A semiconductor device includes a first wafer comprising a first portion of a seal ring structure within a body of the first wafer. The semiconductor device includes a second wafer comprising a second portion of the seal ring structure within a body of the second wafer. The second wafer is affixed to the first wafer such that the second portion of the seal ring structure is on the first portion of the seal ring structure. The semiconductor device includes a trench structure comprising a first trench in the first wafer and a second trench in the second wafer, where the first trench and the second trench are on a same side of the seal ring structure.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming first semiconductor devices over a first substrate, forming a first dielectric material layer over the first semiconductor devices, forming vertical recesses in the first dielectric material layer, such that each of the vertical recesses vertically extends from a topmost surface of the first dielectric material layer toward the first substrate, forming silicon nitride material portions in each of the vertical recesses; and locally irradiating a second subset of the silicon nitride material portions with a laser beam. A first subset of the silicon nitride material portions that is not irradiated with the laser beam includes first silicon nitride material portions that apply tensile stress to respective surrounding material portions, and the second subset of the silicon nitride material portions that is irradiated with the laser beam includes second silicon nitride material portions that apply compressive stress to respective surrounding material portions.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor structure, a second semiconductor structure, a through semiconductor via, and an insulation layer. The first semiconductor structure includes a first circuit layer and a first main bonding layer in the first circuit layer and substantially coplanar with a front face of the first circuit layer. The second semiconductor structure includes a second circuit layer on the first circuit layer and a second main bonding layer in the second circuit layer, and topologically aligned with and contacted to the first main bonding layer. The through semiconductor via is along the second semiconductor structure and the first and second main bonding layer, and extending to the first circuit layer. The insulation layer is positioned on a sidewall of the through semiconductor via.

According to embodiments, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes an insulation layer, an electrode, and a groove. The insulation layer is provided on a surface of a substrate. The electrode is buried in the insulation layer, and a first end surface of the electrode is exposed from the insulation layer. The groove is formed around the electrode on the surface of the substrate. The groove has an outside surface of the electrode as one side surface, and the groove is opened on the surface side of the insulation layer. The first end surface of the electrode buried in the insulation layer protrudes from the surface of the insulation layer.

A first wafer, a method of fabricating thereof and a wafer stack are disclosed. The first wafer includes a first substrate, a first dielectric layer on the first substrate, first metal layers embedded in the first dielectric layer, first switching holes extending partially through the first dielectric layer and exposing the first metal layers, a first interconnection layer filling up the first switching holes and electrically connected to the first metal layers, a first insulating layer residing on surfaces of both the first dielectric layer and the first interconnection layer, first contact holes extending through the first insulating layer and exposing the first interconnection layer, and a second interconnection layer filling up the first contact holes and electrically connected to the first interconnection layer. Filling the first contact holes and the first switching holes with different interconnection layers reduces the difficulty in fabricating interconnection structures for the first metal layers.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a three-dimensional (3D) trench capacitor, as well as methods for forming the same. In some embodiments, a first substrate overlies a second substrate so a front side of the first substrate faces a front side of the second substrate. A first trench capacitor and a second trench capacitor extend respectively into the front sides of the first and second substrates. A plurality of wires and a plurality of vias are stacked between and electrically coupled to the first and second trench capacitors. A first through substrate via (TSV) extends through the first substrate from a back side of the first substrate, and the wires and the vias electrically couple the first TSV to the first and second trench capacitors. The first and second trench capacitors and the electrical coupling therebetween collectively define the 3D trench capacitor.

A memory device includes a cell wafer including a memory cell array; a first logic wafer bonded to one surface of the cell wafer, and including a first logic circuit which controls the memory cell array; and a second logic wafer bonded to the other surface of the cell wafer which faces away from the one surface, and including a second logic circuit which controls the memory cell array.

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip that includes a first conductive pad whose top surface is exposed; and a second semiconductor chip that includes a second conductive pad whose top surface is exposed and in contact with at least a portion of the top surface of the first conductive pad. The first semiconductor chip may include a first diffusion barrier in contact with a bottom surface of the first conductive pad, and a second diffusion barrier in contact with a lateral surface of the first conductive pad, and the first diffusion barrier and the second diffusion barrier may include different materials from each other.

A semiconductor device includes a first passivation layer over a circuit and. conductive pad over the first passivation layer, wherein the conductive pad is electrically connected to the circuit. A second passivation layer is disposed over the conductive pad and the first passivation layer, and has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening exposes an upper surface of a layer that extends underneath the conductive pad, and the second opening exposes the conductive pad. A first insulating layer is disposed over the second passivation layer and filling the first and second openings. A through substrate via extends through the insulating layer, second passivation layer, passivation layer, and substrate. A side of the through substrate via and the second passivation layer have a gap that is filled with the first insulating layer. A conductive via extends through the first insulating layer and connecting to the conductive pad.

Techniques are employed to mitigate the anchoring effects of cavity sidewall adhesion on an embedded conductive interconnect structure, and to allow a lower annealing temperature to be used to join opposing conductive interconnect structures. A vertical gap may be disposed between the conductive material of an embedded interconnect structure and the sidewall of the cavity to laterally unpin the conductive structure and allow uniaxial expansion of the conductive material. Additionally or alternatively, one or more vertical gaps may be disposed within the bonding layer, near the embedded interconnect structure to laterally unpin the conductive structure and allow uniaxial expansion of the conductive material.