公开(公告)号：US09966271B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-08

申请号：US15345549

申请日：2016-11-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Wei Liu ,  Hua Chung ,  Xuebin Li ,  Yuxiang Lu

IPC: H01L21/302 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32009 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/02115 ,  H01L21/02236 ,  H01L21/02252 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/3083 ,  H01L29/66795

Abstract: Methods for forming semiconductor devices, such as FinFET devices, are provided. An epitaxial film is formed over a semiconductor fin, and the epitaxial film includes a top surface having two facets and a bottom surface including two facets. A cap layer is deposited on the top surface, and portions of the epitaxial film in a lateral direction are removed by an isotropic plasma etch process. The isotropic plasma etch process may be performed at a pressure ranging from about 5 mTorr to about 200 mTorr in order to maximize the amount of radicals while minimizing the amount of ions in the plasma. Having a smaller lateral dimension prevents the epitaxial film from merging with an adjacent epitaxial film and creates a gap between the epitaxial film and the adjacent epitaxial film.