Methods, apparatus and system for forming source/drain contacts using early trench silicide cut

A method, comprising:

• forming a plurality of gate structures, a plurality of source structures, and a plurality of drain structures of a transistor, wherein each of said gate structures comprises a dummy gate region, a gate spacer, and a liner;
• determining a non-TS region of said transistor;
• forming a non-TS lithography stack outside said non-TS region;
• performing a TS etch process subsequent to forming said non-TS lithography stack for forming a non-TS trench between at least a portion of said plurality of gate structures;
• performing a replacement metal gate (RMG) process subsequent to performing said TS etch process;
• and
• performing a TS metallization process outside said non-TS location by depositing a metal material into regions outside said non-TS location between at least a portion of said gate structures.

A system, comprising:

• a semiconductor device processing system to manufacture a semiconductor device comprising at least one fin field effect transistor (finFET);
• and
• a processing controller operatively coupled to said semiconductor device processing system, said processing controller configured to control an operation of said semiconductor device processing system;
• wherein said semiconductor device processing system is adapted to:
• form a gate structure, a source structure, and a drain structure of a transistor, wherein said gate structure comprising a dummy gate region, a gate spacer, and a liner;
• perform a source/drain (S/D) contact cut process comprised of performing a TS etch process for forming a non-TS trench;
• deposit a dielectric layer into said non-TS trench;
• perform a S/D contact etch process;
• perform a replacement metal gate (RMG) process subsequent to performing said S/D contact etch process;
• and
• perform an S/D contact metallization process.