Method for manufacturing semiconductor device

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

forming a dummy gate structure on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a plurality of gate spacers on opposite sidewalls of the dummy gate structure;

removing the dummy gate structure from the semiconductor substrate;

forming a metal gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate and between the gate spacers; and

performing a plasma etching process to the metal gate electrode, wherein the plasma etching process comprises performing in sequence a first non-zero bias etching step, a first zero bias etching step, a second non-zero bias etching step, and a second zero bias etching step.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein during the first zero bias etching step, an etch rate at a peripheral region of the metal gate electrode is faster than an etch rate at a central region of the metal gate electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein during the first non-zero bias etching step, an etch rate at a peripheral region of the metal gate electrode is slower than an etch rate at a central region of the metal gate electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first zero bias etching step is performed such that a top surface of the metal gate electrode is flattened.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the metal gate electrode after performing the first zero bias etching step has less curvature than a top surface of the metal gate electrode prior to performing the first zero bias etching step.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the metal gate electrode after performing the first non-zero bias etching step has greater curvature than a top surface of the metal gate electrode prior to performing the first non-zero bias etching step.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first non-zero bias etching step and the first zero bias etching step are performed in the same chamber.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a gate dielectric layer between the gate spacers prior to forming the metal gate electrode, wherein the plasma etching process is further performed to the gate dielectric layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a top surface of the gate dielectric layer is at a higher position than a top surface of the metal gate electrode after performing the first non-zero bias etching step.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the top surface of the gate dielectric layer is substantially level with the top surface of the metal gate electrode after performing the first zero bias etching step.

11. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a dummy gate structure on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a plurality of gate spacers on opposite sidewalls of the dummy gate structure;

replacing the dummy gate structure with a replacement gate structure;

etching the replacement gate structure;

forming a dielectric cap over the etched replacement gate structure and between the gate spacers; and

performing a plasma etching process to the dielectric cap, wherein the plasma etching process comprises performing in sequence a first non-zero bias etching step, a first zero bias etching step, second non-zero bias etching step, and a second zero bias etching step.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein during the first zero bias etching step, an etch rate at a peripheral region of the dielectric cap is faster than an etch rate at a central region of the dielectric cap.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein during the first non-zero bias etching step, an etch rate at a peripheral region of the dielectric cap is slower than an etch rate at a central region of the dielectric cap.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first zero bias etching step is performed such that a top surface of the dielectric cap is flattened.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a top surface of the dielectric cap after performing the first zero bias etching step has less curvature than a top surface of the dielectric cap prior to performing the first zero bias etching step.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein a top surface of the dielectric cap after performing the first non-zero bias etching step has greater curvature than a top surface of the dielectric cap prior to performing the first non-zero bias etching step.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

forming a hard mask over the dielectric cap and between the gate spacers; and

performing a chemical mechanical polish process to the hard mask until the gate spacers are exposed.

18. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a dummy gate structure on a semiconductor substrate;

forming a plurality of gate spacers on opposite sidewalls of the dummy gate structure;

removing the dummy gate structure;

forming a gate electrode material over the semiconductor substrate and between the gate spacers;

performing a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) process to the gate electrode material until the gate spacers are exposed;

after performing the CMP process, performing a first non-zero bias plasma etching process to the gate electrode material to thin down the gate electrode material;

after performing the first non-zero bias plasma etching process, performing a first zero bias plasma etching process to the gate electrode material to thin down the gate electrode material;

after performing the first zero bias plasma etching process, forming a dielectric cap in contact with the gate electrode material; and

performing a plasma etching process to the dielectric cap.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising after performing the first zero bias plasma etching process, performing a second non-zero bias plasma etching process to the gate electrode material.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising after performing the second non-zero bias plasma etching process, performing a second zero bias plasma etching process to the gate electrode material.