Granted Patent B2

US 7,638,386 · App. 11/455,025 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method for forming bipolar and MOS semiconductor devices in a common substrate, comprising:

forming a combination comprising a gate insulator and an overlying gate of the MOS device in a first region of the substrate and a first portion of a collector of the bipolar device in a second region of the substrate;

covering the first region of the substrate with first and second differentially etchable dielectric layers;

covering the first and second regions of the substrate with an etch-stop layer;

completing formation of the bipolar device without completely removing the etch-stop layer from the MOS device;

anisotropically removing a portion of the first and second differentially etchable dielectric layers to form a gate sidewall of the MOS device from remaining portions of the first and second differentially etchable dielectric layers; and

applying electrical contacts to the MOS and bipolar devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the combination further comprises, forming one or more dielectric isolation regions adapted to laterally isolate the MOS and bipolar devices.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein during formation of the bipolar transistor a part of the etch-stop layer is left in place on the principal surface of the substrate to insulate an extrinsic base region from the substrate.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein forming the combination further comprises, forming one or more further dielectric isolation regions adapted to laterally separate collector and base contacts of the bipolar device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second region of the substrate has a principal surface and the method further comprises, forming a buried collector region underlying the one or more further dielectric isolation regions, and underlying a portion of the principal surface of the second region.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, epitaxially forming a base of the bipolar device on the portion of the principal surface of the second region, the base having an exposed surface.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

forming an extrinsic base contact region insulated from the principal surface of the second region and having a first part overlying a first part of the portion of the principal surface of the second region; and

epitaxially forming a base of the bipolar device on the portion of the principal surface of the second region, the base having a first surface portion that is exposed and a second surface portion that extends beneath and makes contact with the first part of the extrinsic base contact region.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, forming an emitter of the bipolar device on the exposed surface of the base.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, forming an emitter of the bipolar device on the first surface portion of the base.

10. A method for forming an MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor in a common substrate, wherein the substrate has a first conductivity type and a principal surface, the method comprising:

forming on the principal surface in a first portion of the substrate a gate insulator and overlying gate;

forming at least two dielectric isolation regions extending to the principal surface, a first dielectric isolation region separating the first portion of the substrate from a second portion of the substrate and a second dielectric isolation region lying in the second portion of the substrate and spaced apart from the first dielectric isolation region;

forming a first doped region of a second, opposite conductivity type lying between the first and second dielectric isolation regions;

providing first and second differentially etchable dielectric layers at least over the first portion of the substrate;

providing an etch-stop layer over the first and second portions of the substrate;

while the etch-stop layer remains in place at least partly over the first portion of the substrate, forming a bipolar transistor having an emitter, base and collector in the second portion of the substrate;

removing the etch-stop layer over the first portion of the substrate, thereby exposing the first and second differentially etchable layers thereon; and

anisotropically etching the first and second differentially etchable layers over at least part of the first portion of the substrate to form a sidewall spacer adjacent the gate of the MOS transistor from remaining portions of the first and second differentially etchable layers.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, after anisotropically etching, providing electrodes in contact at least with the emitter, base, collector and gate.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon and the first and second differentially etchable layers comprise silicon oxide and silicon nitride respectively.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, providing a doped region of the second conductivity type underlying the second dielectric isolation region to bring the first doped region into electrical communication with the collector.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising prior to providing electrodes, forming source-drain regions adjacent the gate of the MOS transistor and providing electrodes in contact with the source-drain regions.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the etch-stop layer comprises silicon oxide.

Assignments (23)