Abstract:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a gate structure having a first conductive material above a semiconductor substrate, gate spacers on opposing sides of the first conductive material, and a first interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer surrounding the gate spacers and the first conductive material. An upper portion of the first conductive material is recessed. The gate spacers are recessed until a height of the gate spacers is less than a height of the gate structure. An isolation liner is deposited above the gate spacers and the first conductive material. A portion of the isolation liner is removed so that a top surface of the first conductive material is exposed. A second conductive material is deposited in a contact hole created above the first conductive material and the gate spacers to form a gate contact.
Abstract:
One method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a gate cap layer above a recessed final gate structure and above recessed sidewall spacers, forming a recessed trench silicide region that is conductively coupled to the first source/drain region, the recessed trench silicide region having an upper surface that is positioned at a level that is below the recessed upper surface of the sidewall spacers, forming a combined contact opening in at least one layer of material that exposes a conductive portion of the recessed final gate structure and a portion of the trench silicide region, and forming a combined gate and source/drain contact structure in the combined contact opening.
Abstract:
A transistor device includes a gate structure positioned above a semiconductor substrate and spaced-apart sidewall spacers positioned above the substrate and adjacent sidewalls of the gate structure, wherein an internal sidewall surface of each of the spaced-apart sidewall spacers has a stepped cross-sectional configuration
Abstract:
One method disclosed includes performing a selective etching process through a gate cavity to selectively remove a portion of a first semiconductor material relative to a second layer of a second semiconductor material and a substrate so as to thereby define a space between the second semiconducting material and the substrate, filling substantially all of the space with an insulating material so as to thereby define a substantially self-aligned channel isolation region positioned under at least what will become the channel region of the FinFET device.
Abstract:
A transistor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a gate structure positioned above a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The gate structure includes a high-k gate insulation layer positioned above the surface of the semiconductor substrate and at least one work-function adjusting layer of material positioned above the high-k gate insulation layer, wherein an upper surface of the at least one work-function adjusting layer of material has a stepped profile when viewed in cross-section taken in a gate-width direction of the transistor device. The gate structure further includes a layer of conductive material positioned on the stepped upper surface of the at least one work-function adjusting layer of material.
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:
FinFET semiconductor devices with local isolation features and methods for fabricating such devices are provided. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a plurality of fin structures formed thereon, wherein each of the plurality of fin structures has sidewalls, forming spacers about the sidewalls of the plurality of fin structures, and forming a silicon-containing layer over the semiconductor substrate and in between the plurality of fin structures. The method further includes removing at least a first portion of the silicon-containing layer to form a plurality of void regions while leaving at least a second portion thereof in place and depositing an isolation material in the plurality of void regions.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming first and second recessed gate structures, recessing the second recessed gate structure so as to define a further recessed second gate structure that exposes a channel structure within a gate cavity, forming first and second gate cap layers in first and second replacement gate cavities, respectively, forming a recess in the second gate cap layer that exposes the channel structure, forming a semiconductor material on the exposed portion of the channel structure within the recess in the second gate cap layer so as to define a first source/drain region for the vertical FinFET device, and forming various contact structures to the gates of the devices and the first source/drain region.
Abstract:
One method disclosed includes, among other things, forming a raised isolation post structure between first and second fins, wherein the raised isolation post structure partially defines first and second spaces between the first and second fins, respectively, and forming a gate structure around the first and second fins and the raised isolation post structure, wherein at least portions of the gate structure are positioned in the first and second spaces. One illustrative device includes, among other things, first and second fins, a raised isolation post structure positioned between the first and second fins, first and second spaces defined by the fins and the raised isolation post structure, and a gate structure positioned around a portion of the fins and the isolation post structure.
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.