Method of forming self-aligned contacts and local interconnects

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:

• forming a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate;
• forming sidewall spacers around the gate structures;
• forming a silicon nitride (SiN) liner layer over the semiconductor substrate;
• forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate;
• forming a photoresist pattern to define a hole associated with at least one self-aligned contact and a trench associated with a local interconnect opening;
• and
• etching the dielectric layer and the SiN liner layer before etching the portion of the SiN liner layer that lines a bottom area of the hole and the trench to form at least one self-aligned contact and local interconnect opening.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:

• forming sidewall spacers around a gate-structure on the semiconductor substrate in a core region and around a gate-structure in a peripheral region on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a hole and a trench respectively;
• forming a silicon nitride (SiN) liner layer and a dielectric layer on the substrate;
• and
• etching the dielectric layer and the SiN liner layer on the sidewall spacers before etching a portion of the SiN liner layer that lines a bottom area of the hole and the trench to form a self-aligned contact and a local interconnect opening.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:

• forming sidewall spacers around a gate-structure on the semiconductor substrate in a core region and around a gate-structure in a peripheral region on the semiconductor substrate, thereby forming a hole in a source region of the substrate and a trench in a drain region of the substrate, respectively;
• forming a silicon nitride (SiN) liner layer and a dielectric layer on the substrate;
• and
• etching the dielectric layer and the SiN liner layer on the sidewall spacers before etching a portion of the SiN liner layer that lines a bottom area of the hole and the trench to form a self-aligned contact in the source region and a local interconnect opening in the drain region.