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US 8,409,942 B2Granted
Replacement gate approach based on a reverse offset spacer applied prior to work function metal deposition
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Inc.
InventorsThilo Scheiper, Sven Beyer, Uwe Griebenow, Jan Hoentschel
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Abstract
In a replacement gate approach, a spacer may be formed in the gate opening after the removal of the placeholder material, thereby providing a superior cross-sectional shape upon forming any electrode metals in the gate opening. Moreover, the spacer may be used for reducing the gate length, while not requiring more complex gate patterning strategies.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- forming an opening in a gate electrode structure of a transistor by removing a placeholder electrode material of said gate electrode structure;
- forming a spacer along exposed sidewalls of said opening;
- after forming said spacer, forming a high-k dielectric material layer at least at a bottom of said opening so as to form a gate dielectric layer;
- and
- forming a conductive electrode material in said opening.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a gate electrode structure of a transistor on a semiconductor region, said gate electrode structure comprising a placeholder material having a first gate length;
- forming drain and source regions in said semiconductor region based on a second gate length that is less than said first gate length;
- forming an opening in said gate electrode structure by removing at least said placeholder material;
- forming a spacer in said opening so as to reduce lateral dimensions of said opening;
- after forming said spacer, forming a high-k dielectric material layer at least at a bottom of said opening so as to form a gate dielectric layer;
- and
- forming a conductive electrode material in said opening, said conductive electrode material having said second gate length.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- forming a gate electrode structure of a transistor element above an active region of a semiconductor device, said gate electrode structure comprising a dielectric material layer and a placeholder electrode material formed above said dielectric material layer;
- forming an opening in said gate electrode structure by performing an etch process to selectively remove said placeholder electrode material from said gate electrode structure while using said dielectric material layer as an etch stop;
- forming a layer of spacer material in said opening;
- performing an etch process to form a reverse spacer from said layer of spacer material, said reverse spacer being formed adjacent to exposed sidewalls of said opening;
- forming a layer of high-k dielectric material along exposed surfaces of said reverse spacer and above a bottom surface of said opening;
- and
- forming a conductive electrode material above said layer of high-k dielectric material.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.