IP Library Granted Patent US 10,431,503
Granted Patent B2
US 10,431,503 · App. 15/816,037 · Granted Oct 1, 2019

Sacrificial cap for forming semiconductor contact

Inventors: Praneet Adusumilli (Albany, NY); Zuoguang Liu (Schenectady, NY); Shogo Mochizuki (Clifton Park, NY); Jie Yang (Clifton Park, NY); Chun W. Yeung (Niskayuna, NY)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
H01L21/823878H01L21/76224H01L21/76895H01L21/823814H01L21/823821H01L23/535H01L29/41791H01L29/66553H01L29/66795H01L29/785H01L2029/7858
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,431,503
App. No.
15/816,037
Granted
Oct 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a fins on a substrate, forming a sacrificial gate stack over a channel region of the fins, a source/drain region with a first material on the fins, a first cap layer with a second material over the source/drain region, and a second cap layer with a third material on the first cap layer. A dielectric layer is deposited over the second cap layer. The sacrificial gate stack is removed to expose a channel region of the fins. A gate stack is formed over the channel region of the fins. A portion of the dielectric layer is removed to expose the second cap layer. The second cap layer and the first cap layer are removed to expose the source/drain region. A conductive material is deposited on the source/drain region.

Claims (33)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin;

a gate stack arranged over a channel region of the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin;

a source/drain region comprising a crystalline material having top faceted surfaces and bottom faceted surfaces, the bottom faceted surfaces contacting the first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin, wherein the source/drain region comprises an undulating or non-planar surface;

an air gap formed conformally and in direct contact with the top faceted surfaces and the bottom faceted surfaces of the source/drain region; and

a conductive contact material in contact with the top faceted surfaces of the crystalline material.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the top faceted surfaces of the crystalline material are not in direct contact with the first semiconductor fin or the second semiconductor fin.

3. A semiconductor device comprising:

semiconductor fins;

source/drain regions comprising a crystalline material having top faceted surfaces and bottom faceted surfaces, one of the source/drain regions contacting each of the semiconductor fins, wherein the source/drain region comprises an undulating or non-planar surface;

a dielectric material contacting adjacent semiconductor fins;

a silicide material on each of the source/drain regions, the silicide material comprising a first portion in direct contact with the top faceted surfaces and a second portion in direct contact with the bottom faceted surfaces of the source/drain regions, the silicide material formed in a conformal air gap in direct contact with the top faceted surfaces and the bottom faceted surfaces of the source/drain regions; and

a conductive contact material contacting the first portion and the second portion of the silicide material.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the dielectric material contacts the silicide material on adjacent source/drain regions.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the faceted surfaces of the crystalline material include faceted surfaces contacting each of the semiconductor fins.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the silicide material is on the faceted surfaces contacting each of the semiconductor fins.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the conductive contact material is on the faceted surfaces contacting each of the semiconductor fins.

8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the faceted surfaces of the crystalline material include faceted surfaces not contacting the semiconductor fins.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the conductive contact material is on the faceted surfaces not contacting the semiconductor fins.

10. The device of claim 3 , wherein the faceted surfaces of the crystalline material include faceted surfaces contacting each of the semiconductor fins.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the conductive contact material is on the faceted surfaces contacting each of the semiconductor fins.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the faceted surfaces of the crystalline material include faceted surfaces not contacting the semiconductor fins.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the conductive contact material is on the faceted surfaces not contacting the semiconductor fins.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the silicide material is only on the faceted surfaces not contacting the semiconductor fins.

15. A semiconductor device comprising:

semiconductor fins;

source/drain regions comprising a crystalline material having top faceted surfaces and bottom faceted surfaces, one of the source/drain regions contacting each of the semiconductor fins; and

an air gap formed conformally and in direct contact with the top faceted surfaces and the bottom faceted surfaces of the source/drain regions;

wherein the source/drain regions comprise an undulating or non-planar surface; and

wherein adjacent source/drain regions contact each other.

16. The device of claim 15 further comprising insulating material between adjacent semiconductor fins.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the adjacent semiconductor fins, the source/drain regions contacting the adjacent semiconductor fins, and the insulating material between the adjacent semiconductor fins define a cavity between the adjacent semiconductor fins.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the crystalline material is formed by an epitaxial growth process.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2020
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: ELPIS TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 052644/0868 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2017
From: ADUSUMILLI, PRANEET; LIU, ZUOGUANG; MOCHIZUKI, SHOGO; YANG, JIE; YEUNG, CHUN W.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044160/0749 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15272977 · Sep 22, 2016
Related Publication 20180082909A1 · Mar 22, 2018