# US 10,312,145 B2 · Asymmetric source/drain epitaxy

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- Number: US 10,312,145 B2
- Document ID: US10312145B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/996,027
- Filed: 2018-06-01
- Published: 2018-10-04
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-29
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Yu-Lien Huang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312145B2

## CPC

- H10D 84/013: {Manufacturing their source or drain regions, e.g. silicided source or drain regions}
- H10D 30/024: {of fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]}
- H10D 30/62: Fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]
- H10D 30/6219: {characterised by the source or drain electrodes}
- H10D 30/797: {being in source or drain regions, e.g. SiGe source or drain}
- H10D 62/151: {of IGFETs (of IGFETs having LDD or DDD structure H10D30/601; of thin film transistors H10D30/6713)}
- H10D 64/017: {using dummy gates in processes wherein at least parts of the final gates are self-aligned to the dummy gates, i.e. replacement gate processes}
- H10D 84/0147: {Manufacturing their gate sidewall spacers}
- H10D 84/0158: {the components including FinFETs}
- H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe}
- H10D 84/834: {comprising FinFETs}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A method includes forming a plurality of fins on a substrate and a dummy gate structure over the fins. A spacer layer is formed over the dummy gate structure and the fins. The spacer layer is recessed to form asymmetrically recessed spacers along sidewalls of each of the fins, thereby exposing a portion of each of the fins. A source/drain epitaxy is grown on the exposed portions of the plurality of fins, a first source/drain epitaxy on a first fin being asymmetrical to a second source/drain epitaxy on a second fin. A device includes a first and second fin on a substrate with a gate structure formed over the first and second fins. An epitaxy if formed over the first fin and the second fin on the same side of the gate structure, where the height of the first epitaxy is greater than the height of the second epitaxy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a first fin and a second fin adjacent to the first fin, the first fin and the second fin being parallel to each other;
a gate structure extending over both the first and second fins, the gate structure perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the first fin;
a first epitaxy over the first fin on a first side of the gate structure; and
a second epitaxy over the second fin on the first side of the gate structure, wherein a height of the first epitaxy is greater than a height of the second epitaxy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first spacer in contact with an outer side of the first fin;
a second spacer in contact with an inner side of the first fin; and
a third spacer in contact with a first side of the second fin, the first side of the second fin facing the inner side of the first fin, wherein a first distance between an upper surface of the first spacer and an upper surface of the first fin is greater than a second distance between an upper surface of the third spacer and an upper surface of the second fin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the first distance is greater than a third distance between an upper surface of the second spacer and the upper surface of the first fin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein an interface of the first epitaxy and the first spacer is closer to a major surface of the substrate than an interface of the second epitaxy and the third spacer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first epitaxy and second epitaxy are merged into a single epitaxial structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first silicide over the first epitaxy; and
a second silicide over the second epitaxy, wherein the first silicide has a greater surface area than the second silicide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the first epitaxy and second epitaxy are merged into a single epitaxial structure, and wherein the first silicide and second silicide have a continuous surface over the epitaxial structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a silicide over the first epitaxy and the second epitaxy;
an interlayer dielectric (ILD) over the first epitaxy and the second epitaxy; and
a metallic contact disposed within the ILD, extending from a top of the ILD to contact the silicide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a third epitaxy over a third fin of the substrate on the first side of the gate structure, wherein a height of the third epitaxy is about equal to the height of the first epitaxy, wherein the second fin is interposed between the first fin and the third fin.

### Claim 10

A device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate having a first fin and a second fin, the first fin and the second fin being parallel to each other, the first fin having a side-to-side first width and a first length, the first length being greater than the first width, the second fin having a side-to-side second width and a second length, the second length being greater than the second width;
a gate structure disposed over both the first fin and the second fin;
a first epitaxy over the first fin, the first epitaxy having an uppermost surface having a side-to-side first center which is offset from a first midpoint of the first width of the first fin; and
a second epitaxy over the second fin, the second epitaxy having an uppermost surface having a side-to-side second center which is offset from a second midpoint of the second width of the second fin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein the first epitaxy has a first height and the second epitaxy has a second height, wherein the first height and second height are about equal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising:
a third fin interposed between the first fin and the second fin; and
a third epitaxy formed over the third fin.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the third epitaxy has a third height, wherein the first height is greater than the third height.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, further comprising:
a first silicide over the first epitaxy;
a second silicide over the second epitaxy; and
a third silicide over the third epitaxy, wherein the first silicide has a greater surface area than the third silicide.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, further comprising:
a first spacer in contact with a first side of the first fin, the first spacer having a first height; and
a second spacer in contact with a second side of the first fin, the second spacer having a second height, wherein the second side of the first fin is closer to the second fin than the first side of the first fin, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, wherein the first epitaxy contacts portions of the first fin which are free of the first spacer and the second spacer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein the first epitaxy and second epitaxy are electrically coupled.

### Claim 17

A device, comprising:
a first fin and second fin of a substrate, the second fin being side-by-side with the first fin down a lengthwise direction of the first fin;
a first gate structure over both the first fin and the second fin, the first gate structure perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the first fin;
a first epitaxial structure over the first fin; and
a second epitaxial structure over the second fin, wherein a volume of the second epitaxial structure is less than a volume of the first epitaxial structure, wherein the first epitaxial structure and second epitaxial structure are electrically coupled together.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, further comprising:
a first silicide over the first epitaxial structure and a second silicide over the second epitaxial structure;
a dielectric layer over the first and second silicide; and
a metal contact disposed within the dielectric layer, the metal contact extending from a surface of the first silicide to an uppermost surface of the dielectric layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The device of claim 18, further comprising:
a gate structure disposed over the first and second fin, the gate structure being perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the first fin.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, wherein a first center point of an uppermost surface of the first epitaxial structure is offset from a first center line of the first fin, and wherein a second center point of an uppermost surface of the second epitaxial structure is aligned with a second center line of the second fin.