Methods of forming bulk finfet devices by performing a recessing process on liner materials to define different fin heights and finfet devices with such recessed liner materials

A method of forming a FinFET device, comprising:

• forming a patterned hard mask layer above a semiconducting substrate;
• performing at least one first etching process through said patterned hard mask layer to form a plurality of trenches in said semiconducting substrate that define at least first and second fins;
• forming a first liner layer in said plurality of trenches, above said hard mask and adjacent to at least said first and second fins;
• performing a second etching process to remove at least portions of said first liner layer positioned adjacent said second fin;
• forming a second liner layer above said first liner layer and adjacent to at least said second fin;
• forming a layer of insulating material in said trenches above said first and second liner layers and above said patterned hard mask layer;
• performing a process operation to remove portions of said layer of insulating material and to expose portions of at least said second liner layer;
• performing at least one third etching process to remove portions of said first and second liner layers and said patterned hard mask layer, wherein removal of portions of said first and second liner layers results in exposing said first fin to a first height and exposing said second fin to a second height that is less than said first height;
• performing at least one fourth etching process on said layer of insulating material to thereby define a reduced-thickness layer of insulating material;
• and
• forming a gate structure around a portion of said first fin and said second fin.

A FinFET device, comprising;

• a plurality of trenches formed in a semiconducting substrate that define at least a first fin having a first height and a second fin having a second height, wherein said first and second heights are different;
• a first local isolation region positioned in a bottom of each of a plurality of trenches that define said first fin, said first local isolation region comprising a first generally U-shaped liner material having a plurality of spaced apart generally upstanding vertically oriented legs that define, in part, a first cavity, said legs of said first generally U-shaped liner material having a first thickness;
• a second local isolation region positioned in a bottom of each of a plurality of trenches that define said second fin, said second local isolation region comprising a second generally U-shaped liner material having a plurality of spaced apart generally upstanding vertically oriented legs that define, in part, a second cavity, said legs of said second generally U-shaped liner material having a second thickness that is different than said first thickness;
• a layer of insulating material positioned at least partially in said first and second cavities;
• and
• a gate structure positioned around a portion of said first and second fins.