# US 11,114,546 B2 · Semiconductor device and formation thereof

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- Number: US 11,114,546 B2
- Document ID: US11114546B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/706,921
- Filed: 2019-12-09
- Published: 2020-04-09
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
- Inventors: Blandine Duriez; Mark van Dal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114546B2

## CPC

- 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 30/024: {of fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]}
- H10D 30/62: Fin field-effect transistors [FinFET]
- H10D 30/6219: {characterised by the source or drain electrodes}
- H10D 30/6735: {having gates fully surrounding the channels, e.g. gate-all-around}
- H10D 30/6757: {characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. transverse or longitudinal shape or doping profile (TFTs having channel structures for preventing kink or snapback effects H10D30/6708; TFTs having lightly-doped source or drain extensions H10D30/6715)}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor device and methods of formation are provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate over a channel portion of a fin. The fin includes a first active area of the fin having a first active area top surface coplanar with a first shallow trench isolation (STI) top surface of a first STI portion of STI, and a second active area of the fin having a second active area top surface coplanar with a second STI top surface of a second STI portion of the STI. The method herein negates a need to recess at least one of the fin, the first STI portion or the second STI portion during device formation. Negating a need to recess at least one of the fin, the first STI portion or the second STI portion enhances the semiconductor device formation and is more efficient than a semiconductor device formation that requires the recessing of at least one of a fin, a first STI portion or a second STI portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device, comprising:
a fin over a substrate;
a gate over a top surface of a channel portion of the fin;
a dielectric layer; and
a contact, wherein:
a first portion of the fin, different than the channel portion of the fin, is in contact with the substrate,
the channel portion of the fin is spaced apart from the substrate,
a first sidewall of the dielectric layer faces the gate,
a second sidewall of the dielectric layer faces the fin,
a first portion of the second sidewall of the dielectric layer is in contact with the fin, and
a second portion of the second sidewall of the dielectric layer is spaced apart from the fin by the contact.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the channel portion of the fin is spaced apart from the substrate by the gate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein:
the first portion of the fin comprises a first layer and a second layer, and
the channel portion comprises the second layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the gate is in contact with a sidewall of the first layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the gate is in contact with a bottom surface of the second layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the first layer comprises silicon germanium oxide and the second layer comprises silicon germanium.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, comprising:
a spacer having a first sidewall facing the gate, wherein:
the dielectric layer underlies the spacer, and
the first sidewall of the dielectric layer is co-planer with the first sidewall of the spacer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, comprising:
a spacer, wherein:
the dielectric layer underlies the spacer, and
the first sidewall of the dielectric layer is in contact with the gate.

### Claim 9

A semiconductor device, comprising:
a fin;
a dielectric layer;
a spacer overlying the dielectric layer;
a gate; and
a contact, wherein:
the gate is in contact with a sidewall of the spacer and a first sidewall of the dielectric layer,
a sidewall of the fin faces a direction opposite the gate, and
a second sidewall of the dielectric layer is spaced apart from the sidewall of the fin by the contact.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein:
a third sidewall of the dielectric layer faces the fin,
a first portion of the third sidewall of the dielectric layer is in contact with the fin, and
a second portion of the third sidewall of the dielectric layer is spaced apart from the fin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the second portion of the third sidewall of the dielectric layer is spaced apart from the fin by the contact.

### Claim 12

A semiconductor device, comprising:
a silicon germanium oxide layer;
a silicon germanium layer over the silicon germanium oxide layer;
a gate in contact with a top surface of the silicon germanium layer, a bottom surface of the silicon germanium layer, and a first sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer; and
a contact in contact with a second sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer and a sidewall of the silicon germanium layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, comprising:
a spacer; and
a dielectric layer underlying the spacer, wherein the dielectric layer is in contact with the silicon germanium oxide layer and the silicon germanium layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the silicon germanium layer is in contact with a top surface of the silicon germanium oxide layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the second sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer is perpendicular to the first sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the second sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer is parallel to the first sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the channel portion of the fin is spaced apart from the substrate in a vertical direction perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the fin comprises:
a silicon germanium oxide layer; and
a silicon germanium layer over the silicon germanium oxide layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The semiconductor device of claim 18, wherein the gate is in contact with a top surface of the silicon germanium layer, a bottom surface of the silicon germanium layer, and a first sidewall of the silicon germanium oxide layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The semiconductor device of claim 18, wherein the dielectric layer is in contact with the silicon germanium oxide layer and the silicon germanium layer.