IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,309,416
Granted Patent B2
US 8,309,416 · App. 12/649,684 · Granted Nov 13, 2012

Semiconductor device with buried bit lines interconnected to one-side-contact and fabrication method thereof

Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,309,416
App. No.
12/649,684
Granted
Nov 13, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device with reduced resistance of a buried bit line, and a method for fabricating the same. The method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of active regions which are separated from one another by trenches formed in between, forming a side contact on a sidewall of each active region, and forming metal bit lines, each filling a portion of a respective trench and connected to the side contact.

Claims (60)

1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

etching a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of active regions which are separated from one another by trenches formed in between;

forming a side contact on a sidewall of each active region;

forming metal bit lines, each filling a portion of each trench and connected to the side contact;

forming a plurality of active pillars which are separated from one another in a damascene pattern over each active region by etching the active regions; and

forming word lines extended in a direction crossing the metal bit lines and positioned on sidewalls of the active pillars by forming a conductive layer filling the damascene pattern and etching the conductive layer using a spacer as an etch barrier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active regions are formed in a line shape, and the side contact and the metal bit line are formed in parallel to the active regions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the side contact comprises a metal silicide.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal bit line is formed by stacking a titanium nitride layer and a tungsten layer (TiN/W).

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a capacitor with a storage node connected to an upper portion of the active pillar.

6. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

etching a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of active regions separated from one another by trenches formed in between;

forming a sacrificial layer gap-filling the trenches, wherein a protrusion is formed over each active region from the formation of the sacrificial layer;

forming an insulation layer pattern contacting a sidewall of the protrusion; etching the sacrificial layer by using the insulation layer pattern as an etch barrier;

forming contact regions each opening a sidewall of the active regions; forming side contacts each filling the contact regions;

forming metal bit lines, each being connected to each side contact and filling a portion of each trench;

forming a plurality of active pillars which are separated from one another in a damascene pattern over each active region by etching the active regions; and

forming word lines extended in a direction crossing the metal bit lines and positioned on sidewalls of the active pillars by forming a conductive layer filling the damascene pattern and etching the conductive layer using a spacer as an etch barrier.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the insulation layer pattern comprises an undoped insulation layer.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the trenches are formed by using a hard mask layer as an etch barrier and etching the semiconductor substrate, and the protrusion is formed of the hard mask layer.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the metal bit lines are formed by stacking a titanium nitride layer and a tungsten layer (TiN/W).

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the side contact comprises a metal silicide.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the active regions are formed in a line shape, and the side contact and the metal bit lines are formed to be arranged in parallel to the active regions.

12. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

forming a capacitor with a storage node connected to an upper portion of the active pillar.

13. The method of claim 6 , before the formation of the sacrificial layer, further comprising:

forming a sidewall oxide layer on sidewalls of each active region through a sidewall oxidation; and

forming a first liner nitride layer covering a resultant substrate including the active regions.

14. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

etching a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of active regions separated from one another by trenches formed in between;

forming a sidewall oxide layer on sidewalls of each active region through a sidewall oxidation;

forming a first liner nitride layer covering a resultant substrate including the active regions;

forming a sacrificial layer gap-filling the trenches, wherein a protrusion is formed over each active region from the formation of the sacrificial layer;

forming an insulation layer pattern contacting a sidewall of the protrusion: etching the sacrificial layer by using the insulation layer pattern as an etch barrier;

forming contact regions each opening a sidewall of the active regions;

forming side contacts each filling the contact regions; and

forming metal bit lines, each being connected to each side contact and filling a portion of each trench,

wherein the forming of the contact regions comprises:

removing the sacrificial layer;

forming an amorphous silicon layer gap-filling the trenches;

performing an etch-back process to the amorphous silicon layer;

forming a second liner nitride layer on a sidewall of the active region to expose a surface of the amorphous silicon layer obtained after the etch-back process;

forming a line-shaped opening by removing the amorphous silicon layer; and

selectively etching the sidewall oxide layer through the opening.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sidewall oxide layer is selectively etched through the opening by performing a wet cleaning process.

16. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

etching a semiconductor substrate to form a plurality of active regions separated from one another by trenches formed in between;

forming a sacrificial layer gap-filling the trenches, wherein a protrusion is formed over each active region from the formation of the sacrificial layer;

forming an insulation layer over the substrate including the protrusion; implanting a dopant into the insulation layer through a tilt ion implantation process;

forming an insulation layer pattern by selectively removing a portion of the insulation layer where the dopant is implanted;

etching the sacrificial layer by using the insulation layer pattern as an etch barrier;

forming contact regions each opening a sidewall of the active regions;

forming side contacts each filling the contact regions;

forming metal bit lines, each being connected to each side contact and filling a portion of each trench;

forming a plurality of active pillars which are separated from one another in a damascene pattern over each active region by etching the active regions; and

forming word lines extended in a direction crossing the metal bit lines and positioned on sidewalls of the active pillars by forming a conductive layer filling the damascene pattern and etching the conductive layer using a spacer as an etch barrier.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the insulation layer pattern comprises an undoped insulation layer.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dopant comprises boron.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the portion of the insulation layer where the dopant is implanted is selectively removed through a wet cleaning process or a dry cleaning process.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2010
From: PARK, EUN-SHIL; EUN, YONG-SEOK; LEE, KEE-JEUNG; KIM, MIN-SOO
To: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 023938/0600 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0093499 · Sep 30, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110073925A1 · Mar 31, 2011