Enlarging Spacer Thickness by Forming a Dielectric Layer Over a Recessed Interlayer Dielectric

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a non-Input/Output (non-I/O) device that includes:
• a first source/drain;
• a first gate structure;
• a first gate spacer disposed on a sidewall of the first gate structure;
• a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) disposed next to the first gate spacer;
• a first dielectric layer disposed over the first gate structure and over the first ILD, the first dielectric layer having a first recessed upper surface;
• and
• a first contact disposed over the first source/drain, wherein the first contact extends through the first ILD and the first dielectric layer;
• and
• an Input/Output (I/O) device that includes:
• a second source/drain;
• a second gate structure;
• a second gate spacer disposed on a sidewall of the second gate structure;
• a second interlayer dielectric (ILD) disposed next to the second gate spacer;
• a second dielectric layer disposed over the second gate structure and over the second ILD, the second dielectric layer having a second recessed upper surface, wherein the second recessed upper surface has a greater depth than the first recessed upper surface;
• and
• a second contact disposed over the second source/drain, wherein the second contact extends through the second ILD and the second dielectric layer.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a first gate structure and a second gate structure disposed over a semiconductor layer, wherein first spacers are disposed along sidewalls of the first gate structure and second spacers are disposed along sidewalls of the second gate structure;
• a source/drain region disposed in the semiconductor layer between the first gate structure and the second gate structure;
• a first interlevel dielectric layer disposed over the semiconductor layer and between the first spacers and the second spacers, wherein a portion of the first interlevel dielectric layer has a first recessed upper surface;
• a dielectric layer disposed over the first spacers, the second spacers, and the first recessed upper surface of the first interlevel dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the dielectric layer has a second recessed upper surface, wherein the portion of the dielectric layer having the second recessed upper surface is disposed over the portion of the first interlevel dielectric layer having the first recessed upper surface;
• a second interlevel dielectric layer disposed over the dielectric layer;
• and
• a contact that extends through the second interlevel dielectric layer, the dielectric layer, and the first interlevel dielectric layer to the source/drain region.