IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,871,121
Granted Patent B2
US 9,871,121 · App. 14/341,568 · Granted Jan 16, 2018

Semiconductor device having a gap defined therein

Inventors: Jeffrey Junhao Xu (San Diego, CA); Kern Rim (San Diego, CA); John Jianhong Zhu (San Diego, CA); Stanley Seungchul Song (San Diego, CA); Mustafa Badaroglu (Leuven, BE); Vladimir Machkaoutsan (Leuven, BE); Da Yang (San Diego, CA); Choh Fei Yeap (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H01L29/6681H01L29/4991H01L29/6653H01L29/66545H01L29/66795H01L29/785
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,871,121
App. No.
14/341,568
Granted
Jan 16, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a particular embodiment, a method includes forming a first spacer structure on a dummy gate of a semiconductor device and forming a sacrificial spacer on the first spacer structure. The method also includes etching a structure of the semiconductor device to create an opening, removing the sacrificial spacer via the opening, and depositing a material to close to define a gap.

Claims (24)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a gate;

a contact;

a spacer positioned between the gate and the contact; and

a source/drain region electrically coupled to the contact, wherein multiple surfaces of the spacer and a surface of the source/drain region defines a gap positioned between the gate and the contact, wherein the gap comprises an air gap or a vacuum gap,

wherein the spacer contacts the source/drain region, the gate and the source/drain region contact a substrate, and a height of the gap is less than a height of the gate.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the gate, the contact, and the source/drain region are included in a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the gate, the contact, and the source/drain region are integrated into a mobile phone, a cellular phone, a portable computer, a radio, a satellite radio, a communication device, a portable music player, a portable digital video player, a navigation device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile location data unit, or a combination thereof.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the gate, the contact, and the source/drain region are integrated into a set top box, an entertainment unit, a fixed location data unit, a desktop computer, a monitor, a computer monitor, a television, a tuner, a music player, a digital music player, a video player, a digital video player, a digital video disc (DVD) player, or a combination thereof.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the contact is distinct from the source/drain region.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric material positioned between the contact and the gate, the dielectric material on the source/drain region.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising the substrate in contact with the spacer.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 7 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises an oxide or a nitride.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises silicon (Si), carbon (C), or boron (B).

11. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising the substrate, wherein the substrate further defines the gap, and wherein the spacer contacts the substrate.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer includes a first spacer structure and a second spacer structure, and wherein a first spacer material of the first spacer structure and a second spacer material of the second spacer structure are different materials.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , further comprising the substrate, wherein the substrate, the first spacer structure, and the second spacer structure further define the gap.

14. An apparatus comprising:

means for activating a channel region of a semiconductor device, wherein the channel region is coupled to a source/drain region of the semiconductor device;

means for conducting current, the means for conducting coupled to the source/drain region; and

means for spacing, the means for spacing positioned between the means for activating and the means for conducting, wherein multiple surfaces of the means for spacing and a surface of the source/drain region defines a gap positioned between the means for activating and the means for conducting, wherein the gap comprises an air gap or a vacuum gap, wherein the means for spacing contacts the source/drain region, the means for activating the channel region and the source/drain region contact a substrate, and a height of the gap is less than a height of the means for activating the channel region.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for activating the channel region and the means for conducting current are included in a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for activating the channel region and the means for conducting current are included in a mobile communication device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2014
From: XU, JEFFREY JUNHAO; RIM, KERN; ZHU, JOHN JIANHONG; SONG, STANLEY SEUNGCHUL; BADAROGLU, MUSTAFA; MACHKAOUTSAN, VLADIMIR; YANG, DA; YEAP, CHOH FEI
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 033733/0195 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61950681 · Mar 10, 2014
Related Publication 20150255571A1 · Sep 10, 2015