# US 10,872,979 B2 · Spacer structures for a transistor device

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- Number: US 10,872,979 B2
- Document ID: US10872979B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/776,807
- Filed: 2020-01-30
- Published: 2020-05-28
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-18
- Assignees: Globalfoundries Inc.
- Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
- Inventors: Hui Zang; Chung Foong Tan; Guowei Xu; Haiting Wang; Yue Zhong; Ruilong Xie; Tek Po Rinus Lee; Scott Beasor
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872979B2

## CPC

- H10D 30/62: Fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]
- H10D 30/024: {of fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]}
- 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 84/013: {Manufacturing their source or drain regions, e.g. silicided source or drain regions}
- H10D 84/0147: {Manufacturing their gate sidewall spacers}
- H10D 84/0158: {the components including FinFETs}
- H10D 84/038: {using silicon technology, e.g. SiGe}
- H10P 50/644: {Anisotropic liquid etching (H10P50/61 takes precedence)}
- H10W 20/074: {of dielectric parts comprising thin functional dielectric layers, e.g. dielectric etch-stop, barrier, capping or liner layers}
- H10W 20/075: {of multilayered thin functional dielectric layers}
- H10D 62/121: {oriented parallel to substrates}
- H10W 20/069: {by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs}
- H10W 20/077: {on sidewalls or on top surfaces of conductors (H10W20/076 takes precedence)}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An integrated circuit product is disclosed that includes a transistor device that includes a final gate structure, a gate cap, a low-k sidewall spacer positioned on and in contact with opposing sidewalls of the final gate structure, first and second contact etch stop layers (CESLs) located on opposite sides of the final gate structure, whereby the CESLs are positioned on and in contact with the low-k sidewall spacer, and a high-k spacer located on opposite sides of the final gate structure, wherein the high-k spacer is positioned in recesses formed in an upper portion of the CESLs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated circuit product, comprising:
a final gate structure for a transistor device;
a gate cap positioned above said final gate structure, said final gate structure comprising first and second opposing sidewalls;
first and second source/drain regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, wherein said first and second source/drain regions are, respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, of said final gate structure;
a low-k sidewall spacer positioned on and in contact with said first and second opposing sidewalls of said final gate structure;
a first and a second contact etch stop layer (CESL) wherein said first and second CESLs are, respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, of said final gate structure, said first and second CESLs being positioned on and in contact with said low-k sidewall spacer, each of said first and second CESLs having a recess formed in an upper portion thereof; and
a high-k spacer located on opposite sides of said final gate structure, wherein said high-k spacer is positioned in said recess formed in said first and second CESLs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, further comprising first and second regions of epi semiconductor material in said first and second source/drain regions, respectively, wherein said first and second CESLs, respectively, contact an upper surface of said first and second regions of epi semiconductor material, respectively.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, wherein said final gate structure comprises a gate electrode comprising a metal layer and a high-k gate insulation layer and wherein said transistor device is a FinFET device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, wherein said low-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 5.2 or less, said high-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 10 or greater and said first and second CESLs comprise silicon nitride.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, wherein said high-k spacer is positioned on and in contact with said first and second CESLs-.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, wherein said recess in each of said first and second CESLs is at least partially defined by a substantially horizontally oriented surface and a substantially vertically oriented surface and wherein said high-k spacer is positioned on and in contact with said substantially horizontally oriented surface and said substantially vertically oriented surface of said recess in each of said first and second CESLs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The integrated circuit product of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second CESLs further comprise a lower portion that is positioned below said upper portion of said first and second CESLs, wherein an outer surface of said lower portion of said first and second CESLs is not contacted by said high-k spacer.

### Claim 8

An integrated circuit product, comprising:
a final gate structure for a transistor device;
a gate cap positioned above said final gate structure, said final gate structure comprising first and second opposing sidewalls;
first and second source/drain regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, wherein said first and second source/drain regions are respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, of said final gate structure;
a low-k sidewall spacer positioned on and in contact with said first and second opposing sidewalls of said final gate structure;
a first and a second contact etch stop layer (CESL) wherein said first and second CESLs, are, respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, said first and second CESLs being positioned on and in contact with said low-k sidewall spacer, wherein each of said first and second CESLs comprises a first substantially horizontally oriented upper surface and wherein an upper portion of each of said first and second CESLs comprises a second substantially horizontally oriented surface and a substantially vertically oriented surface; and
a high-k spacer positioned on and in contact with said second substantially horizontally oriented surface and said substantially vertically oriented surface of said first and second CESLs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The integrated circuit product of claim 8, further comprising first and second regions of epi semiconductor material in said first and second source/drain regions, respectively, wherein a lower portion of said first and second CESLs, respectively, contact an upper surface of said first and second regions of epi semiconductor material, respectively.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The integrated circuit product of claim 9, wherein said final gate structure comprises a gate electrode comprising a metal layer and a high-k gate insulation layer and wherein said transistor device is a FinFET device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The integrated circuit product of claim 8, wherein said low-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 5.2 or less, said high-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 10 or greater and said first and second CESLs comprise silicon nitride.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The integrated circuit product of claim 8, wherein each of said first and second CESLs further comprise a lower portion that is positioned below said upper portion of said first and second CESLs, wherein an outer surface of said lower portion of said first and second CESLs is not contacted by said high-k spacer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The integrated circuit product of claim 8, wherein said first substantially horizontally oriented upper surface of said first and second CESLs is not contacted by said high-k spacer.

### Claim 14

An integrated circuit product, comprising:
a final gate structure for a transistor device;
a gate cap positioned above said final gate structure, said final gate structure comprising first and second opposing sidewalls;
first and second source/drain regions formed in a semiconductor substrate, wherein said first and second source/drain regions are, respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, of said final gate structure;
a low-k sidewall spacer positioned on and in contact with said first and second opposing sidewalls of said final gate structure;
a first and a second contact etch stop layer (CESL) wherein said first and second CESLs are, respectively, positioned adjacent said first and second opposing sidewalls, respectively, of said final gate structure, said first and second CESLs being positioned on and in contact with said low-k sidewall spacer, wherein each of said first and second CESLs comprises a first substantially horizontally oriented upper surface, an upper portion and a lower portion positioned below said upper portion, wherein said upper portion of each of said first and second CESLs comprises a second substantially horizontally oriented surface and a substantially vertically oriented surface; and
a high-k spacer positioned on and in contact with said second substantially horizontally oriented surface and said substantially vertically oriented surface of said first and second CESLs and wherein said first substantially horizontally oriented upper surface of said first and second CESLs is not contacted by said high-k spacer and wherein an outer surface of said lower portion of said first and second CESLs is not contacted by said high k spacer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The integrated circuit product of claim 14, further comprising first and second regions of epi semiconductor material in said first and second source/drain regions, respectively, wherein said lower portion of said first and second CESLs, respectively, contact an upper surface of said first and second regions of epi semiconductor material, respectively.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The integrated circuit product of claim 15, wherein said final gate structure comprises a gate electrode comprising a metal layer and a high-k gate insulation layer and wherein said transistor device is a FinFET device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The integrated circuit product of claim 14, wherein said low-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 5.2 or less, said high-k spacer comprises a material having a k value of 10 or greater and said first and second CESLs comprise silicon nitride.