Method of making a finFET, and finFET formed by the method

A method comprising:

• providing first and second fins of a finFET extending above a semiconductor substrate, with a shallow trench isolation (STI) region comprising an STI material therebetween, a first distance between a topmost surface of the STI region and a top surface of the first fin and a second distance between the topmost surface of the STI region and a top surface of the second fin;
• forming a gate electrode over the first and second fins;
• forming a first SiGe fin extension on top and side surfaces of the first fin entirely above the topmost surface of the STI region at a time the first SiGe fin extension is formed, wherein the first SiGe fin extension does not extend below a topmost surface of the STI material at the time the first SiGe fin extension is formed, and forming a second SiGe fin extension on top and side surfaces of the second fin entirely above the topmost surface of the STI region at a time the second SiGe fin extension is formed, wherein the second SiGe fin extension does not extend below a topmost surface of the STI material at the time the second SiGe fin extension is formed;
• and then
• removing STI material from the STI region, so as to increase the distance between the topmost surface of the STI material and the top surface of the first fin and the second distance between the topmost surface of the STI material and the top surface of the second fin;
• depositing a conformal stressor dielectric material over the fins, the gate electrode and the STI region;
• reflowing the conformal stressor dielectric material to flow into a space defined between the first and second fins above a topmost surface of the STI region, to apply stress to a channel region of the finFET, while leaving a film of the conformal stressor dielectric material adjacent the gate electrode to form sidewall spacers;
• and
• implanting source and drain regions after the reflowing.

A method comprising:

• forming first and second fins of a finFET extending above a semiconductor substrate, with a shallow trench isolation (STI) region comprising an STI material therebetween, a first distance of about 80 nm to about 85 nm between a topmost surface of the STI region and a top surface of the first fin, and a second distance of about 80 nm to about 85 nm between the topmost surface of the STI region and a top surface of the second fin;
• providing a first fin extension on top and side surfaces of the first fin entirely above the topmost surface of the STI region at a time the first fin extension is formed, wherein the first fin extension does not extend below a topmost surface of the STI material at the time the first fin extension is formed, and providing a second fin extension on top and side surfaces of the second fin entirely above the top surface of the STI region at a time the second fin extension is formed, wherein the second fin extension does not extend below the top surface of the STI material at the time the second fin extension is formed;
• and then
• removing STI material from the STI region, so as to increase the first distance between the topmost surface of the STI material and the top surface of the first fin and the distance between the topmost surface of the STI material and the top surface of the second fin;
• depositing a conformal stressor dielectric material over the fins and STI region;
• reflowing the conformal stressor dielectric material to flow into a space between the first and second fins above a topmost surface of the STI region, to apply stress to a channel of the finFET.