Method of forming epitaxial fin structures of finFET
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsHsueh-Chang Sung, Kun-Mu Li
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Abstract
A method of forming a semiconductor device having first and second fin structures on a substrate includes forming a first epitaxial region of the first fin structure and forming a second epitaxial region of the second fin structure. The method further includes forming a buffer region on the first epitaxial region of the first fin structure and performing an etch process to etch back a portion of the second epitaxial region. The buffer region helps to prevents etch back of a top surface of the first epitaxial region during the etch process. Further, a capping region is formed on the buffer region and the etched second epitaxial region.
Claims20
A method of forming a semiconductor device having first and second fin structures on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming a first epitaxial region of the first fin structure;
- forming a second epitaxial region of the second fin structure;
- selectively and epitaxially growing a buffer region on the first epitaxial region of the first fin structure while exposing a portion of the second epitaxial region;
- etching back the portion of the second epitaxial region,
- wherein the buffer region prevents an etch back of a top surface of the first epitaxial region during the etching;
- and
- forming an epitaxial capping region on the buffer region and the etched second epitaxial region.
A method of forming a fin structure of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
- forming an insulating region on a substrate;
- epitaxially growing a first region on the substrate;
- epitaxially growing a second region on the substrate, the second region being laterally displaced from the first region by the insulating region;
- epitaxially growing a merged region with a top surface substantially parallel to the substrate, wherein the merge region physically connects to the first and second regions;
- epitaxially growing a buffer region on the merged region to prevent etch back of a top surface of the merged region during a subsequent etch process;
- and
- epitaxially growing a capping region on the buffer region.
A method for forming a semiconductor device having a first fin structure and a second fin structure on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming an insulating region on the substrate;
- epitaxially growing a first region on the substrate, wherein the first region comprises a first sub-region and a second sub-region laterally separated by a first spacing;
- epitaxially growing a second region on the substrate, wherein the second region comprises a third sub-region and a fourth sub-region laterally separated by a second spacing;
- epitaxially growing a first epi-layer from the first sub-region, a second epi-layer from the second sub-region, a third epi-layer from the third sub-region, and a fourth epi-layer from the fourth sub-region, wherein the second spacing is greater than the first spacing such that the first epi-layer and the second epi-layer forms a merged region over the first spacing and the third epi-layer and the fourth epi-layer are laterally separated by a gap;
- forming a buffer region over the merged region;
- etching back a portion of the third epi-layer and a portion of the fourth epi-layer, wherein the buffer region prevents etch back of a top surface of the merged region during the etching;
- and
- forming a capping region on the buffer region, the etched third epi-layer, and the etched fourth epi-layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.