Process for integrated circuit fabrication including a uniform depth tungsten recess technique

A process, comprising:

• removing dummy gates from a pre-metal layer formed over a substrate to produce a first opening having a first length over a first channel region and produce a second opening having a second length longer than the first length over a second channel region;
• depositing work function metal at a bottom of each of the first and second openings;
• depositing a tungsten layer having a thickness on said pre-metal layer that substantially equals the first length, said tungsten layer substantially completely filing the first opening and forming a tungsten liner in the second opening having a thickness that substantially equals to the first length and leaving a third opening;
• depositing an insulating material in the third opening;
• and
• performing an operation to remove tungsten from both the first and second openings to substantially a same depth from a top surface of said pre-metal layer.

An integrated circuit, comprising:

• a substrate including a first region and a second region;
• a pre-metal layer over the substrate, the pre-metal layer having a top planar surface and including a first gate stack opening having a first length and a second gate stack opening having a second length longer than the first length;
• a gate oxide region at a bottom of each of the first and second gate stack openings;
• a work force metal region in each of the first and second gate stack openings;
• and
• an overlying metal region in each of the first and second gate stack openings, wherein an upper surface of the overlying metal regions in both the first and second gate stack openings is recessed from said top planar surface by substantially a same distance.

A process, comprising:

• removing a first dummy gate from an insulating layer to form a first opening, said first opening located over a first channel region;
• removing a second dummy gate from the insulating layer to form a second opening, said second opening located over a second channel region;
• wherein a length of the first opening is less than a length of the second opening;
• depositing a layer of metal on said insulating layer such that the layer of metal substantially completely fills the first opening and further forms a metal liner along side walls of the second opening to form a third opening;
• depositing an insulating material within the third opening;
• and
• removing a portion of the layer of metal to leave a first metal portion over the first channel region and leave a second metal portion over the second channel region;
• wherein a first distance from a top surface of the first metal portion to a top surface of the insulating layer substantially equals a second distance from a top surface of the second metal portion to the top surface of the insulating layer.