Abstract:
One device disclosed herein includes a gate above a semiconductor substrate, the gate comprising a gate structure and a gate cap, and conductive source/drain metallization structures adjacent the gate, each of the conductive source/drain metallization structures having a front face and a recess defined in each of the conductive source/drain metallization structures. In this example, the device further includes a spacer structure comprising recess filling portions that substantially fill the recesses and a portion that extends across a portion of the upper surface of the gate cap, wherein a portion of the gate cap is exposed within the spacer structure, an insulating material within the spacer structure and on the exposed portion of the gate cap, a gate contact opening that exposes a portion of an upper surface of the gate structure, and a conductive gate contact structure in the conductive gate contact opening.
Abstract:
A method includes forming an isolation pillar between first and second active nanostructures for adjacent FETs. When a first WFM surrounding the second active nanostructure is removed as part of a WFM patterning process, creating a discontinuity in the first metal. The pillar or the discontinuity in the first metal on the part of the pillar prevent the etching from reaching and removing the first WFM on the first active nanostructure. The isolation pillar creates a gate cut isolation in a selected gate region, and can be shortened in another gate region to allow for gate sharing between adjacent FETs.
Abstract:
The disclosure provides integrated circuit (IC) structures with single diffusion break (SDB) abutting end isolation regions, and methods of forming the same. An IC structure may include: a plurality of fins positioned on a substrate; a plurality of gate structures each positioned on the plurality of fins and extending transversely across the plurality of fins; an insulator region positioned on the plurality of fins and laterally between the plurality of gate structures; at least one single diffusion break (SDB) positioned within the insulator region and one of the plurality of fins, the at least one SDB region extending from an upper surface of the substrate to an upper surface of the insulator region; and an end isolation region abutting a lateral end of the at least one SDB along a length of the plurality of gate structures, the end isolation region extending substantially in parallel with the plurality of fins.
Abstract:
A device includes a first nano-sheet of a first semiconductor material. First source/drain regions are positioned adjacent ends of the first nano-sheet. A first dielectric material is positioned above the first source/drain regions. A second nano-sheet of a second semiconductor material is positioned above the first nano-sheet. Second source/drain regions are positioned adjacent ends of the second nano-sheet and above the first dielectric material. A gate structure has a first portion capacitively coupled to the first nano-sheet and a second portion capacitively coupled to the second nano-sheet. A first source/drain contact contacts a first portion of the second source/drain regions in a first region where the first and second source/drain regions do not vertically overlap. The first source/drain contact has a first depth that extends below a height of an upper surface of the first source/drain regions in a second region where the first and second source/drain regions vertically overlap.
Abstract:
The disclosure is directed to gate all-around integrated circuit structures, finFETs having a dielectric isolation, and methods of forming the same. The gate all-around integrated circuit structure may include a first insulator region within a substrate; a pair of remnant liner stubs disposed within the first insulator region; a second insulator region laterally adjacent to the first insulator region within the substrate; a pair of fins over the first insulator region, each fin in the pair of fins including an inner sidewall facing the inner sidewall of an adjacent fin in the pair of fins and an outer sidewall opposite the inner sidewall; and a gate structure substantially surrounding an axial portion of the pair of fins and at least partially disposed over the first and second insulator regions, wherein each remnant liner stub is substantially aligned with the inner sidewall of a respective fin of the pair of fins.
Abstract:
Disclosed are integrated circuit (IC) structures and formation methods. In the methods, a gate with a sacrificial gate cap and a sacrificial gate sidewall spacer is formed on a channel region. The cap and sidewall spacer are removed, creating a cavity with a lower portion between the sidewalls of the gate and adjacent metal plugs and with an upper portion above the lower portion and the gate. A first dielectric layer is deposited, forming an air-gap in the lower portion and lining the upper portion. A second dielectric layer is deposited, filling the upper portion. During formation of a gate contact opening (optionally over an active region), the second dielectric layer is removed and the first dielectric layer is anisotropically etched, thereby exposing the gate and creating a dielectric spacer with a lower air-gap segment and an upper solid segment. Metal deposited into the opening forms the gate contact.
Abstract:
Disclosed are methods and integrated circuit (IC) structures. The methods enable formation of a gate contact on a gate above (or close thereto) an active region of a field effect transistor (FET) and provide protection against shorts between the gate contact and metal plugs on source/drain regions and between the gate and source/drain contacts to the metal plugs. A gate with a dielectric cap and dielectric sidewall spacer is formed on a FET channel region. Metal plugs with additional dielectric caps are formed on the FET source/drain regions such that the dielectric sidewall spacer is between the gate and the metal plugs and between the dielectric cap and the additional dielectric caps. The dielectric cap, dielectric sidewall spacer and additional dielectric caps are different materials preselected to be selectively etchable, allowing for misalignment of a contact opening to the gate without risking exposure of any metal plugs and vice versa.
Abstract:
A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming, above a substrate, first and second semiconductor regions laterally adjacent one another and each including a first semiconductor material. The first semiconductor region may have a greater vertical thickness than the second semiconductor region and define a sidewall with the second semiconductor region. The method may further include forming a spacer above the second semiconductor region and adjacent the sidewall, and forming a third semiconductor region above the second semiconductor region and adjacent the spacer, with the second semiconductor region including a second semiconductor material different than the first semiconductor material. The method may also include removing the spacer and portions of the first semiconductor material beneath the spacer, forming a first set of fins from the first semiconductor region, and forming a second set of fins from the second and third semiconductor regions.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device at least one first transistor of a first type disposed above a substrate and comprising a channel wider in one cross-section than tall, wherein the first type is a PFET transistor or an NFET transistor; and at least one second transistor of a second type disposed above the at least one first transistor and comprising a channel taller in the one cross-section than wide, wherein the second type is a PFET transistor or an NFET transistor, and the second type is different from the first type. Methods and systems for forming the semiconductor structure.
Abstract:
Methods of forming a gate cut isolation for an SRAM include forming a first and second active nanostructures adjacent to each other and separated by a space; forming a sacrificial liner over at least a side of the first active nanostructure facing the space, causing a first distance between a remaining portion of the space and the first active nanostructure to be greater than a second distance between the remaining portion of the space and the second active nanostructure. A gate cut isolation is formed in the remaining portion of the space such that it is closer to the second active nanostructure than the first active nanostructure. The sacrificial liner is removed, and gates formed over the active nanostructures with the gates separated from each other by the gate cut isolation. An SRAM including the gate cut isolation and an IC structure including the SRAM are also included.