Method of forming vertical FinFET device having self-aligned contacts

A method of forming a vertical FinFET device, comprising:

• forming a hard mask over a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a fin over the semiconductor substrate using the hard mask as an etch mask;
• forming a bottom source/drain region over the semiconductor substrate, where a lower portion of the fin is in contact with the bottom source/drain region;
• forming a gate stack over sidewalls of the fin, the gate stack extending laterally over the bottom source/drain region on at least one side of the fin, wherein the gate stack comprises a gate dielectric and a gate conductor formed over the gate dielectric;
• etching an opening in the hard mask and through a portion of the fin to expose an endwall of the fin and a top surface of the bottom source/drain region laterally adjacent to the endwall;
• forming a sidewall spacer within the opening, wherein the sidewall spacer is formed over the exposed endwall of the fin;
• forming a top source/drain region over an upper portion of the fin and a top source/drain metallization layer over the top source/drain region;
• and
• forming a bottom source/drain metallization layer over the bottom source drain region, wherein the top source/drain metallization layer is formed over a first side of the sidewall spacer and the bottom source/drain metallization layer is formed over a second side of the sidewall spacer opposite to the first side.