Process for oxide cap formation in semiconductor manufacturing

A method for forming a semiconductor device including a cap layer overhanging a portion of the device, said cap layer being characterized as a beanie structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first layer of a first oxide material covering said portion, the first layer having a top surface and a side surface;
• exposing at least one of the top surface and the side surface of the first layer to an oxide deposition bath, thereby causing deposition of a second oxide material on said surface;
• covering at least the beanie structure with a dielectric material;
• and
• etching the dielectric material with an etch process selective with respect to the beanie structure, to form a contact opening in the dielectric material extending laterally over at least a portion of the beanie structure,
• wherein deposition of the second oxide material on an exposed top surface of the first layer causes growth of the cap layer in a vertical direction and deposition of the second oxide material on an exposed side surface of the first layer causes growth of the cap layer in a horizontal direction, thereby forming the beanie structure, and
• wherein said etching exposes a portion of the beanie structure, and the contact opening is separated from said portion of the device by a layer of said dielectric material adjacent a sidewall of the portion of the device, said layer of dielectric material having a lateral dimension in accordance with a horizontal extent of the beanie structure.