Gate cut in replacement metal gate process
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsChanro Park, Ruilong Xie, Kangguo Cheng, Laertis Economikos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Gate isolation methods and structures for a FinFET device leverage the definition and formation of a gate cut opening within a sacrificial gate layer prior to patterning the sacrificial gate layer to form a sacrificial gate. The gate cut opening formed in the sacrificial gate layer is filled with a sacrificial isolation layer. After forming source/drain junctions over source/drain regions of a fin, the sacrificial isolation layer is replaced with an isolation layer, and the sacrificial gate is replaced with a functional gate.
Claims15
A method of forming a device, comprising:
- forming a plurality of fins over a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and between the fins;
- depositing a sacrificial gate layer over the fins and over the dielectric layer;
- forming a first opening in the sacrificial gate layer between a pair of the fins, wherein the dielectric layer is exposed at a bottom of the first opening;
- depositing a sacrificial isolation layer within the first opening;
- etching the sacrificial gate layer and the sacrificial isolation layer to form a sacrificial gate;
- forming a spacer layer over sidewalls of the sacrificial gate;
- removing the sacrificial isolation layer from within the first opening after forming the spacer layer;
- depositing an isolation layer within the first opening;
- etching remaining portions of the sacrificial gate layer selectively with respect to the isolation layer to form a second opening;
- forming a gate dielectric layer within the second opening;
- and
- forming a gate conductor layer over the gate dielectric layer.
A method of forming a device, comprising:
- forming a plurality of fins over a substrate;
- depositing a sacrificial gate layer over the fins;
- forming a first opening in the sacrificial gate layer between a pair of the fins;
- depositing a sacrificial isolation layer within the first opening;
- etching the sacrificial gate layer and the sacrificial isolation layer to form a sacrificial gate;
- forming a spacer layer over sidewalls of the sacrificial gate;
- removing the sacrificial isolation layer from within the first opening after forming the spacer layer;
- depositing an isolation layer within the first opening;
- removing remaining portions of the sacrificial gate layer to form a second opening, wherein at least one of the plurality of fins is exposed at a bottom of the second opening;
- forming a gate dielectric layer within the second opening;
- and
- forming a gate conductor layer over the gate dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.