Abstract:
A method includes forming a raised isolation structure with a recess above a substrate, forming a gate structure above the fin, forming a plurality of spaced-apart buried fin contact structures within the recess that have an outer perimeter surface that contacts at least a portion of an interior perimeter surface of the recess and forming at least one source/drain contact structure for each of the buried fin contact structures. One device includes a plurality of spaced-apart buried fin contact structures positioned within a recess in a raised isolation structure on opposite sides of a gate structure. The upper surface of each of the buried fin contact structures is positioned below an upper surface of the raised isolation structure and an outer perimeter surface of each of the buried fin contact structures contacts at least a portion of an interior perimeter surface of the recess.
Abstract:
One illustrative device disclosed herein includes, among other things, an active region defined in a semiconductor substrate, a layer of material positioned above the substrate, a plurality of laterally spaced-apart source/drain trenches formed in the layer of material above the active region, a conductive source/drain contact structure formed within each of the source/drain trenches, a gate trench formed at least partially in the layer of material between the spaced-apart source/drain trenches in the layer of material, wherein portions of the layer of material remain positioned between the source/drain trenches and the gate trench, a gate structure positioned within the gate trench, and a gate cap layer positioned above the gate structure.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a plurality of fin-formation trenches that define a fin, forming a first stressed layer within the trenches and above the fin and performing at least one etching process on the first stressed layer so as to define spaced-apart portions of the first stressed layer positioned at least partially within the trenches on opposite sides of the fin. The method also includes forming spaced-apart portions of a second stressed layer above the spaced-apart portions of the first layer, forming a third stressed layer above the fin between the spaced-apart portions of the second layer and, after forming the third layer, forming a conductive layer above the second and third layers.
Abstract:
One method includes forming first and second spaced-apart trenches extending at least partially into a semiconducting substrate defining a fin structure for the device, forming a stress-inducing material having a first type of stress in the first trench, forming a second stress-inducing material in the second trench, the second stress-inducing material having a second stress that is a different than the first type of stress, and forming a gate structure around a portion of the fin structure. One device includes first and second spaced-apart trenches in a semiconducting substrate defining at least a portion of a fin for the device, a stress-inducing material having a first type of stress in the first trench, a second stress-inducing material in the second trench, the second stress-inducing material having a second stress that is a different type than the first stress, and a gate structure around a portion of the fin structure.
Abstract:
An interconnect structure includes an insulator stack on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The insulator stack includes a first insulator layer having at least one semiconductor device embedded therein and an etch stop layer interposed between the first insulator layer and a second insulator layer. At least one electrically conductive local contact extends through each of the second insulator layer, etch stop layer and, first insulator layer to contact the at least one semiconductor device. The interconnect structure further includes at least one first layer contact element disposed on the etch stop layer and against the at least one conductive local contact.
Abstract:
One method disclosed herein includes, among other things, a method of forming a contact structure to a source/drain region of a transistor device. The transistor device includes a gate structure and a gate cap layer positioned above the gate structure. The method includes forming an extended-height epi contact structure that is conductively coupled to the source/drain region. The extended-height epi contact structure includes an upper surface that is positioned at a height level that is above a height level of an upper surface of the gate cap layer. The method further includes performing an etching process to trim at least a lateral width of a portion of the extended-height epi contact structure, and, after performing the etching process, forming a metal silicide material on at least a portion of the trimmed extended-height epi contact structure and forming a conductive contact on the metal silicide material.
Abstract:
One method disclosed herein includes forming an opening in a layer of material so as to expose the source/drain regions of a transistor and a first portion of a gate cap layer positioned above an active region, reducing the thickness of a portion of the gate cap layer positioned above the isolation region, defining separate initial source/drain contacts positioned on opposite sides of the gate structure, performing a common etching process sequence to define a gate contact opening that extends through the reduced-thickness portion of the gate cap layer and a plurality of separate source/drain contact openings in the layer of insulating material, and forming a conductive gate contact structure and conductive source/drain contact structures.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a plurality of trenches in a semiconductor substrate to thereby define a plurality of fins in the substrate, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, performing an etching process sequence to remove at least a portion of one of the plurality of fins and thereby define a fin cavity, wherein the etching process sequence includes performing a first anisotropic etching process and, after performing the first anisotropic etching process, performing a second isotropic etching process. In this embodiment, the method concludes with the step of forming additional insulating material in the fin cavity.
Abstract:
A device includes at least one fin defined in a semiconductor substrate, a raised isolation structure surrounding and laterally spaced apart from the fin, and a gate structure extending across and positioned around a first portion of the fin. A buried fin contact structure is positioned inside of the raised isolation structure and extends across, is positioned around, and conductively contacts a second portion of the fin. An upper surface of the buried fin contact structure is positioned level with or below an upper surface of the raised isolation structure. A stress-inducing material layer is positioned on and in contact with the upper surface of the buried fin contact structure, an insulating material layer is positioned above the stress-inducing material layer and the raised isolation structure, and a contact structure extends through at least the insulating and stress-inducing material layers and conductively contacts the buried fin contact structure.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a plurality of trenches in a semiconductor substrate to thereby define a plurality of fins in the substrate, forming a layer of insulating material in the trenches, performing an etching process sequence to remove at least a portion of one of the plurality of fins and thereby define a fin cavity, wherein the etching process sequence includes performing a first anisotropic etching process and, after performing the first anisotropic etching process, performing a second isotropic etching process. In this embodiment, the method concludes with the step of forming additional insulating material in the fin cavity.