IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,666,693
Granted Patent B2
US 12,666,693 · App. 18/116,713 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a dumbbell-shaped contact connecting differently recessed source/drain epitaxial layers

Inventors: Te-Chih Hsiung (Taipei City, TW); Yun-Hua Chen (Zhubei City, TW); Yang-Cheng Wu (Hsinchu City, TW); Sheng-Hsun Fu (Hsinchu County, TW); Wen-Kuo Hsieh (Taipei City, TW); Chih-Yuan Ting (Taipei City, TW); Huan-Just Lin (Hsinchu City, TW); Bing-Sian Wu (Hsinchu City, TW); Yi-Hsuan Chiu (Hsinchu City, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
H10D84/017H10D30/024H10D30/6211H10D30/6219H10D30/797H10D62/151H10D64/017H10D84/0186H10D84/0193H10D84/038H10D84/853
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,666,693
App. No.
18/116,713
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a p-type source/drain epitaxial layer respectively formed, a dielectric layer is formed over the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, a first opening is formed in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a second opening is formed in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, and the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer respectively recessed. A recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is different from a recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer.

Claims (50)

1 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, respectively;

forming a dielectric layer over the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

forming a first opening in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a second opening in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, respectively; and

forming at least one elongate source/drain contact spanning and connecting two or more source/drain epitaxial layers, the at least one elongate source/drain contact having a dumbbell shape in a plan view with end portions having a greater width than a center portion located between the end portions,

wherein a recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is different from a recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is greater than the recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a difference between the recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer is more than 1 nm.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is in a range from 11 nm to 18 nm.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer is in a range from 7 nm to 12 nm.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiP layer, and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiGe layer, and

the recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer comprises plasma etching using a gas containing sulfur.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the gas containing sulfur is at least one of COS or SF 6 .

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is discontinuous from the second opening.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first opening and the second opening form a continuous opening.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the end portions of the at least one elongate source/drain contact have a width 0.5 nm to 2 nm greater than a width of the center portion.

11 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an n-type source/drain epitaxial layer over one or more first fin structures and a p-type source/drain epitaxial layer over one or more second fin structures;

forming a dielectric layer over the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

forming a first opening in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a second opening in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, respectively; and

forming a first source/drain contact over the recessed n-type source/drain epitaxial layer, and a second source/drain contact over the recessed p-type source/drain epitaxial layer,

wherein after the recessing, a top of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is lower than a top of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer,

wherein at least one of the first source/drain contact and the second source/drain contact is a dual hammer head shape in a plan view, the dual hammer head shape having end portions that are wider than a center portion between the end portions, and is disposed over and connects two or more source/drain epitaxial layers.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming a first silicide layer on the recessed n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a second silicide layer on the recessed p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, before the first and second source/drain contacts are formed.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiP layer, and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiGe layer, and

the recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer comprises plasma etching at the same time using a gas containing sulfur.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the gas containing sulfur is at least one of COS or SF 6 .

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a difference between a recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer is in a range from 2 nm to 6 nm.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is in a range from 12 nm to 15 nm.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer is in a range from 8 nm to 10 nm.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, before the recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer:

forming an insulating liner layer on an inner sidewall of the first and second openings and on the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer, respectively; and

removing a part of the insulating liner layer formed on the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer.

19 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming an n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

forming a dielectric layer over the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

forming an opening in the dielectric layer to expose a part of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and a part of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer;

recessing the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer; and

forming a source/drain contact over the recessed n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the recessed p-type source/drain epitaxial layer,

wherein a recessing amount of the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer is greater than a recessing amount of the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer,

wherein a length of the source/drain contact is more than 50 nm, and

wherein the source/drain contact has a dumbbell shape in plan view.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiP layer, and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer includes a SiGe layer, and

the recessing the n-type source/drain epitaxial layer and the p-type source/drain epitaxial layer occur at a same time by plasma etching using an etching source gas including at least one gas of COS or SF 6 , and one or more gases of fluorocarbon, H 2 , O 2 , Ar or N 2 .