Structure and method for transistors with line end extension

1. A method, comprising:

forming an isolation feature in a semiconductor substrate;

forming a first fin-like active region and a second fin-like active region in the semiconductor substrate and interposed by the isolation feature, wherein the forming the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region includes etching back the isolation feature such that the first and second fin-like active regions are extruded;

forming a dummy gate stack on the isolation feature, wherein the dummy gate is disposed vertically over a first end of the first fin-like active region extends from over the first fin-like active region to being disposed vertically over a first end of the second fin-like active region; and

etching a first recess in the first fin-like active region and a second recess in the second fin-like active region, wherein a first edge of the first recess is offset from the isolation feature providing a semiconductor material interposing the first recess and the isolation feature and a second edge of the second recess is offset from the isolation feature providing the semiconductor material interposing the second edge and the isolation feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming epitaxy grown source and drain features in the first recess of the first fin-like active region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the dummy gate stack includes forming a first gate having polysilicon and replacing the polysilicon with metal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming of the isolation feature and the forming of the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region includes:

forming a hard mask using a first photomask defining an active region and a second photomask defining a cut feature, wherein the hard mask includes openings defining the first and second fin-like active regions.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

growing an epitaxial layer in the etched first recess and the etched second recess.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the growing the epitaxial layer includes growing on a first sidewall of the first recess, a second sidewall of the first recess, the second sidewall opposing the first sidewall and a bottom surface of the first recess, wherein the first edge is defined by the first sidewall.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region includes providing a first photomask to define fin features and providing a second photomask to define line end pattern.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the forming the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region further comprises:

forming a photoresist layer on the semiconductor substrate;

performing a first lithography process to expose a first pattern on the photoresist layer using the first photomask; and

performing a second lithography process to expose a second pattern on the photoresist layer using the second photomask, the second lithography process following the first lithography process.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the forming the first fin-like active region and the second fin-like active region further comprises:

depositing a photoresist layer and an underlying hardmask layer on the semiconductor substrate;

performing a first lithography process to expose a first pattern on the photoresist layer using the first photomask;

performing an etching process to etch the first pattern into the hard mask layer;

after the etching, performing a second lithography process to expose a pattern on the photoresist layer using the second photomask; and

performing another etching process to etch the second pattern into the hard mask layer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor material interposing the first recess and the isolation feature extends under a first spacer element abutting the dummy gate and the semiconductor material interposing the second recess and the isolation feature extends under a second spacer element abutting the dummy gate.

11. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:

forming an isolation feature formed in a semiconductor substrate;

recessing the isolation feature to form a first fin of semiconductor material and an adjacent second fin of semiconductor material, the first and second fins extending in a first direction, wherein the isolation feature interposes the first fin and the second fin;

forming a gate on isolation feature;

forming a first set of gate spacers abutting sidewalls of the gate, wherein the first set of gate spacers are disposed over an end region of the first fin;

etching a recess in the first fin aligning a sidewall of the recess with a sidewall of the gate spacer, and wherein the recess is separated from the isolation feature by a portion of the semiconductor material of the end region of the first fin;

after etching the recess, removing the first set of gate spacers and forming a second set of gate spacers abutting sidewalls of the gate;

epitaxially growing a source/drain feature in the recess; and

doping the epitaxially grown source/drain feature using the second set of gate spacers as a masking element.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

forming another gate over the first fin, wherein the another gate is a functional gate stack spaced a distance from the gate stack.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming the gate stack and forming the first set of spacer elements on the gate stack include forming the first set of spacer elements such that each of the first set of spacer elements are disposed directly over and vertically aligned with end regions of one of the first fin and the second fin.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

removing at least one layer of the gate stack and replacing it with a metal layer.

15. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising:

forming a plurality of fins on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of fins include a first fin and a second fin collinear with the first fin, a third fin adjacent the first fin and a fourth fin collinear with the third fin;

providing an isolation feature including a first region interposing a first end of the first fin and a second end of the second fin and the first region also interposing a third end of the third fin and a fourth end of the fourth fin;

forming a dummy gate on the first region of the isolation feature interposing the first fin,-and the second fin, and interposing the third fin and the fourth fin;

forming a first gate spacer abutting a first sidewall of the dummy gate, wherein the first gate spacer is disposed over the first end of the first fin and the third end of the third fin;

etching a first recess in the first fin aligning a sidewall of the first recess with a first sidewall of the first gate spacer, and wherein the first recess is separated from the isolation feature by an end region of the first end of the first fin;

etching a second recess in the third fin aligning a sidewall of the second recess with the first sidewall of the first gate spacer, and wherein the second recess is separated from the isolation feature by an end region of the third end of the third fin; and

epitaxially growing a first source/drain feature in the first recess and a second source/drain feature in the second recess.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: removing the first gate spacer abutting the dummy gate after etching the first and second recesses.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the etching the first and second recesses includes forming the first and second recesses having sidewalls consisting of semiconductor material.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the forming the gate spacers includes forming a second gate spacer abutting a second sidewall of the dummy gate, wherein the second gate spacer is disposed over the second end of the second fin and the fourth end of the fourth fin.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

etching a third recess in the second fin aligning a sidewall of the third recess with a first sidewall of the second gate spacer; and

etching a fourth recess in the fourth fin aligning a sidewall of the fourth recess with the first sidewall of the second gate spacer.