Methods of forming a gate contact structure above an active region of a transistor

A method of forming a conductive gate contact structure (CB) for a transistor comprising a plurality of source/drain regions, the method comprising:

• forming a recess in each of a first and a second conductive source/drain metallization structure that are positioned in said source/drain regions on opposite sides of a gate by removing at least a portion of a front face of each of said first and second conductive source/drain metallization structures, said gate comprising a gate structure and a gate cap positioned above said gate structure;
• forming a spacer structure that comprises lower recess filling portions that substantially fill said recesses and an upper portion that extends across said gate cap, wherein a portion of said gate cap is exposed within said spacer structure and wherein said lower recess filling portions have an upper surface;
• forming an insulating material within said spacer structure and on said exposed portion of said gate cap, wherein said insulating material is positioned on said upper surface of said lower recess filling portions;
• performing at least one etching process to remove a portion of said insulating material and a portion of said gate cap selectively relative to said spacer structure so as to thereby define a gate contact opening that exposes a portion of an upper surface of said gate structure, wherein at least some of said insulating material positioned above said upper surfaces of said lower recess filling portions of said spacer structure is removed during said at least one etching process;
• and
• forming said conductive gate contact structure (CB) in said gate contact opening, wherein said conductive gate contact structure (CB) is conductively coupled to said gate structure and wherein said conductive gate contact structure (CB) contacts said upper surfaces of said recess filling portions of said spacer structure and wherein an entirety of a bottom surface of said conductive gate contact structure (CB) is positioned vertically above an active region of said transistor.

A method of forming a conductive gate contact structure (CB) for a transistor comprising a plurality of source/drain regions, the method comprising:

• forming a gate above a semiconductor substrate, said gate comprising a gate structure and a gate cap positioned above said gate structure;
• forming a conductive source/drain metallization structure adjacent said gate in each of said source/drain regions, each of said conductive source/drain metallization structures having a front face that is positioned laterally adjacent to a sidewall surface of a first layer of insulating material;
• forming a recess in each of said conductive source/drain metallization structures, each of said recesses exposing a portion of a sidewall surface of said first layer of insulating material;
• forming a second layer of insulating material above said gate and above said conductive source/drain metallization structures, said second layer of insulating material comprising:
• first portions that at least partially fill each of said respective recesses and cover at least part of said exposed portions of said respective sidewall surfaces of said first layer of insulating material;
• and
• a second portion that extends across and covers a first upper surface portion of said gate cap and exposes a second upper surface portion of said gate cap;
• forming a third layer of insulating material above said first and second layers of insulating material and above said gate cap, said third layer of insulating material covering said second portion of said upper surface of said gate cap, an upper surface of said first layer of insulating material, an upper surface of said respective first portions of said second layer of insulating material, and a sidewall surface of said second portion of said second layer of insulating material;
• forming a gate contact opening that extends through said third layer of insulating material to expose said upper surfaces of said respective first portions of said second layer of insulating material, and extends through said third layer of insulating material and said gate cap to expose a portion of an upper surface of said gate structure, but does not expose any portions of said conductive source/drain metallization structures;
• and
• forming said conductive gate contact structure (CB) in said gate contact opening, wherein said conductive gate contact structure (CB) is conductively coupled to said gate structure and directly contacts said upper surfaces of said respective first portions of said second layer of insulating material.