Method of forming a contact using a sacrificial spacer
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorKunal R. Parekh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of forming a self-aligned contact to a semiconductor substrate by use of a sacrificial spacer. The sacrificial spacer has the advantage of self aligning metallization to the semiconductive substrate or to a polysilicon plug material without extra photolithography steps as are required in the prior art.
Claims38
A method of forming a self-aligned contact in a semiconductor structure topology including a gate stack having an electrically insulative top surface and an electrically insulative structure projecting from the top surface of the gate stack, and wherein there is an electrically conductive material upon both the gate stack and the electrically insulative structure, the method comprising:
- forming a silicon nitride film over the semiconductor structure topology;
- patterning a first photoresist over said silicon nitride film to protect a first section of said silicon nitride film and to expose a second section of said silicon nitride film;
- removing said second section of said silicon nitride film;
- forming a first dielectric film over said semiconductor structure topology and in lateral contact with said first section of said silicon nitride film;
- reflowing said first dielectric film to fill into vacant regions of said semiconductor structure topology;
- and
- removing said first section of said silicon nitride film to form a depression in said semiconductor structure topology.
A method of forming a self-aligned contact in a semiconductor structure topology including a gate stack having an electrically insulative top surface and an electrically insulative structure projecting from the top surface of the gate stack, and wherein there is an electrically conductive material upon both the gate stack and the electrically insulative structure, the method comprising:
- forming a silicon nitride film over the semiconductor structure topology;
- patterning a first photoresist over said silicon nitride film to protect a first section of said silicon nitride film and to expose a second section of said silicon nitride film;
- removing said second section of said silicon nitride film;
- forming a first dielectric film over said semiconductor structure topology and in lateral contact with said first section of said silicon nitride film;
- removing said first section of said silicon nitride film to form a depression in said semiconductor structure topology;
- forming a metal liner layer into said depression;
- forming a metal nitride layer upon said metal liner layer;
- and
- forming an aluminum metallization layer upon said metal nitride layer.
A method of forming a self-aligned contact in a semiconductor structure topology including a gate stack having an electrically insulative top surface and an electrically insulative structure projecting from the top surface of the gate stack, and wherein there is an electrically conductive material upon both the gate stack and the electrically insulative structure, the method comprising:
- forming a first dielectric film over the semiconductor structure topology;
- patterning a first photoresist over said first dielectric film to protect a first section of said first dielectric film and to expose a second section of said first dielectric film;
- removing said second section of said first dielectric film;
- forming a second dielectric film over said semiconductor structure topology and in lateral contact with said first section of said first dielectric film, wherein said second dielectric film is composed a different material than said first dielectric film;
- reflowing said second dielectric film to fill into vacant regions of said semiconductor structure topology;
- and
- removing said first section of said first dielectric film to form a depression in said semiconductor structure topology.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.