Methods of forming conductive contacts

A method of forming a conductive contact, comprising:

• forming a transistor gate structure over a substrate, the gate structure comprising a conductive silicide covered by insulative material, the conductive silicide being on and in direct contact with a conductively doped polysilicon material;
• forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and the gate structure;
• etching the dielectric layer to form a contact opening adjacent the gate structure, the etching being effective to expose the conductive silicide of the gate structure;
• after the etching, oxidizing the exposed silicide within the contact opening effective to form an insulative isolation mass within the contact opening on the conductive silicide;
• and
• after the oxidizing, forming conductive material within the contact opening and on the insulative isolation mass.

A method of forming a conductive contact, comprising:

• forming a transistor gate structure over a substrate, the gate structure comprising a conductive silicide, opposing etched insulative sidewall spacers, and an insulative cap on the conductive silicide;
• forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and the gate structure;
• etching into the dielectric layer to form a contact opening adjacent the gate structure, the etching exposing the insulative cap and one of the etched sidewall spacers within the contact opening;
• after the etching, oxidizing utilizing oxidizing conditions effective to oxidize any conductive silicide within the contact opening exposed during the contact opening etch;
• and
• after the oxidizing, forming conductive material within the contact opening.

A method of forming a conductive contact, comprising:

• forming a transistor gate structure over a substrate, the gate structure comprising a conductive silicide having an etched insulative sidewall spacer, and having an insulative cap on the conductive silicide;
• forming an etch stop layer over the substrate and the gate structure;
• after forming the etch stop layer, forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and the gate structure;
• etching into the dielectric layer to form a contact opening adjacent the gate structure, the etching being effective to expose the conductive silicide of the gate structure;
• after the etching, oxidizing the exposed conductive silicide within the contact opening effective to form an insulative isolation mass within the contact opening on the conductive silicide;
• and
• after the oxidizing, forming conductive material within the contact opening and on the insulative isolation mass.