IP Library Granted Patent US 9,257,553
Granted Patent B2
US 9,257,553 · App. 14/504,385 · Granted Feb 9, 2016

Vertical transistor and method to form vertical transistor contact node

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,257,553
App. No.
14/504,385
Granted
Feb 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vertical transistor structure includes a substrate with a protruding structure, an offset layer covering a top surface of the protruding structure, a conductive layer disposed on the offset layer, and an interlayer disposed between the offset layer and the conductive layer to serve as a contact node.

Claims (30)

1. A vertical transistor structure, comprising:

a substrate having a protruding structure;

an offset layer covering a top surface of the protruding structure; and

an interlayer on the offset layer, wherein the interlayer comprises a composite conductive layer formed from the offset layer and functions as a contact node of the vertical transistor structure, wherein the protruding structure is a cubic shaped structure.

2. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is a doped silicon substrate.

3. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 1 wherein the protruding structure is an island-like pillar.

4. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 1 wherein the offset layer is a deposited silicon layer.

5. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 1 further comprising a conductive layer atop the offset layer, wherein the conductive layer comprises tungsten or titanium.

6. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 5 wherein the composite conductive layer is a metal silicide between the offset layer and the conductive layer.

7. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 6 wherein the composite conductive layer comprises tungsten silicide.

8. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 1 wherein the interlayer comprises a conductive material layer.

9. The vertical transistor structure according to claim 8 wherein the conductive material layer comprises tungsten or titanium, wherein the composite conductive layer is a metal silicide between the offset layer and the conductive layer.

10. A method for fabricating a contact node of a vertical transistor structure, comprising:

providing a stack material layer comprising a hard mask layer, an offset layer, and a conductive layer;

patterning the hard mask layer to form an etch hard mask;

etching the stack material layer not covered by the etch hard mask to form a protruding structure; and

subjecting the stack material layer to an annealing process thereby forming an interlayer comprising a composite conductive layer, wherein the stack material layer comprises, in the order of, the hard mask layer, the conductive layer, and the offset layer, wherein the offset layer and the conductive layer react together to form the composite conductive layer.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the stack material layer further comprises a substrate and a conductive material layer, wherein the offset layer covers the substrate, and wherein the offset layer and the conductive layer react together to form the composite conductive layer.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the offset layer is a deposited silicon layer.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the conductive layer comprises tungsten or titanium.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the composite conductive layer is a metal silicide layer.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the interlayer further comprises a conductive material layer.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein the conductive material layer comprises tungsten or titanium.

17. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

performing an oxidation process to form a gate oxide layer on surfaces of the protruding structure.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

forming a spacer on surfaces of the protruding structure.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising:

forming a dielectric layer to cover the protruding structure; and

partially removing the dielectric layer, and removing the conductive layer without exposing underlying said interlayer.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050695/0825 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2017
From: INOTERA MEMORIES, INC.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 041820/0815 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 3 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041675/0105 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2014
From: LEE, TZUNG-HAN
To: INOTERA MEMORIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033867/0491 →