Process for forming self-aligning cobalt silicide T-gates of silicon MOS devices

Abstract

A process for producing a cobalt silicide T-gate on a silicon substrate (10) in which a silicon oxide gate layer (12) is formed in the silicon substrate (10). The silicon oxide gate layer (12) is covered with a polysilicon layer (14) and a masking oxide layer (16). An opening (18) is formed in the masking oxide layer (16) through to the polysilicon layer (14) which defines a gate region (22) for the device being fabricated (16). A cobalt layer (20) is deposited on the masking oxide layer (16) and the surface of the polysilicon layer (14) in the gate region (22). The substrate (10) is then heated to react the cobalt layer (20) with the polysilicon layer (14) to form a cobalt silicide layer (24) in the gate region (22). The unreacted portion of the cobalt layer (20) and masking oxide layer (16) are removed and the polysilicon layer (14) etched using the cobalt silicide layer (24) as a mask. The etching undercuts a portion of the polysilicon layer (14) under the cobalt silicide layer (24) forming a self-aligned cobalt silicide T-gate structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.