Methods, apparatus and system for stringer defect reduction in a trench cut region of a finfet device

An finFET device, comprising:

• a plurality of fins on a substrate;
• an epitaxial region formed at a top portion of each fin of a first portion of the fins;
• a gate region formed on a second portion of the fins;
• and
• a trench formed on a portion of the gate region, the trench comprising an oxide layer having a first height, wherein the first height is from the bottom of the trench up to a bottom portion of a portion of the EPI features, wherein the oxide layer is capable of substantially preventing a buildup of residue from a process step.

A system, comprising:

• a semiconductor device processing system to manufacture a semiconductor device comprising at least one fin field effect transistor (finFET);
• and
• a processing controller operatively coupled to the semiconductor device processing system, the processing controller configured to control an operation of the semiconductor device processing system;
• wherein the semiconductor device processing system is adapted to:
• form a plurality of fins on a semiconductor substrate;
• form, over a first portion of the fins, an epitaxial (EPI) feature at a top portion of each fin of the first portion;
• form, over a second portion of the fins, a gate region;
• form a trench in a portion of the gate region;
• form a first oxide layer at a bottom region of the trench;
• deposit, prior to performing an amorphous-silicon (a-Si) deposition, a flowable oxide material into the trench for forming a second oxide layer, the second oxide layer comprising the flowable oxide and the first oxide layer, the second oxide layer having a first height;
• perform an amorphous-silicon (a-Si) deposition process;
• and
• perform a replacement metal gate (RMG) process in the gate region.