Method utilizing an etch stop layer

A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor material;
• forming a gate layer over a portion of the semiconductor material;
• forming a channel region in a portion of the semiconductor material underlying the gate layer;
• forming a source region and a drain region in a portion of the semiconductor material adjacent the channel region;
• forming a first dielectric layer comprised of aluminum over the semiconductor material and the gate layer;
• forming a first dielectric layer comprised of silicon over the first dielectric layer comprised of aluminum;
• and
• forming a spacer adjacent to the gate layer by removing a portion of the first dielectric layer comprised of silicon and by removing a portion of the first dielectric layer comprised of aluminum while using the first dielectric layer comprised of silicon as a mask.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor material;
• forming a gate layer over a portion of the semiconductor material;
• forming a channel region in a portion of the semiconductor material underlying the gate layer;
• forming a source region and a drain region in a portion of the semiconductor material adjacent the channel region;
• forming a spacer adjacent the gate layer over a portion of the semiconductor material, wherein the spacer is comprised of a first dielectric layer comprised of aluminum and a first silicon dioxide layer;
• forming a second dielectric layer comprised of aluminum over a portion of the semiconductor material over the source region and the drain region and over the spacer and the gate layer;
• forming a second silicon dioxide layer over the second dielectric layer comprised of aluminum;
• removing a portion of the second silicon dioxide layer over a portion of the source region and a portion of the drain region;
• removing a portion of the second dielectric layer comprised of aluminum over a portion of the source region and a portion of the drain region;
• forming a first metallization layer to make electrical contact with the source region and the drain region;
• forming a layer comprised of titanium over the first metallization layer;
• forming a third dielectric layer comprised of aluminum over the layer comprised of titanium;
• forming a third silicon dioxide layer over the third dielectric layer comprised of aluminum;
• removing a portion of the third silicon dioxide layer over the layer comprised of titanium, using the third dielectric layer comprised of aluminum as an etch stop;
• removing a portion of the third dielectric layer comprised of aluminum over the layer comprised of titanium;
• and
• forming a second metallization layer over the layer comprised of titanium.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor material;
• providing a dielectric layer comprised of aluminum overlying the semiconductor material;
• removing a portion of the dielectric layer comprised of aluminum after the step of providing the dielectric layer comprised of aluminum and prior to exposing the dielectric layer to an anneal;
• exposing the dielectric layer to an anneal after the step of removing the portion of the dielectric layer;
• and
• exposing the dielectric layer comprised of aluminum to a fluorocarbon based etchant after providing the dielectric layer comprised of aluminum and before removing the portion of the dielectric layer comprised of aluminum.