contrast test depending on whether the test segment is shorted, or not, to the substrate and/or the second section of a gate layer of the layer. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

In-line detection of electrical fails on integrated circuits

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having gate or contact plugs, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having gate or contact plugs, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate structure over a first semiconductor fin. A second gate structure is over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first and second semiconductor fins and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A gate plug is over the gate endcap isolation structure and laterally between the first gate structure and the second gate structure. A crystalline metal oxide material is laterally between and in contact with the gate plug and the first gate structure, and laterally between and in contact with the gate plug and the second gate structure.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architecture having gate or contact plugs

Integrated circuit structures including device terminal interconnect pillar structures, and fabrication techniques to form such structures. Following embodiments herein, a small transistor terminal interconnect footprint may be achieved by patterning recesses in a gate interconnect material and/or a source or drain interconnect material. A dielectric deposited over the gate interconnect material and/or source or drain interconnect material may be planarized to expose portions of the gate interconnect material and/or drain interconnect material that were protected from the recess patterning. An upper level interconnect structure, such as a conductive line or via, may contact the exposed portion of the gate and/or source or drain interconnect material.

Device terminal interconnect structures

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having local interconnects, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having local interconnects, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first gate structure over a first semiconductor fin, and a second gate structure over a second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first and second semiconductor fins and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A gate plug is over the gate endcap isolation structure and laterally between and in contact with the first and second gate structures. A local gate interconnect is between the gate plug and the gate endcap isolation structure, the local gate interconnect in contact with the first and second gate structures.

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architecture having local interconnects

Dual self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures, and methods of fabricating dual self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first semiconductor fin having a cut along a length of the first semiconductor fin. A second semiconductor fin is parallel with the first semiconductor fin. A first gate endcap isolation structure is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. A second gate endcap isolation structure is in a location of the cut along the length of the first semiconductor fin.

Dual self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures

Unidirectional self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures with gate-orthogonal walls, and methods of fabricating unidirectional self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures with gate-orthogonal walls, are described. In an example, integrated circuit structure includes a first semiconductor fin having a cut along a length of the first semiconductor fin. A second semiconductor fin has a cut along a length of the second semiconductor fin. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The gate endcap isolation structure has a substantially uniform width along the lengths of the first and second semiconductor fins.

Unidirectional self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures with gate-orthogonal walls

Gate endcap architectures having relatively short vertical stack, and methods of fabricating gate endcap architectures having relatively short vertical stack, are described. In an example, an integrated circuit structure includes a first semiconductor fin along a first direction. A second semiconductor fin is along the first direction. A trench isolation material is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin. The trench isolation material has an uppermost surface below a top of the first and second semiconductor fins. A gate endcap isolation structure is between the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin and is along the first direction. The gate endcap isolation structure is on the uppermost surface of the trench isolation material.

Gate endcap architectures having relatively short vertical stack

Self-aligned gate endcap (SAGE) architectures having gate endcap plugs or contact endcap plugs, or both gate endcap plugs and contact endcap plugs, and methods of fabricating SAGE architectures having such endcap plugs, are described. In an example, a first gate structure is over a first of a plurality of semiconductor fins. A second gate structure is over a second of the plurality of semiconductor fins. A first gate endcap isolation structure is laterally between and in contact with the first gate structure and the second gate structure and has an uppermost surface co-planar with an uppermost surface of the first gate structure and the second gate structure. A second gate endcap isolation structure is laterally between and in contact with first and second lateral portions of the first gate structure and has an uppermost surface below an uppermost surface of the first gate structure.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Sairam Subramanian