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US 11,380,768 B2Granted
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShih-Cheng Chen, Chun-Hsiung Lin, Chih-Hao Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device includes an active region, a gate structure, an epitaxial structure, an epitaxial layer, a metal alloy layer, a contact, and a contact etch stop layer. The gate structure is across the active region. The epitaxial structure is above the active region and adjacent the gate structure. The epitaxial layer is above the epitaxial structure. The metal alloy layer is above the epitaxial layer. The contact is above the metal alloy layer. The contact etch stop layer lines sidewalls of the epitaxial structure. The metal alloy layer is spaced apart from the contact etch stop layer.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a gate structure above an active region;
- forming an epitaxial structure above the active region and adjacent the gate structure;
- forming an isolation structure above the epitaxial structure;
- forming an opening in the isolation structure to expose the epitaxial structure;
- forming a first mask layer to line inner sidewalls of the isolation structure and a top surface of the epitaxial structure;
- patterning the first mask layer to form a first spacer layer on the inner sidewalls of the isolation structure;
- forming an epitaxial layer above the epitaxial structure;
- removing a first portion of the first spacer layer, wherein a second portion of the first spacer layer remains on and extends along sidewalls of the epitaxial layer;
- forming a metal alloy layer above the epitaxial layer, wherein a top of the second portion of the first spacer layer is higher than a top of the metal alloy layer;
- and
- forming a contact above the metal alloy layer.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a gate structure over a semiconductor fin;
- epitaxially growing a source/drain epitaxial structure over the semiconductor fin and adjacent the gate structure;
- depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the source/drain epitaxial structure and surrounding the gate structure;
- patterning the ILD layer to form an opening in the ILD layer and exposing the source/drain epitaxial structure;
- depositing a spacer layer in the opening and covering the source/drain epitaxial structure;
- forming a first spacer on a sidewall of the opening and in contact with the spacer layer;
- etching the spacer layer by using the first spacer as an etching mask to form a second spacer between the first spacer and the ILD layer;
- after etching the spacer layer, removing the first spacer;
- after removing the first spacer, epitaxially growing an epitaxial layer over the source/drain epitaxial structure and in contact with the second spacer;
- and
- forming a contact over the epitaxial layer.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- forming a gate structure over a first fin structure and a second fin structure;
- forming a first recess in the first fin structure and a second recess in the second fin structure;
- depositing a first source/drain epitaxial structure in the first recess of the first fin structure;
- depositing a second source/drain epitaxial structure in the second recess of the second fin structure;
- depositing an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the first source/drain epitaxial structure and the second source/drain epitaxial structure;
- forming first and second openings in the ILD layer such that the first opening exposes the first source/drain epitaxial structure and the second opening exposes the second source/drain epitaxial structure;
- forming a first epitaxial layer over the first source/drain epitaxial structure;
- depositing a first mask layer to cover the first epitaxial layer and the second source/drain epitaxial structure;
- patterning the first mask layer such that the patterned first mask layer covers the first epitaxial layer and exposes a first portion of a top surface of the second source/drain epitaxial structure, wherein a second portion of the top surface of the second source/drain epitaxial structure is in contact with the patterned first mask layer;
- after patterning the first mask layer, forming a second epitaxial layer over the second source/drain epitaxial structure;
- after forming the second epitaxial layer, removing the patterned first mask layer;
- and
- forming a first contact over the first epitaxial layer and a second contact over the second epitaxial layer.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.