# US 11,443,984 B2 · Semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same

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- Number: US 11,443,984 B2
- Document ID: US11443984B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/983,018
- Filed: 2020-08-03
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-29
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hui-Chi Chen; Hsiang-Ku Shen; Jeng-Ya Yeh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443984B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/069: {by forming self-aligned vias or self-aligned contact plugs}
- H10D 64/021: {using multiple gate spacer layers, e.g. bilayered sidewall spacers}
- H10W 20/056: {by filling conductive material into holes, grooves or trenches}
- H10W 20/074: {of dielectric parts comprising thin functional dielectric layers, e.g. dielectric etch-stop, barrier, capping or liner layers}
- H10D 30/60: Insulated-gate field-effect transistors [IGFET] (H10D30/40 takes precedence)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a first gate structure disposed on a substrate and extending in a first direction. The first gate structure includes a first gate electrode, a first cap insulating layer disposed over the first gate electrode, first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the first gate electrode and the first cap insulating layer and second sidewall spacers disposed over the first sidewall spacers. The semiconductor device further includes a first protective layer formed over the first cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers. The first protective layer has a n-shape having a head portion and two leg portions in a cross section along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate structure including:
a gate electrode,
a cap insulating layer disposed over the gate electrode,
first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the gate electrode and on opposing side faces of the cap insulating layer, and
second sidewall spacers disposed on the first sidewall spacers, wherein:
the first sidewall spacers include lower portions and upper portions having different material than the lower portions,
the upper portions of the first sidewall spacers are connected by a connection part,
outermost side surfaces of the connection part and the second sidewall spacers are aligned; and
the lower portions and upper portions are in contact with side surfaces of the cap insulating layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a respective interface between the lower portions and the upper portions is located at a height below a top of the cap insulating layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a respective interface between the lower portions and the upper portions is located at a height above a top of the gate electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the cap insulating layer is made of a same material as the second sidewall spacers and is made of a different material than the lower portions of the first sidewall spacers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor device of claim 4, wherein the cap insulating layer and the second sidewall spacers are made of a silicon nitride based material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein the lower portions of the first sidewall spacers are made of a silicon oxide based material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein:
the cap insulating layer and the second sidewall spacers are made of SiN, and
the lower portions of the first sidewall spacers are made of at least one of SiOC or SiOCN.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor device of claim 7, wherein the upper portions of the first sidewall spacers are made of at least one of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxynitride, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the connection part is made of a same material as the upper portions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the connection part is in contact with tops of the second sidewall spacers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor device of claim 10, wherein the connection part is in contact with the cap insulating layer.

### Claim 12

A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate structure including:
a gate electrode,
a cap insulating layer disposed over the gate electrode,
first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the gate electrode and on opposing side faces of the cap insulating layer, and
second sidewall spacers disposed on the first sidewall spacers;
a source/drain epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structure;
a source/drain contact contacting the source/drain epitaxial layer; and
a source/drain cap layer disposed on the source/drain contact, wherein:
the first sidewall spacers include lower portions and upper portions having different material than the lower portions, wherein:
the first sidewall spacers include lower portions and upper portions having different material than the lower portions,
the upper portions of the first sidewall spacers are connected by a connection part,
outermost side surfaces of the connection part and the second sidewall spacers are aligned; and
a lowermost portion of the upper portions is located at a height above a lowermost portion of the cap insulating layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein a respective interface between the lower portions and the upper portions is located at a height below a top of the cap insulating layer and above a top of the gate electrode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the connection part is made of a same material as the upper portions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein a ratio of a vertical length of the upper portion to a thickness of the connection part is in a range from 1 to 10.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor device of claim 12, wherein the upper portions of the first sidewall spacers are made of at least one of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxynitride, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide.

### Claim 17

A semiconductor device comprising:
a gate structure including:
a gate electrode,
a cap insulating layer disposed over the gate electrode,
first sidewall spacers disposed on opposing side faces of the gate electrode and on opposing side faces of the cap insulating layer, and
second sidewall spacers disposed on the first sidewall spacers;
a source/drain epitaxial layer adjacent to the gate structure;
a protective layer formed in contact with the cap insulating layer, the first sidewall spacers and the second sidewall spacers, wherein outermost side surfaces of the protective layer and the second sidewall spacers are aligned; and
a gate contact contacting the gate electrode passing through the protective layer,
wherein a height of the first sidewall spacers is smaller than a height of the second sidewall spacers, and
an uppermost portion of the first sidewall spacers is located at a same height as a lowermost portion of the protective layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein the protective layer covers a top and side faces of an upper portion of the cap insulating layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein:
the cap insulating layer and the second sidewall spacers are made of SiN, and
the first sidewall spacers are made of at least one of SiOC and SiOCN.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The semiconductor device of claim 19, wherein the protective layer is made of at least one of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxynitride, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide.