Abstract:
A method includes forming a line feature above a substrate. Carbon-containing spacers are formed on sidewalls of the line feature. A first dielectric layer is formed above the carbon spacers and the line feature. The first dielectric layer is planarized to expose upper ends of the carbon-containing spacers. An ashing process is performed to remove the carbon-containing spacers and define air gaps adjacent the line feature. A cap layer is formed to seal the upper ends of the air gaps.
Abstract:
A method includes forming a line feature above a substrate. Carbon-containing spacers are formed on sidewalls of the line feature. A first dielectric layer is formed above the carbon spacers and the line feature. The first dielectric layer is planarized to expose upper ends of the carbon-containing spacers. An ashing process is performed to remove the carbon-containing spacers and define air gaps adjacent the line feature. A cap layer is formed to seal the upper ends of the air gaps.
Abstract:
A semiconductor structure with mixed n-type and p-type non-planar transistors includes a residual overlapping mask bump on one or more of the dummy gates. A dielectric layer is created over the structure having a top surface above the residual bump, for example, using a blanket deposition and chemical-mechanical underpolish (i.e., stopping before exposing the gate cap). The residual bump is then transformed into a same material as the dielectric, either in its entirety and then removing the combined dielectric, or by removing the dielectric first and partly removing the residual bump, the remainder of which is then transformed and the dielectric removed. In either case, the structure is planarized for further processing.
Abstract:
An intermediate semiconductor structure of a FinFET device in fabrication includes a substrate, a plurality of fin structures coupled to the substrate and a dummy gate disposed perpendicularly over the fin structures. A portion of the dummy gate is removed between the fin structures to create one or more vias and the one or more vias are filled with a dielectric. The dummy gate is then replaced with a metal gate formed around the dielectric-filled vias.
Abstract:
Structures that include a single diffusion break and methods of forming a single diffusion break. A source/drain region is arranged inside a first cavity in a semiconductor fin, and a dielectric layer is arranged inside a second cavity in the semiconductor fin. A liner, which is composed of a dielectric material, includes a section that is arranged inside the second cavity laterally between the dielectric layer and the source/drain region.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes forming a conformal SMCM layer above a conformal high-k gate insulation layer within each of first and second replacement gate cavities (RGC), removing the SMCM layer from the first RGC while leaving the SMCM layer in position within the second RGC, forming a first conformal metal-containing material (MCM) layer above the gate insulation layer within the first RGC and above the SMCM layer in position within the second RGC, removing the first conformal MCM layer and the conformal SMCM layer positioned within the second RGC while leaving the first conformal MCM layer within the first RGC, and forming a second conformal MCM layer above the first conformal MCM layer positioned within the first RGC and above the gate insulation layer positioned within the second RGC.
Abstract:
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming first and second fins for a short channel FinFET device (“SCD”) and a long channel FinFET device (“LCD”), performing an oxidation process to form a sacrificial oxide material selectively on the channel portion of one of the first and second fins but not on the channel portion of the other of the first and second fins, removing the sacrificial oxide material from the fin on which it is formed so as to produce a reduced-size channel portion on that fin that is less than the initial size of the channel portion of the other non-oxidized fin, and forming first and second gate structures for the SCD and LCD devices.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a semiconductor structure, including at least one fin-type field effect transistor and at least one single-diffusion break (SDB) type isolation region, and a method of forming the semiconductor structure. In the method, an isolation bump is formed above an isolation region within a semiconductor fin and sidewall spacers are formed on the bump. During an etch process to reduce the height of the bump and to remove isolation material from the sidewalls of the fin, the sidewall spacers prevent lateral etching of the bump. During an etch process to form source/drain recesses in the fin, the sidewalls spacers protect the semiconductor material adjacent to the isolation region. Consequently, the sides and bottom of each recess include semiconductor surfaces and the angle of the top surfaces of the epitaxial source/drain regions formed therein is minimized, thereby minimizing the risk of unlanded source/drain contacts.
Abstract:
A method includes forming a fin in a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of sacrificial gate structures are formed above the fin. A selected one of the sacrificial gate structures is removed to define a first opening that exposes a portion of the fin. An etch process is performed through the first opening on the exposed portion of the fin to define a first recess in the fin. The first recess is filled with a dielectric material to define a diffusion break in the fin. A device includes a fin defined in a substrate, a plurality of gates formed above the fin, a plurality of recesses filled with epitaxial material defined in the fin, and a diffusion break defined at least partially in the fin between two of the recesses filled with epitaxial material and extending above the fin.
Abstract:
A method includes forming at least one fin in a semiconductor substrate. A placeholder gate structure is formed above the fin. The placeholder gate structure includes a placeholder material and a cap structure defined on a top surface of the placeholder material. The cap structure includes a first cap layer disposed above the placeholder material and a second cap layer disposed above the first cap layer. An oxidization process is performed on at least a portion of the second cap layer to form an oxidized region above a remaining portion of the second cap layer. A portion of the oxidized region is removed to expose the remaining portion. The remaining portion of the second cap layer is removed. The first cap layer is removed to expose the placeholder material. The placeholder material is replaced with a conductive material.