Tiered-Profile Contact for Semiconductor

A method for forming tiered-profile contacts to a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:

• depositing an oxide layer over the semiconductor device;
• patterning contact trenches partway through the oxide layer;
• forming sacrificial spacers along inner sidewalls of the contact trenches which reduces a footprint of the contact trenches;
• complete patterning of the contact trenches between the sacrificial spacers to extend the contact trenches down to the semiconductor device, wherein a top portion of the contact trenches is wider than a bottom portion of the contact trenches;
• removing the sacrificial spacers;
• and
• filling the contact trenches with at least one contact metal to form the tiered-profile contacts to the semiconductor device.

A structure, comprising:

• a semiconductor device;
• a first oxide layer disposed over the semiconductor device;
• a second oxide layer disposed on the first oxide layer, wherein the second oxide layer is configured to have a greater etch rate than the first oxide layer;
• tiered-profile contacts extending through the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer down to the semiconductor device, wherein a bottom portion of the tiered-profile contacts passes through the first oxide layer and a top portion of the tiered-profile contacts passes through the second oxide layer, and wherein the top portion of the tiered-profile contacts is wider than the bottom portion.